Tesco, the U.K. retailer, started opening up a new kind of grocery store in the U.S. five years ago. More than a convenience store, almost a supermarket, Fresh & Easy hasn't found its place in shoppers' habits.
A growing number of U.S. companies — including Wal-mart, Sears, Disney, Dickies, and hip-hop star Sean Comb's clothing line — have been linked to the deadly garment factory fire in Bangladesh.
Wa-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, had impressive Black Friday sales, including more than 1.3 million televisions. Outside some stores, employees and supporters picketed for higher wages and better benefits.
Walmart workers will walk picket lines outside stores on Black Friday to protest the retail chain's low wages. Walmart, with more than a million employees, helps set pay levels for the retail industry.