Americans are trying to figure out what the new federal guideline on fully vaccinated people not needing masks in most cases means for businesses and communities. Washington state's major retailers are split on continuing to require masks. VIEW
Retail
Follow stories on Costco and big-box stores; Amazon and bookstores; Starbucks and food and beverage retailers; Nordstrom and department stores; REI, Nike, Blue Nile and Coinstar. Also covered are grocery stores (PCC, Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Haggen); consumer spending, restaurants, fast food, clothing, e-commerce, auto sales, hotels, airlines, sales tax, credit cards and Black Friday.
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Walmart to allow vaccinated shoppers, workers to go maskless
Walmart said Friday that it won’t require vaccinated shoppers or workers to wear a mask in its U.S. stores, unless state or local laws say...
Coffee without beans? Seattle startup brews a new cup of joe
Now that consumers have accepted meatless meat, eggless eggs, and milkless milk, Seattle-based Atomo aims to popularize coffeeless coffee. Atomo's coffeeless coffee is made from...
Target suspends in-store sales of sports cards, cites safety
Target has suspended in-store sales of sports and Pokemon trading cards, citing safety concerns. The move comes after police in Brookfield, Wis., reported that four...
Many retailers will still require masks – at least for now – even with new CDC guidance
Many of the country's largest retailers will keep requiring masks in their stores despite the CDC's eased national restrictions, though industry groups and workers' advocates...
Big employers, including McDonald’s and Amazon, drive starting pay higher
The rising wages represent a slow but steady march toward a goal that lawmakers and labor activists have pursued for years, with limited success: a...
CDC’s U-turn on masks puts businesses in ‘damned if you do’ (or don’t) bind
Companies are rushing to assess their mask policies after a sudden announcement by U.S. officials put newly relaxed federal guidelines in conflict with the rules...
Desperate for workers, US restaurants and stores raise pay
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. restaurants and stores are rapidly raising pay in an urgent effort to attract more applicants and keep up with a flood...
Kroger, blasted for ending hazard pay, gave CEO $22 million
The supermarket giant that owns QFC and Fred Meyer gave CEO Rodney McMullen a $22.4 million pay package for 2020 -- his largest haul since...