Dollar General is trying to get the enormous number of items in its sprawling supply chain to move more quickly from suppliers to store shelves. The country’s largest dollar-store operator is streamlining its operations from warehouse to stores, the WSJ Logistics Report’s Liz Young writes, including cutting down on the assortment of goods that it sells and the volume of merchandise it keeps on hand. The effort goes beyond the basics of boosting margins by getting more efficient, although that is part of the goal. But Dollar General says a simpler, leaner array of products can also reduce the amount of theft and shrinkage at its stores. CEO Todd Vasos said recently that excess inventory “always leads to additional shrink.” The company is also tightening its on-time delivery requirements, part of a bid to ensure customers find products they want on shelves at the right time and place.

More brands and retailers are coming to the conclusion that less means more for the bottom line. The trend of cutting back on the varieties of goods that began during the pandemic is picking up in some places, the WSJ’s Jennifer Williams reports, as companies prioritize in-demand items and pare stocks that are taking up space in warehouses and on the balance sheet. Net unique products at Hanesbrands are down about 50% since 2019, and the company slashed its inventories 28% last quarter from a year ago. Candice Medeiros of trend forecasting firm WGSN says that in a stable economic environment, many retailers give shoppers the luxury of choice. With inflation biting, consumers are going back to basics while retailers and their suppliers are focusing on what’s moving off the shelves. That’s why, she says, “we’re seeing more brands roll up their sleeves” to manage product counts.”

U.S. consumer credit is growing at an accelerating pace. (WSJ)

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told Congress that the U.S. “labor market has cooled really significantly.” (WSJ)

The OECD expects labor markets in the world’s rich countries to loosen only modestly in the coming months. (WSJ)

United Parcel Service tapped company veteran Brian Dykes as its chief financial officer. (WSJ)

Port Houston will reopen today and extend container terminal gate hours following the two-day shutdown for Hurricane Beryl. (WSJ)

Central Asian nations are supporting construction of a freight rail network between China and Europe that would bypass Russia. (Nikkei Asia)

China plans to set up a trading platform for hydrogen-derived fuels aimed at the shipping sector. (South China Morning Post)

Growing congestion that began at the Port of Singapore threatens to gum up global supply chains. (Financial Times)

Backlogs at the Port of Singapore are spreading to the nearby Port Klang in Malaysia. (Bloomberg)

Workers at Germany’s Hamburg and Bremerhaven ports started striking over demands for higher wages. (DPA)

Vietnam’s burgeoning sea container manufacturing business is seeing strong demand under a sector-wide shortage of boxes. (Tuo Tre News)

CMA CGM invested in quantum computing company Pasqal as part of a plan to integrate the technology tools in its container operations. (Container News)

Ceva Logistics is coping with a rocky integration of the newly-acquired Bolloré Logistics business. (The Loadstar)

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will spend a combined $25 million to build charging stations for electric heavy-duty trucks. (Sourcing Journal)

U.S. trucking regulators pushed back until May 2025 a decision on a potential rule requiring speed limiters on trucks. (Trucking Dive)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at paul.page@wsj.com.

Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team: @PaulPage, @bylizyoung and @pdberger. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on X at @WSJLogistics.