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ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — According to research conducted by Unilever's Dove brand, the way women depict themselves is dramatically different from how others perceive them.

Underwriters Laboratories’ UL Environment division introduced an updated version of its EcoLogo to designate the sustainability of toys.

The EcoLogo is the first environmental toy standard developed with input from the Toy Industry Association (TIA), according to UL. It establishes a points-based model for the evaluation of performance, and recognizes manufacturers for sustainability leadership and innovation with the addition of a Platinum level certification for the highest achievement.

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. — Italian food company Barilla has partnered with the U.S. Ski Team's Mikaela Shiffrin, who will don the Barilla logo on her helmet.

The 17-year-old recently secured third place at the slalom in Levi, Finland, and is considered a serious contender for the World Cup Nov. 24, in Aspen, Colo., as well as the 2014 Olympic games to be held in Sochi, Russia.

In addition to a John Fleming sighting in Minneapolis, Walmart alums John Menzer and Craig Herkert made news of their own this week.

Menzer resigned as CEO of Michaels following a stroke he suffered back in April, while Herkert was let go from his CEO role at Supervalu following a string of poor results.

Mobile payments and technologies such as near field communications are a double-edged sword. The source of potential improvement to store experience, competitive advantage and efficiency, emerging point-of-sale technologies also create new opportunities for bad guys to steal. That’s why the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) have joined forces on the issue.

YONKERS, N.Y. — Retailers that cater to lower-income and higher-income consumers should be pleased with the most recent Consumer Reports Index, as those two groups showed the greatest improvement in consumer sentiment.

The Consumer Reports Index, an overall measure of Americans' personal financial health, saw a sharp improvement in its consumer sentiment measure, which jumped to its highest level since October 2008.

MAVENEL, N.J.  — MIZCO International has introduced an entire line of universal tablet accessories under the company’s DIGIPOWER, iEssentials, and Travelocity brands. All of the new accessories, according to MIZCO president and CEO Albert Mizrahi, are designed to work with both the Apple iPad as well as Android based tablets.
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports will be flat in May compared with the same month last year, but is expected to see solid year-over-year increases through this summer and the back-to-school season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Much was made this week of the nomination of Google executive Marissa Mayer to the Walmart board and for good reason. She will add a new layer of depth and expertise to Walmart’s board, but she won’t be the only digital darling on the board.

In March there was a decline in the number of circulars overall, however, pages per flyer increased. The increase in pages was primarily due to a significant increase in Walmart and Toys"R"Us page counts. Much of the promotional activity was driven by Easter falling earlier in April as compared to 2011.

Walmart distributed an additional four-page flyer in the week of 3/11/2012; they also circulated two flyers instead one in most of the markets in the week of 3/4/2012. These additional flyers accounted for the increase total pages as compared with last year.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN has acquired lifestyle brand Chasing Fireflies. Terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.

The purchase, which was made through the multichannel retailer’s Cornerstone Brands segment, will accelerate HSN’s move into content-driven lifestyle businesses.

CHICAGO — While consumers will continue to define value based on price, other key trends, including new product development, technology, store layouts and shopping patterns will drive the market in 2012, according to SymphonyIRI research.

In its latest Times & Trends report, "CPG 2011 Year in Review: The Search for Footing in an Evolving Marketplace," SymphonyIRI said that in order to effectively compete in the market, consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers should take note of the following predictions: