General Merchandise

CHICAGO — Growth in 2013 will be slow-going in the first half of 2013 but will pick up at the end, suggested James Russo, SVP global consumer insights for Nielsen, during a webinar Wednesday afternoon. "The consumer remains in maintenance mode," he said. "Consumers are being pragmatic in their spending. Uncertainty dominates."

NEW YORK — Club retailers could be in for a good time over the next three years, according to a new study.

The study, by Deloitte, found that consumer products executives expect growth through warehouse club retailers to outpace those of other retail channels, including mass merchandise, supermarkets and online retail.

SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass. — The Yankee Candle Co. has introduced a new line of scented candles for spring, the company said Tuesday.

Yankee announced the launch of five new Yankee Candle fragrances and six new fragrances in its Pure Radiance line, with beach and exotic fruit scents to remind people of vacations in tropical places. The candles will be available at more than 564 Yankee Candle stores, yankeecandle.com and various specialty retailers and gift shops.

HOUSTON — A new website features gourmet tea and coffee products.

GourmetCafeSpot.com, owned by Texas-based Internet company Pagee Distributing, features such coffee and tea products as tea pots, water kettles, coffee grinders and roasters, coffee machines, espresso machines, tea and coffee blends.

TYSONS CORNER, Va. — More than 80% of Americans are willing to pay more for Made in the USA products, according to a USA Today report published online late Monday night. 

Out of those shoppers actively seeking to buy all things American, 93% reported that they wanted to keep jobs in the U.S. as their primary reason for doing so, the report noted, citing a survey released in November by Boston Consulting Group.

DALLAS — Paper-products manufacturer Kimberly-Clark has appointed Jennifer Sepull as its chief information officer and VP information technology services, the company said Monday.

Sepull, who will report to SVP and CFO Mark Buthman, previously was VP and chief information officer of the information systems division at American Honda Motor Co. She also previously worked for IBM and pursued several business ventures.

CHICAGO — SymphonyIRI Group on Friday named Piyush Chaudhari president of the Americas. Chaudhari will report directly to Andrew Appel, SymphonyIRI’s president and CEO.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — HP this week announced that customers can now print directly from their smartphone or tablet to more than 8,000 Walgreens stores through the HP Public Print Locations network.

By downloading the free HP ePrint Service iPhone app, users can order prints of their photos and pick those photos up from a local Walgreens in as little as an hour.