As we move into the heart of the holiday shopping season, consumer packaged goods (CPG) providers are once again faced with the challenge of matching supply with uncertain demand. How can they avoid the twin threats of stockouts and excess inventory at this crucial time of the retailing year? It's a delicate balance indeed.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration has dedicated the California Green Trade Corridor, which is designed to take freight traffic off California's congested I-580 by offering shippers an option to move cargo along the waterways between the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and Sacramento.

U.S. food retailers are poised to take a hit as the federal government reduces its $78bn-a-year food stamp program.