General Merchandise

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Living Essentials, distributors of 5-hour Energy shots, announced that it is sponsoring Mexican soccer star Oribe Peralta, striker for the Mexican National Team and MX Santos Laguna team. This marks the first time 5-hour Energy has worked with a professional soccer player.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health division on Wednesday launched eight flea and tick treatments and control solutions, which are to be sold at pet specialty retail stores. The announcement was made at Global Pet Expo, the pet industry's largest annual trade show.

Four of the new products — Advantage Treatment Spray for dogs, Advantage Treatment Spray for cats, Advantage Treatment Shampoo for dogs and Advantage Treatment Shampoo for cats — aim to give pet owners an array of options for pest treatment.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Mondelez International, a snack industry leader whose portfolio includes such brands as Oreo and Nabisco, announced a plan to improve the well-being of our planet and people. The "Call for Well-Being" strategy seeks to broaden the reach and impact of the company's programs. It will start with new global nutrition targets across its product mix, the company said.

ISELIN, N.J. — Ansell, the makers of LifeStyles Condoms, announced the launch of Epic, a new sexual enhancement product for males.

Epic is a quick-drying topical spray that delays ejaculation by reducing the sensitivity of the penis. The spray features DermaSys technology, a patented transdermal delivery system which optimizes topical delivery through a highly effective absorption process. It also contains Lidocaine, a mild anesthetic that begins working almost immediately after application.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Reckitt Benckiser's Air Wick is introducing a Familiar Favorites collection, which is inspired by the scents of such brands as Snuggle, Cinnabon and Baby Magic.

RACINE, Wis. — Just as the winter months draw to a close, SC Johnson's Glade brand announced a line of new spring-inspired scents, which the company said will evoke the excitement of the change of seasons.

The Glade Limited Edition Spring Collection consists of five new fragrances:

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — The NPD Group on Thursday signed a market information services agreement with Nielsen for school and office supplies retail market data and analytic services. The agreement combines Nielsen’s market information, including sales data from food and drug channels, with NPD’s existing school and office Supplies business, which covers office superstores, mass merchants, e-commerce and other retailers.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred's Super Dollar on Thursday posted $157.5 million in sales, representing a decline of 1%, for the four weeks ended March 1. Comparable store sales for the month decreased 2.2% compared with a decrease of 1.5% in the prior-year period.

“In the pharmacy department, we will continue to accelerate new pharmacy acquisitions and focus on our plan for EIRIS Health Services, Fred's specialty pharmacy unit, which is experiencing solid script and sales growth in this fast-expanding segment of the pharmacy industry," noted Bruce Efird, Fred's CEO.