Sony's 2019 TV lineup includes a 98-inch Z9G 8K LED/LCD model that is priced at $70,000. The Z9G, which includes Sony's X1 Ultimate processor to assist in upscaling, will be available in June.

Retailers and brands including Sephora, Lululemon and Reebok are using their rewards programs to go beyond discounts and deals with experiences and perks that cultivate long-term loyalty and create new brand ambassadors. Last year, 61% of brands offered loyalty program members both experiences and deals, up from 47% in 2017, according to Gartner L2.

Kohl's will start accepting returns of Amazon purchases at all of its more than 1,150 US stores starting in July. The retailer teamed with Amazon two years ago, launching sales of the e-commerce giant's devices at some locations and accepting returns at 80 stores.

Ahold Delhaize, ALDI, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market and Target are among the top retailers that have pledged to reduce hydrofluorocarbons. ALDI has announced plans to install HFC-free refrigeration systems to an additional 100 stores this year, while Sprouts continues to be an active participant in the EPA's GreenChill Partnership.

Uptown Dallas' new Tom Thumb supermarket tailors its offerings to the more than 10,000 urban residents downtown. Take-home meals and specialty foods are core areas of focus, with sushi chefs, self-serve mochi ice cream and other grab-and-go items, along with a bar featuring indoor and outdoor seating.

Target has launched an eco-friendly line of household cleaning products called Everspring, which has such items as dish soap and laundry detergent. The sustainable brand offers prices around 20% lower than competing products, and it will eventually have nearly 70 items.

Plant-based meat manufacturer Beyond Meat expects a valuation of about $1.2 billion when its shares start trading publicly on the Nasdaq, according to new regulatory filings. The US market for meat replacements rose close to 22% last year and 18% in 2017, based on data from Euromonitor International.

If the ongoing digitization of food retail were a baseball game, the industry is in the second inning. With the game just underway, what is your company's plan for bringing your business into the digital information age?

Linda Filler, former president, retail, of Walgreen's, recommends focusing on your company's most important values. For instance, if a retailer's unique selling proposition is convenience, use digital tools to improve the checkout experience. If it's variety, make that the priority for your digital investments. And, of course, if it's price -- which it is for many retailers -- start there. Read more.

It's hard to believe, but October 2019 will mark four years since the card brand-imposed liability shift went into effect, requiring retailers to invest significant time, resources and capital to accept chip cards in their stores. FMI witnessed and heard firsthand from many of our members the challenges the arbitrary deadline created and the unnecessary expenses it cost their stores. The good news is, most of FMI's members report being EMV compliant and are seeing some degree of reduced chargebacks for fraudulent cards being used in stores. Now that we are mostly over the EMV hurdle, what's next on the payment horizon? Read more.

The first Food Retailing Industry Speaks report appeared in 1949. Seventy years later, this report continues to provide the industry with important benchmarks, facts and figures that are used in our advocacy work on Capitol Hill, in conversations with the media and by our members desiring to make informed business decisions.

In 1949, an amazing 64% of the industry responded to the first survey. We need your help to get your company to respond this year. Contact Steve Markenson to learn how your company can participate. We want as many voices as possible to Speak.