Wegmans Food Markets says it will eliminate plastic bags companywide by the end of the year. The grocer will still offer paper bags at a charge of 5 cents per bag, with those funds being donated to local food banks and the United Way. In locations that have already enacted the ban, Wegmans estimates that “paper bags are used for 20%-25% of transactions and 75%-80% use reusable bags or no bags at all,” per Progressive Grocer. “The company says it will prevent approximately 345,000,000 single-use bags from going into circulation over one year.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are seeking two marquee corporate partner sponsors for the seven-time World Series champions. Global sports marketing agency SportFive is assisting the team in finding a field presenting partner and a jersey sponsor, to begin in the 2023 season. "Although other teams have done this -- most notably he Denver Broncos, who play in Empower Field at Mile High Stadium -- in terms of historical significance, this is the equivalent of the New York Yankees offering presenting field rights to Yankee Stadium or the Boston Red Sox doing it for Fenway Park,” per NYSportsJournalism.com.

Starbucks Corp. Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz issued a video message to employees stating that the company will only make “promises that we will keep, promises that are real” and he aims to “solve the problems that exist in your stores.” Schultz, who returned to lead the company for the third time last month, is facing a growing union drive at U.S. locations. 

A federal judge on Monday struck down the mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods -- and airlines are responding. “Several U.S. airlines announced Monday that masks are now optional on their aircraft — Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines,” per CNN. Amtrak also said it will no longer require face masks for passengers and employees on its trains. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the mask mandate through May 3, but a Biden administration official says the order is no longer in effect while the ruling …

VF Corp. is suing Brooklyn-based MSCHF and its collaborator Tyga over Wavy Baby, a take off of Vans’ classic Old Skull sneaker. The complaint alleges trademark infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition and trademark dilution, and that MSCHF “shamelessly marketed” the warped sneaker in a direct attempt to confuse consumers, “siphon sales” and damage Vans’ intellectual property rights, per Sourcing Journal.

A global brand tracking survey shows that Cadillac is showing year-over-year improvements in five key metrics of brand health. The General Motors luxury brand’s biggest year-over-year improvement is in “First Choice Consideration,” which is when customers consider Cadillac first over other other automotive brands. That metric is up 29%, per the research. The brand also showed gains in the other for categories: “stirs emotion,” “advanced tech,” “brand for me,” “net momentum”and “opinion.”

The DoorPass for Students from DoorDash is a lower-cost membership plan available to all undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges across the country. “The subscription program already has over 10 million members globally and has been key to generating repeat business on the delivery platform,” per Restaurant Dive. “DashPass's continued expansion shows significant potential for growth and may help DoorDash in reaching profitability.”

Once the enemy of independent book stores, Barnes & Noble is now thought to be their salvation. “Its unique role in the book ecosystem, where it helps readers discover new titles and publishers stay invested in physical stores, makes it an essential anchor in a world upended by online sales and a much larger player: Amazon,” per The New York Times. Even after the bleak days of the pandemic, sales at the retailer were up 3% last year over their pre-pandemic performance in 2019. “The growth came the old-fashioned way, said James Daunt, the company’s chief executive: by selling …

Amazon's first “fuel and inflation surcharge” will be added to the "fees it charges sellers whose inventory it warehouses and delivers to customers," according to The New York Times. Due to rising costs, "the surcharge, which averages 5 percent of the current fulfillment fees, will take effect on April 28."

Ice cream shop Baskin-Robbins just launched a "brand overhaul that includes a new logo, packaging, employee uniforms and the 'Seize the Yay' tagline, designed to inspire appreciation of every moment, big and small," according to Nation's Restaurant News. To mark the rebrand, the company developed three new flavors: "Non-Dairy Mint Chocochunk in a coconut milk base; Ube Coconut Swirl; and Totally Unwrapped, a candy-bar-inspired mix of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream." Yum.