WALMART

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is following through on its commitment to give consumers the best access to affordable, nutritious foods by donating $9.5 million in grants to organizations with a shared mission of promoting healthy eating habits.

The funding will support nutrition education programs, provide classes focused on learning to cook and shop for healthier foods on a budget and provide live cooking demonstrations in communities nationwide, the company annnounced in a press release.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In honor of American Heart Month, Sam's Club announced it will be hosting free heart health screenings on Feb. 11 at all locations with a pharmacy.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., members and guests can receive total cholesterol, HDL, glucose, body mass index and blood-pressure tests for free. During the screenings, Sam's Club pharmacies also will offer free samples of related items, the company said.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. —  NPD Group is expanding its portfolio of solution-oriented products and services by acquiring data from Walmart's U.S. stores and website.

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — Redbox, a division of Coinstar, announced Tuesday it has renewed its agreement with Walmart to continue featuring Redbox kiosks at more than 3,700 Walmart locations nationwide.

The agreement extends the availability of Redbox kiosks and builds upon the companies' more than 5-year relationship, said Redbox.

The first Redbox kiosks were installed in Walmart stores in 2006.

Will the merger of Express Scripts and Medco go through? Not if pharmacy lobbyists can stop it. There’s nothing new about the fact that different industry groups connected with retail pharmacy or health care can hold strongly opposing views about what’s good or profitable for their own members. But for undisguised hostility and tit-for-tat charges and countercharges, nothing comes close to the long-running feud between independent pharmacy and the pharmacy benefits management industry.

NEW YORK — Walmart on Wednesday opened its second supercenter in Chicago.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club has expanded its Simply Right brand to include a line of quality and affordable vitamins, the retailer announced.

Sam's Club said its brand, which replaces its Member's Mark line, features refined packaging and vitamins that are formulated to deliver the same benefits in a smaller pill, making it ideal for members and families who have difficulty swallowing pills, Sam's Club said. The line includes triple strength fish oil, Co Q-10 softgels, glucosamine HCl and vitamin D3.

SOUTHPORT, Conn. — Walmart ranked No. 1 out of six retail pharmacy operators who were identified as part of the “Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities" by DiversityBusiness.com last week. Other pharmacy retailers on the list included, in order, Kroger, Supervalu, Target, Walgreens and Ahold USA.