Hello Omni Talk Fans! Today’s headlines are grocery heavy, and there’s a reason for that.
Collectively, they signal the competitive dynamics facing the grocery industry, and my fear is that the pot may only begin to boil even more from this point forward.
In today’s Retail Daily Minute:
- Costco’s Q2 2026 earnings reveal that AI-powered personalized product recommendation carousels drove more than $470 million in e-commerce sales in a single quarter, as digitally-enabled comparable sales surged 22.6%.
- Albertsons launches a month-long Stock Up Sale running March 6 through April 2 across nearly all its banners, offering hot prices, expanded digital coupons, and quadruple loyalty rewards points in a bid to improve its price image.
- Kroger announces Customer Appreciation Week, March 11–17, featuring storewide deals and a daily Digital Deal Drop mechanic designed to drive app engagement and urgency for its loyalty members.
Plus, the latest episode in my Confessions of Supply Chain Executives series on the right and wrong ways to harness Agentic AI, featuring two inventory management experts from Infios, one of whom is a former colleague of mine that I have known for almost 15 years.
So let’s just say the gloves were off in this one.
And to that point, there is also a movie quote today from my second favorite Omar.
👇 Listen now
Today’s Top Headlines
1. Costco’s Digital Push Drives $470M E-Commerce Sales
Costco’s personalized product recommendation carousels generated over $470 million in e-commerce sales in Q2 2026. Digital enhancements, including pharmacy apps, pay-ahead features, and scan-and-go stations, are improving checkout speed and member experience. U.S. comparable store sales rose 5.9% year over year. (Read More)
2. Albertsons Launches Month-Long Stock Up Sale Event
Albertsons is running a Stock Up Sale from March 6 to April 2 across nearly all its banner stores. Shoppers can access discounted national brands, quadruple loyalty rewards points, and expanded digital coupons through the Free for U membership program, helping price-conscious consumers save more. (Read More)
3. Kroger Hosts Customer Appreciation Week with Daily Deals
Kroger is running Customer Appreciation Week from March 11–17, 2026, offering low prices on national brands, private labels, and seasonal items. Shoppers can clip daily one-day-only digital coupons via the Kroger app or site, with all offers redeemable through March 20, covering a wide range of products. (Read More)
4. DoorDash Expands Reservations to Chicago with New Features
DoorDash is launching its reservations service in Chicago, following rollouts in New York City, Miami, and Las Vegas. Users earn $10 in credits per attended booking, while DashPass members receive exclusive table access and Lyft perks. New features include ambience details and waitlist notifications. (Read More)
5. CVS Health Partners with Google Cloud on AI Platform
CVS Health is partnering with Google Cloud to launch Health100, an AI-powered integrated health care engagement platform debuting in 2026. Using Google’s Gemini models and agentic AI, the platform will deliver real-time omnichannel health support, care access, cost transparency, and pharmacist-led care management. (Read More)
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Be careful out there,
— Chris and the entire Omni Talk team
Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.