SPRING 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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COVER STORY 18 2026 Super50 Supermarkets The top grocery stores by customer satisfaction, tech use, loyalty programs, and more INDUSTRY NEWS 06 Walmart plans 20 new stores, 650 remodels Refresh will enhance in-store experience, incorporate digital elements 07 Judge: Market Basket board was right to dismiss CEO Arthur Demoulas was fired after board heard he was organizing a work stoppage 08 Consumer lawsuits loom as tariff refund portal opens Estimated $166 billion at stake as importers file for government reimbursement 10 Costco fights back in suit against rotisserie chicken The company’s lawyers say lawsuit has several holes
10 Walmart continues to lose grocery market share But will the retailer ever be caught? TECH NEWS 12 Albertsons is the new Walmart when it comes to tech dominance The grocer continues to gain momentum through AI and other technology 13 Sobeys invests $51M in digital price tag tech The move comes as the tech takes on criticism in the United States. 13 Does Maryland’s measure on surveil lance pricing do enough? Lawmakers make modifications favoring retailers CATEGORY MANAGEMENT 26 PROTEIN The protein push moves through the center store 30 DAIRY A healthy outlook for dairy merchandising
34 MEAT Meat shoppers look to control costs 40 PRODUCE A versatile plan for greater produce use 44 SEAFOOD A compulsion for quality seafood IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Editor’s Letter 46 Hot Bar Hot Takes Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson conducted his first rankings of a hot bar at a Mariano’s in Lombard, Ill., in April. 48 Take SN’S Price Check Challenge Watch the videos and see if you can predict each item’s price 50 Checkout Is Target taking a specialized approach to grocery?
COVER IMAGE BY: SHUTTERSTOCK
SPRING 2026 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM 3
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