Walmart Inc. reported strong revenue growth for its first quarter, driven in part by soaring e-commerce sales and continued growth in its advertising business.   But the nation’s largest retailer issued soft second quarter and full-year guidance amid soaring gas prices.  In an interview with CNBC, Walmart CFO John Rainey warned that high gas prices could take a toll on shoppers going forward.  “I think higher tax returns muted some of the pressure related to higher fuel prices and as we’re in a period of time right now where those tax refunds are largely not coming in, I think consumers are going to feel more of that pressure from higher fuel prices,” he said. “It’s something that we’re keeping a close eye on, but that expectation is built into our guidance for the second quarter.”

Smurfit Westrock joined forces with Spanish fashion brand Ecoalf to create a store made from 100% paper and cardboard. Ecoalf specialises in turning materials such as plastic bottles, rejected industrial cotton and discarded fishing nets into clothing. The brand tasked Smurfit Westrock, which also has circularity at its core, to create a permanent retail store as inherently sustainable as the products on sale. The beautifully designed new shop, which is located in San Sebastián, Spain, features fully recyclable kraft paper walls and corrugated furniture produced in the Smurfit Westrock Sorpel and Cordovilla plants. It also runs on electricity from renewable energy sources. “We are very proud to open our first store built entirely from paper and cardboard. At Ecoalf, we work every day to minimize our impact on the planet, not only through the garments we design, but also through the spaces we create,” said Javier Goyeneche, Founder and President of Ecoalf.

Retail sales rose slightly for the seventh consecutive month in April despite rising gas prices and stubborn inflation. Core retail sales (excluding restaurants, auto dealers and gas stations) inched up up 0.34% month over month in April and were up 5.53% year over year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, released by the National Retail Federation. That compared with increases of 0.41% month over month and 7.05% year over year in March.