To close out a summer driving season that will inevitably have had the highest average gas prices since the summer of 2014, Labor Day weekend prices at the pump are expected to be the highest in seven years at $3.11 per gallon, according to GasBuddy, the leading fuel savings platform providing North American drivers with…
What Are Certificates of Analysis for Hemp-CBD Products?
When reviewing cannabidiol (CBD) and other hemp-based products, retailers will run across manufacturers mentioning an item’s certificate of analysis (COA). They should ignore that at their peril. The COA is an important element to assuring that a CBD vendor’s product is the real deal. The COA isn’t unique to the CBD industry. It is common…
Wawa Reaches Settlement in Data Breach Suit
Wawa and a group of consumers have reached a settlement of litigation stemming from the data security incident Wawa previously announced in December of 2019. The agreement, which is subject to Court approval, resolves all customer claims related to that data security incident, which resulted from malware being discovered on Wawa payment processing servers. The…
Ida Likely to Cause Short-Term Gas Price Spike
The national gas price average decreased by two cents as of Sunday, the cheapest price since early July, but was back up a penny to $3.15 Monday morning following Hurricane Ida, according to AAA. The storm has left more than one million people in Louisiana and Mississippi without power and likely taken about 13% of…
Athletes May Be Key to Mainstreaming CBD Products
Cannabis in sports medicine is a controversial topic and is often not tolerated in professional and collegiate organizations. However, it’s also a topic very much on the radar for many athletes during this year’s Tokyo Olympics. Potentially, the same benefits athletes find in using cannabis-based products for their ailments will appeal to everyday consumers…
FDA Issues First Denials of ENDS Marketing Applications
On Aug. 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first marketing denial orders (MDOs) for electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products after determining the applications for about 55,000 flavored ENDS products from three applicants lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed…
Bidi Vapor Going After Illegal ENDS Products
Bidi Vapor, the maker of the BIDI Stick disposable electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), announced today that the company will deploy a multi-prong strategy to combat the flood of illegal and subpar ENDS products that have entered the market. Among the strategies Bidi Vapor publicly disclosed include injunctions and lawsuits over false advertising and intellectual…
Coke Recycling Promotion Offers Free E-Scooter and Bike Rides
Coca-Cola this week announced a partnership with electric vehicle provider Lime to reward people who are committed to recycling. To celebrate the nationwide availability of Coca-Cola Sip Sized bottles made from 100% recycled plastic material (rPET) (not including the bottles’ cap and label), the companies are offering more than 40,000 free bike or e- scooter…
Pandemic Led to Increase in Retail Security Threats
Organized retail crime and numerous other security concerns evolved in 2020, and most retailers attribute the increase in criminal activity to the pandemic, according to the 2021 Retail Security Survey released by the National Retail Federation. “Retailers have continuously pivoted throughout the pandemic to ensure their employees can work within a safe environment and their…
New Cigarette Warnings Pushed to Late Next Year
On Aug. 18, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued an order postponing the new effective date of the “Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements” final rule until Oct. 11, 2022. Pursuant to the court order, any obligation to comply with a deadline tied to the effective date is similarly…