INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Recently departed chief merchandising officer John Fleming will be remembered for a lot of things during his 10-year career at Walmart, but a champion of the retailer’s corporate culture isn’t one of them. That’s too bad.

(THE NEWS: Walmart chief merchant announces departure. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT This represents a significant victory for retailers from all sectors, if for nothing else than it provides a little overhead cost stability in what continues to be a volatile economy.

(THE NEWS: Swipe fee fix draws praise from industry groups. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The Senate medication therapy management bill, introduced on June 29 by Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., has been backed by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association -- and for good reason. For health reform to have any real teeth, MTM needs to be a meaningful part of it -- and if MTM is going to have any real teeth, retail pharmacy needs to be a part of it.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT When Simon joined Walmart a little more than four years ago, he didn’t bring with him a lot of baggage about the way things were done in the retail industry or at Walmart. In fact, he virtually had no retail experience, which could explain why the company came up with the $4 generic idea. Now, as head of the company’s $258 billion U.S. division, you have to wonder if disruptive actions of a similar nature are in store. Clearly, Walmart didn’t make this change because it is overjoyed with the performance of its U.S.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The dietary supplement industry is free at last from any major news organization making any kind of assertion that the industry is “unregulated.”

(THE NEWS: CRN: Dietary supplement manufacturers must be GMP-compliant. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The partnership between the National Community Pharmacists Association and Chain Drug Consortium brings together one of the largest pharmacy trade groups in the country with one of the largest purchasing organizations.

(THE NEWS: NCPA, CDC buying group forge new ties. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Community pharmacy never really was able to stop the mail-order juggernaut. Maybe the cash-strapped U.S. postal service will.

(THE NEWS: Plan to cut Saturday postal service draws heat from mail-order pharmacy. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT New research released by Nielsen suggesting that retailers must be cautious when trimming SKUs as they risk losing customers if the wrong products are slashed clearly addresses an important issue and comes just on the heels of Drug Store News' June 7 report titled "7 Deadly Sins of SKU Rationalization."