This Week in Retail: Albertsons-Kroger trial and Women in Retail summit

A trial pitting two grocery giants against each other is scheduled to begin today at Delaware Chancery Court. Albertsons is suing Kroger for $8 billion in damages following the breakdown of a $24.6 billion merger quashed by federal regulators. During the trial, Albertsons’s attorneys said they will try to prove that Kroger’s management and board “fell far short” of their promises to take any and all actions to obtain federal approval for the merger.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In promotions: Amazon is hosting its sixth annual Holiday Beauty Event, which begins today and runs through the end of the month. The company is offering 30% off across the beauty category, including in makeup, skin care, fragrance, wellness, and hair care. This is the second major sales event from Amazon this month, as the e-commerce giant leads the charge in what is shaping up to be a highly promotional holiday season.

In conferences: The Women in Retail Leadership Circle is hosting its “On the Road” summit in New York City, bringing together C-suite leaders for conversations on “finding new customers, protecting profitability, deciding where to invest, and identifying which opportunities are truly worth pursuing,” per the event page. Speakers include executives from Shopify, Ulta Beauty, Burlington Stores, and Victoria’s Secret.

High Point Market, a B2B trade show for the home furnishings industry, also kicked off on Saturday and is running through Wednesday. The event features an exhibition showroom, keynotes, and sessions touching on a range of topics, from last-mile delivery to AI implementation.

In openings: TJX Companies is planning a series of Marshalls store openings in six states over the next two weeks. The openings mark a continuation of a multiyear expansion plan. In 2024, TJX outlined a plan to open an additional 1,300 stores.