Réal Raymond is the new chair of Metro Inc.’s Board of Directors, succeeding Pierre H. Lessard, in the role. Lessard is stepping down from the position as he has reached the age of mandatory board retirement.

Raymond will officially become chair after the company’s annual general meeting of shareholders, which will take place on January 27, 2015. Raymond joined the board in 2008, after acting as lead director of the company and chair of the human resources committee. Raymond was also formerly the president and CEO of National Bank of Canada.

Metro has also announced that John H. Tory has resigned from his position on the board, which he has held since 2011, after being elected mayor of Toronto.

Walmart Canada has announced plans to expand the Grab & Go locker program across 33 more Greater Toronto Area stores after having started out in 10 stores initially. The service, which provides customers with a pick-up option of the orders they’ve purchased online, uses lockers with a personalized PIN number.

The locations that will start offering the Grab & Go locker service include Walmart stores in Missisauga, Hamilton, Burlington, Brampton, Oshawa and more. Walmart is also offering same-day delivery in Vancouver and Toronto for orders placed before noon.

“Not everyone can order things to their office, and using this pick up option can help provide a level of security that isn’t always available with home delivery,” Alex Robertson, director of corporate affairs, told Canadian Grocer.

Whole Foods Market currently has 10 stores in Canada, located in metro Vancouver, Toronto, and its new Ottawa store that opened in late November. According to CEO Walter Robb, the company wants to open 30 more locations across Canada, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Whole Foods is also expected to announce an upcoming store in Calgary, according to media reports, and may extend to new stores in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Victoria, according to Retail Insider.

Facebook exclusive: Researchers say dietary fibre could assist in weight loss and reduce risk of disease

New research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition asserts that using two specific types of functional fibres may assist in weight loss when used daily for a long period of time. It does this by decreasing certain compounds in bodily waste and left beneficial bacteria in the gut.

The researchers compared ‘snapshots’ of the gut after a clinical trial that supplemented the body with polydextrose and soluble corn fibre, and compared that to images of the gut after fibre supplementation.

“This study conveys novel information about the impact of dietary fibre supplementation on the phylogenetic structure and functional capacity of the fecal micribiome of healthy adults,” said the study, led by Kelly Swanson of the University of Illinois, as reported by NutraIngredients-USA.

A novel finding of the study that will be researched further was that respondents tended toward a higher Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio, which was as yet unseen in this type of study, and was of note to researchers since individuals with higher Bacteroidetes tend to be leaner, according to Hannah Holscher, first author of the paper.

“We don’t know if there is any causality for weight loss, but studies have shown that having a higher fibre diet is protective against obesity. It’s an exciting shift and helps to drive researchers to study these fibres as part of a weight loss diet,” said Holscher, as reported by NutraIngredients-USA.

Research by LoyaltyOne for Thanksgiving Day shopping showed that 50 per cent of Americans aren’t keen on stores being open all day that day, while 33 per cent are, as it gives them more time to search for gifts. 17 per cent of participants are torn about the subject. 50 per cent of those who were supportive of all-day Thanksgiving shopping hours were between the ages of 18 to 24.

“Savvy retailers put the customer at the center of all their decisions,” LoyaltyOne retail practice leader Fred Thompson told Chain Store Age. “Although opening on Thanksgiving Day may lead to incremental sales that day, retailers could risk upsetting their most loyal customers who routinely shop their stores year-round. Retailers should identify who their best customers are and respond with Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales strategies accordingly.”

A study published in Nutrition Today looked at the metabolic effects of herbs and spice blends, especially in terms of cardiovascular activity. Researchers confirmed a rise in the level of triglycerides after consuming a high-fat meal, which can lead to heart disease. When a high-antioxidant spice was added to the meal, triglyceride levels decreased by approximately 30 per cent.

The study found that cinnamon showed to be helpful with lowering cholesterol of those with diabetes, as well as garlic. The study also included spices such as rosemary, oregano, cloves, paprika, turmeric, ginger and black pepper. Participants’ antioxidant level had a 13 per cent rise when consuming the meal with the spices.

Wal-Mart U.S. CEO Greg Foran announced at a Black Friday preview event last week that the retilaer is optimistic about the sales to come for the upcoming holiday season. Wal-Mart also announced it will be matching rivals on Black Friday deals. As for the holiday season in general, the priority will be to keep the merchandise supply up and focus on customer service.

“We’re really serious about looking after our customers, and not just talking about it,” Foran told Supermarket News. “It’s always been a part of our DNA, but let’s do more than just lean into it. Let’s obsess with making sure that customers who shop at Walmart really do get fantastic service and are well looked after.” He mentioned customers expressing the need for more cash registers to be opened in order to get a faster checkout experience. “Well guess what – we’re going to open more registers this year than ever,” he said.

Amazon has made a new platform for social commerce available for its retailers. Amazon retailers available on the webstore can now sell their products on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and blogs that will link straight to the checkout process through the e-commerce storefront.

Retailers like Spiegel and Harley-Davidson Military Sales have already begun using Shoppost.

“For 150 years Spiegel has been a pioneer in technology and fashion. As the global leader in first-to-market innovations, we are always looking for the next great gateway for our customers to shop and Shoppost delivers,” Richard Lowe, international creative director at Spiegel, told Fierce Retail. “By bringing Shoppost to our social audience just in time for the holidays, we are giving them new and more convenient ways to share and shop what they love with the people they love.”

The Competition Bureau is investigating Loblaw Companies Ltd. and its relationship with some of its suppliers, which may be raising concerns under the Competition Act, despite behavioural restrictions for its supplier agreements that were imposed on the grocer when it acquired Shoppers Drug Mart in early 2014.

“The bureau is looking at these practices and the impact that they could have on competition in the marketplace,” said spokesman Greg Scott, as reported by Canadian Grocer.

The Competition Bureau is investigating to ensure restrictions remain in place on certain programs and agreements, to avoid higher wholesale prices as paid by other retailers and higher prices by consumers.

“Given it’s the nation’s largest-ever retail acquisition, we understand the bureau’s interest in maintaining competition in the marketplace,” Loblaw spokesman Kevin Groh told Canadian Grocer. “We don’t believe our commitment or practices are inconsistent with a competitive market. But, we continue to cooperate with the bureau and have worked to provide them with the clarity they require.”

The number of people that suffer from digestive diseases is on the rise, with 60 to 70 per cent of American consumers suffering from these issues, according to the National Institutes of Health. This includes issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, which affects up to 15 per cent of people around the world, and pancreatitis.

The popularity of gluten-free or celiac products is on the rise, along with yogurt and other products containing gut-healthy probiotics. Even medication can cause issues in digestive health, so it’s a good idea to acquaint your shelves with ingredients to benefit the gut.

The global probiotics market listed sales of $25 billion in 2013, according to Datamonitor Consumer, and that is expected to grow by 40 per cent to $35 billion by 2018, as reported by Natural Products Insider. Digestive enzymes are up and coming supplement ingredients, according to Sloan Trends. They foresee a growth of digestive enzymes by 6.3 per cent from 2013 to 2016.

“Digestion wellness is becoming a consistent and leading category in the dietary supplement market for a variety of reasons,” Tim Gamble, president and CEO of Nutraceutix, told Natural Products Insider.