While major retailers like Target and Walmart have scaled back on their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), cosmetics brand Lush temporarily renamed three of its bath bombs as “Diversity,” “Equity,” and “Inclusion,” doubling down its own commitment.

“A lot of us had a reaction, especially leading up to the executive order, where, at first it felt like it’s a shame to see, especially when we look at the power and the ability and the influence that corporations have to not just on their customers’ lives, but their staff’s lives, and the benefits that come from having an intentional, allocated DEI program on the staff experience,” Amanda Lee Sipenock Fisher, lead of Lush’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging program, told Retail Brew. “It was a really crucial moment to just reconfirm, especially in a moment of uncertainty and change to say, ‘Oh no…we’re staying the course,’ especially as those [others] are rolling back.”

She added that for the British retailer known for its handmade and cruelty-free range of bath, hair, and skin care products, diversity is part of the brand’s DNA and if anything, the executive order only encouraged the company to amp up its efforts.

Currently, DEI programs within the company guide practices such as hiring, resource groups, and employee development. The retailer also recently had a month-long partnership with nonprofit KultureCity on sensory accessibility and acceptance. It is additionally working on implementing new learnings focusing on essential tools to deal with microaggressions and culturally insensitive comments in the workplace.

Keep reading here.—JS

Kroger shoppers have been unknowingly overcharged for items advertised as being discounted, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports, The Guardian, and the Food & Environment Reporting Network.

Across March, April, and May, the publications sent people to shop in 14 states and the District of Columbia at 26 Kroger stores and other banners it owns, like Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, and Ralphs. These shoppers discovered that more than 150 grocery items, from Cheerios to dog food, had expired sales tags, and were on average $1.70, or 18.4%, more expensive than advertised. One-third of the labels were at least 10 days expired, while five were beyond 90 days.

The reports claim the issues stem from staffing shortages, as the average numbers of employees working and hours worked have both dropped around 10% between 2019 and 2024 at these stores. Kroger said it is “inaccurate to say the company reduced standards or labor hours” in a statement published by the above publications that was also shared with Retail Brew.

Keep reading here.—EC

For the second year in a row, Amazon joined the upfronts line-up and made the case to advertisers that bigger is, in fact, better.

Over the course of its nearly hour-and-a-half pitch Monday night, the company put its full platform suite on display, from Prime Video to Amazon Music, Wondery, Twitch, and Amazon MGM Studios, making the case that advertisers needn’t look anywhere else for all their advertising needs. The term “full funnel” came up more than a few times throughout the presentation to some presenters’ confusion. “I’m not sure what that even means,” Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce told the audience.

“Eighty-eight percent of [Prime] customers shop on Amazon, which means a product they saw on Cross…can be in their home the very next day,” Tanner Elton, VP of US ad sales, said onstage. “That is full funnel advertising.”

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—KH