CEO of Market Basket suspended as investigation is launched

The CEO of Market Basket, a 90-store New England grocery chain, has been placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into allegations of planning a work stoppage to disrupt company operations. The board accuses Arthur T. Demoulas of retaliating against directives requiring greater corporate oversight and transparency. Additionally, the board claims Demoulas resisted succession planning by attempting to unilaterally position his children as future company leaders without board approval.

Chain Store Age

UPDATE: Court Ruling Revoking Trump Tariffs Temporarily Paused by Appeals Court

A federal trade court ruled that President Trump lacked the authority to impose his “reciprocal tariffs,” giving the administration 10 days to withdraw them—though an immediate appeal will likely send the case to the Supreme Court. The court determined that the law Trump used, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, doesn’t permit broad tariff authority, creating new uncertainty for global businesses already impacted by his trade policies. While the White House maintains the trade deficit constitutes a national emergency, analysts note the U.S. has long run a trade deficit, and the ruling may force Congress to reassert its control over international trade policy.

Retail Touchpoints

Consumer confidence rebounds in May amid increased optimism

Consumer confidence rebounded in May after five months of decline, driven by renewed optimism surrounding the U.S.-China trade deal and improving short-term outlooks for income and job prospects. The Consumer Confidence Index surged to 98.0, with broad gains in purchasing plans for homes, cars, and services, though inflation and tariffs remained key concerns. While affordability worries still outweigh job security fears, positive momentum across age, income, and political groups signals a more hopeful economic sentiment heading into the summer.

Chain Store Age

Victoria’s Secret resumes e-commerce following security incident 

Victoria’s Secret temporarily shut down its e-commerce site following a suspected cyberattack but has since restored online operations. During the May 28-29 outage, the company displayed a message citing a security incident and precautionary measures, while brick-and-mortar stores remained open. Though details of the breach remain undisclosed, Victoria’s Secret is working with third-party experts to investigate, and CEO Hillary Super indicated in an internal memo that full recovery will take time. 

Chain Store Age

Workplace Murders on the Rise in the U.S.

Workplace homicides are rising across the U.S., with a troubling 11% increase since 2014 and more than 1.3 million nonfatal violent incidents occurring annually—yet many businesses remain dangerously unprepared. A lack of leadership awareness, minimal employee training, and underinvestment in security leave front-line workers especially vulnerable in industries like retail and healthcare, where recent tragedies have become alarmingly frequent. Without stronger regulations, proactive cultural change, and meaningful prevention programs, this growing crisis will continue to threaten both employee well-being and public trust.

TalkLPnews

Will England, Vice President of Asset Protection, Risk Management and Compliance at Weis Markets steps into the LIVE Hot Seat at the NRF Big Show with TalkLP host Amber Bradley as they discuss all things Self-Checkout.

They chat about the grim statistics involving shoplifting and how he thinks reality is even worse. How to turn it around?  Tech and training – but no the normal kind… also, what’s up with body cams? 

Check out this episode to find out!

Check out TalkLPnews at NRF PROTECT booth 1716 – we’ll be doing LIVE podcasts!

Come by to say hello and see what’s new

on the UNSCRIPTED side of LP!

Research examines body cameras as a response to rising retail violence

A QUT-led study published in the International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction has suggested how body-worn cameras (BWCs), commonly used in law enforcement, could transform the retail and service sectors to address abuse and violence towards workers.

Major Australian retailers such as Kmart, Coles, Woolworths, Officeworks and Bunnings have started equipping frontline workers with BWCs, yet no peer-reviewed studies have been published examining their use in service-based industries.

 MSN

Workplace Violence Prevention in 2025

Workplace violence prevention is an ongoing and organic process. Federal and state regulations change frequently, so employers may consider regularly reviewing and updating their prevention plans and training programs on a scheduled timeline.

California’s SB553, the nation’s first comprehensive and multi-industry workplace violence prevention law, has been in effect for almost a year.

Many other states are following suit with their own workplace violence prevention laws or regulations, including New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act, taking effect this year. 

TalkLPnews

Rochester man admits to $1.2 million eBay scam with stolen goods

 MSN

Webinar: How to Prevent Backdoor Theft and Improve Safety with Cloud Video

As nearly a third of all theft across businesses is done internally, it’s crucial that companies keep a close eye on their backdoors. These points in your perimeter present easy-to-target vulnerabilities for would-be thieves, and can be exploited even more easily by those already working for you. Alongside that, they also create an area that can be dangerous for your employees. 

To strengthen your properties’ backdoors while increasing employee safety, businesses can leverage cloud video surveillance to fortify your store’s security.

Cloud video security offers businesses powerful tools to leverage against theft, such as video analytics and alerts. With this powerful AI-based technology, you can be alerted to suspicious activity in or around your property, including loitering and line crossing, while responding proactively with person/vehicle detection and license plate recognition. Access control and intrusion integrations can be leveraged as well to receive video verification of access and intrusion events. These features, along with remote management and real-time monitoring, can help boost employee safety and reduce risk in difficult-to-monitor areas.

In this webinar, we’ll cover:

• Implementing access control and intrusion integrations to create a more complete, end-to-end solution for your business
• How video analytics can alert you to suspicious or criminal behavior at your locations
• Tracking employee safety and productivity throughout your stores, such as during lunch breaks

Theft suspect found dead at Home Depot parking lot

Police are investigating after a man suspected of stealing from a Home Depot in Glendale was found dead in the store’s parking lot.

On Friday, Glendale police responded to a medical emergency at the store on 5040 San Fernando Road shortly after 8 a.m.

The suspect, who was only identified as a man in his 40s, had been pulled from his vehicle by a good Samaritan.

KTLA News

Brooklyn bookkeeper indicted for stealing $1.1M in payroll fraud scheme

A Brooklyn bookkeeper and two alleged accomplices were indicted and arraigned for stealing more than $1.1 million through a payroll fraud scheme that spanned five years and involved fake employees and inflated paychecks, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced.

They were charged in Brooklyn Supreme Court in connection with the scheme.

Shore News

Judge strikes down parts of EEOC guidance on workplace harassment protections

A federal judge has vacated segments of guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission aimed at preventing and addressing worker harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

A May 15 ruling asserts that portions of EEOC’s April 2024 guidance are “contrary to law.”

Safety+Health

Retail Asset Protection Systems Logistics Specialist - EG America

The Retail Asset Protection (RAP) Systems Logistics Specialist is a key contributor to ensuring the security, efficiency, and optimal functionality of surveillance and security systems across retail locations. This role is responsible for managing all Service Channel Tickets related to security and safety equipment, conducting remote triage and troubleshooting, and collaborating with vendors to reduce costs and minimize downtime.

Additionally, the Coordinator will work cross-functionally on assigned projects as directed by their supervisor, playing an essential role in training, process optimization, and system enhancements. Success in this position requires strong project management skills, excellent communication abilities, and the ability to collaborate across multiple departments and functions.

Retailers: Mark your calendars for Boots & Brews at NRF PROTECT, Tuesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m!

 Make Better Decisions With More Data  

Quickly respond to security events with video data analytics that flag suspicious situations in real time.

March Networks’ AI Series Cameras deliver unmatched precision and reliability, redefining the standard for accuracy in threat identification, where false positives are effectively eliminated. 

These smart cameras offer built-in video analytics like intrusion and loitering detection, line crossing, unattended or missing object detection, face detection, and crowd detection, ensuring peace of mind and security across all aspects of your operation.

How Retailers Can Fight a New Wave of Cyberattacks

Retailers today are facing a sharp rise in sophisticated cyberattacks—ransomware, data breaches, phishing, and supply chain infiltration are becoming regular threats across the industry.

Recent high-profile breaches, including incidents at Victoria’s Secret and Marks & Spencer, have exposed critical weaknesses in retail digital infrastructures, costing millions in revenue, disrupting operations, and damaging customer trust.

TalkLPnews

Retail Technology News: May update

Retailers in May 2025 focused technology efforts in areas including robotic food service, RFID inventory tracking, and AI assistants for shoppers and employees.

Here are some of the most noteworthy and innovative technology stories as reported by Chain Store Age in May, starting with the most recent.

Chain Store Age

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