After a strong first quarter, consumers in May took a more practical approach to their spending. According to a National Retail Federation release on Wednesday, May retail sales (excluding automobile, gas stations and restaurants) decreased 0.3% seasonally adjusted from April but increased 4.8% unadjusted year over year, marking 23 consecutive months of retail sales growth.

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2012 by a vote of 270-to-146, which will reinstate over-the-counter medicines as eligible expenses under flexible spending accounts without the requisite prescription established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act last year.

The Consumer Healthcare Product's Association's Educational Foundation was recognized with two awards for its "Up and Away and Out of Sight" campaign, CHPA shared in an e-newsletter Tuesday.

While dads usually don't get the same caliber of gift for Father's Day as moms do for Mother's Day, if the results of NRF's latest survey are to be believed, dads should be pretty pleased with what they receive this year.

VSA, the international organization on arts and disability, and an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, along with CVS Caremark All Kids Can have announced the 102 students of all abilities that will be featured in the 2012 All Kids Can Create exhibition "What Inspires Me."

Consumers are using Pinterest to engage with retailers more than Facebook or Twitter, according to a survey released Thursday by Shop.org, ComScore and The Partnering Group.

The House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved the Restoring Access to Medication Act (H.R. 5842), which would repeal the provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that disqualified expenses for over-the-counter drugs as eligible for reimbursement under health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements without a prescription.

Ric Jurgens spent the past 43 years working for and building Hy-Vee into a strong regional chain, and later this summer his accomplishments will be acknowledged by the Grocery Manufacturers Association when he receives the organization’s Hall of Achievement Award.

The House of Representatives will vote to repeal limitations on the use of tax-advantaged accounts for the purchase of over-the-counter medications as early as June 4, according to a report published online by The Hill, a Washington, D.C.-based political newspaper.

Costco reported net sales of nearly $21.9 billion for the third quarter, an 8% increase over sales of about $20.2 billion for the same period last year.

Sam's Club has pledged more than $2 million in donations to nonprofits supporting small business growth.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare on Thursday informed its wholesale customers that it is voluntarily recalling one lot of Imodium multi-symptom relief 18 caplets due to a packaging issue that may have impacted a limited number of blister units in this lot.