The CEO of outdoor gear retailer REI is stepping down after an inquiry into a personal relationship that appeared to be a conflict of interest. Jerry Stritzke, who has been president and CEO since 2013, will leave the company March 16. “An outside law firm had been looking into Stritzke's relationship — described by REI as 'personal and consensual' — with the head of another group that operates in the outdoor space,” according to USA Today. No financial improprieties were uncovered during the investigation.

Amazon and General Motors are in talks to invest in Rivian Automotive in a deal that would value the so-called “electric adventure vehicle” at between $1 billion and $2 billion, sources told Reuters. “It would be a major boost for the Plymouth, Michigan-based startup, which aspires to be the first carmaker to the U.S. consumer market with an electric pickup,” per Reuters.The deal would come as another electric car manufacturer, Tesla, struggles to stabilize production and deliver consistent profits.

L'Occitane Group has signed a deal with Loop Industries to supply the company with 100% sustainable PET plastic. The beauty products company joins other major brands including Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, Procter & Gamble and The Body Shop in the pilot program with Loop that will introduce refillable packaging made from glass, stainless steel or durable plastic. The beauty company also signed the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Commitment to work on plastic waste and pollution solutions.

Bloomingdale’s is discontinuing a T-shirt with the term “fake news,” The move came after a journalist posted a photo of the shirt on Twitter and criticized the retailer for selling it. “Bloomingdale’s isn’t the only store to profit off the term 'fake news,' which has transformed from describing deliberately false online news stories to an anti-press cudgel wielded by Trump and other leaders around the world,” according to Poynter.

Chicago stands ready to swoop in on a bid for Amazon’s HQ2 if the retailer ditches its planned New York City site. Illinois’ governor has already called Seattle-based Amazon following a Washington Post story detailing the company's desire to reassess its plan to bring a new headquarters and 25,000 jobs to New York City. WaPo reports that Amazon has not leased or bought office space in New York City, where some politicians have come out against the headquarters.

The plus-size era is over before it began, according to Retail Dive. Replacing it is a new standard: inclusive sizing. Retailers that haven't woken up to those changes risk losing billions in sales. One-third of female consumers identify as plus-sized, according to NPD Group's Consumer Tracking Service. "So many women cannot purchase fashion because it's not available to them," Shawn Grain Carter, professor of fashion business management at The Fashion Institute of Technology, told Retail Dive. "It's another reason why you will see aspirational customers reach for handbags and shoes from haute couture houses because they're easier to purchase.” …

Foot Locker is making a $100 million strategic minority investment in Goat, a managed marketplace for sneakers that operates company-owned stores, e-commerce sites and mobile apps for Goat and Flight Club. Both brands are resale platforms, which authenticate products offered for sale. “Foot Locker is in good company,” according to WWD. “LVMH Luxury Ventures last February made an investment in Stadium Goods, a streetwear and sneaker resale site and brick-and-mortar retailer.”

If you focus exclusively on Tesla’s car unit, it looks to be a company on the rise. But autos are hardly the company’s only focus. “The problem for Tesla is that it doesn’t just sell electric vehicles,” according to New York magazine. “In 2016, Tesla bought solar energy company SolarCity for $2.6 billion, also taking on $3 billion in SolarCity debt. The deal raised a few eyebrows; SolarCity was founded in 2006 by one of Elon Musk’s cousins and Musk owned a 22% stake in the company and was chairman of the board.” There are other reasons for Tesla investors …

Chipotle launched a campaign themed "For Real" in September to showcase its fresh ingredients and food preparation. The company also ran a free delivery bowl campaign to promote its partnership with Doordash. New or infrequent customers made up nearly half of the people taking advantage of the offer. Digital orders in the fourth quarter rose 66%, accounting for $158.6 million in revenue, or 13% of sales.

Mountain Dew is teaming up with international disaster support group Team Rubicon to spread the word about its efforts, and is bringing Dale Earnhardt Jr. along for assistance. Team Rubicon is a non-government organization founded by two U.S. Marines, William McNulty and Jacob "Jake" Wood. The partnership includes a $1 million donation and a multimedia campaign, including a dedicated  TV spot, digital, social media, POP, products and presence at the Daytona 500.