🕔 Retail Daily Minute | Schnucks Pilots Anti-Fraud Gift Cards, Costco Accelerates Scan-and-Go & General Mills Slashes Prices

Hello Omni Talk Fans! Today’s headlines make me giddy. Costco is finally testing scan-and-go, and Schnucks once again is deploying “no brainer” tech to combat gift-card fraud.

In today’s Retail Daily Minute:

Schnuck Markets achieves 100% fraud-free results in Digimarc gift card security pilot, with 87% of cashiers reporting faster checkout times.
Costco reports 20% faster checkout with scan-and-go technology.
General Mills cuts prices on two-thirds of products to boost volumes, sacrificing profitability as net income drops 48% while sales volumes respond positively.

Plus, David Dorf of AWS predicts the future of agentic AI in 2026, along with a quote from a film in which I remember a character vividly eating cereal while wearing BMX gloves.

👇 Listen now

Today’s Top Headlines

1. Schnuck Markets Eliminates Gift Card Fraud with Digimarc

Schnuck Markets tested Digimarc’s gift card security solution in 10 St. Louis stores for 10 weeks, achieving 100% activation success with zero fraud. The watermarked cards prevent activation if tampered, requiring no cashier training while streamlining checkout. Schnucks also expanded Instacart Caper Cart rollout across Missouri and Illinois. (Read More)

2. Costco’s Scan-and-Go Technology Boosts Checkout Speed 20%

Costco’s scan-and-go pilot increased checkout speed by up to 20%, while entrance membership scanners improved productivity. Digital enhancements drove website traffic up 24% and app traffic up 48%. Extended executive member hours reduced crowds. Q1 2026 U.S. comparable sales rose 5.9%, net sales up 8.2% to $65.98 billion. (Read More)

3. General Mills Price Cuts Drive Higher Shopper Response

General Mills’s strategic price reduction initiative is showing positive results as shoppers increasingly respond to lower prices across its diverse product portfolio, including Cheerios cereal, Pillsbury refrigerated dough, fruit snacks, and Progresso soup. The company reported Wednesday that the targeted price cuts are beginning to bear fruit. (Read More)

4. Von Maur To Open First New Jersey Anchor Store in 2027

Von Maur Department Stores will debut in New Jersey with a 164,000-square-foot anchor store at Freehold Raceway Mall in fall 2027, occupying the former Nordstrom space. The three-level location will mark the retailer’s 40th store nationwide and employ approximately 150 associates, featuring Von Maur’s signature residential ambiance. (Read More)

5. PayPal Officially Applies for Utah Industrial Bank Charter

PayPal applied for a Utah industrial loan charter to establish PayPal Bank, expanding financial services for U.S. small businesses. Having already extended $30 billion in loans, the charter would reduce third-party dependence and enable direct card network connections, interest-bearing savings accounts, and FDIC-insured deposits. (Read More)