Walmart was granted a patent this week for a new listening system for its retail stores that, if ever deployed, may make some employees and shoppers uncomfortable. According to the filing and claims, it’s “an example system for capturing and analyzing sounds in a shopping facility.” In other words, it’s a kind of surveillance system.

Vast majority also never have meal kits delivered, survey shows

Going by the trends in retail grocery, online ordering of groceries and meal kits likely stand near the top. But by the numbers, the vast majority of Americans are doing neither, a new Gallup poll finds.

In May, Walmart put the kibosh on cashierless shopping — it said that its customers aren't so interested in possibly faster checkout without human help. But this week, it's started trying again.

Rite Aid Corporation and Albertsons Companies announced on Wednesday they are terminating their merger agreement, the evening ahead of a shareholder vote over the deal.