As traditional post-pandemic headwinds subside, retailers are ready to meet today’s savvy consumers to inspire growth. To succeed in today’s market, it’s prudent to understand how cautious optimism shapes buying habits.
Inflation is reshaping indulgence habits, with consumers swapping pricey restaurant desserts for store-bought or homemade options, causing a notable decline in dessert sales across dining segments. Meanwhile, alcohol consumption is shifting toward affordable options in a similar fashion.
Buy-now-pay-later services are surging in popularity, with Adobe projecting $18.5 billion in holiday purchases this year. While retailers benefit from increased sales and lower fees compared to credit cards, experts warn that BNPL poses risks if not carefully regulated.
Shrinkflation, the practice of reducing product sizes while maintaining prices, has become a common cost-management strategy for manufacturers amid rising costs. Experts predict the tactic is here to stay, for multiple reasons.
The latest FI news podcast touches on the notable reduction in drinking among young adults — especially when it comes to wine.
The newest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on Instacart’s new AI-powered smart cart, the Caper Cart, and more.
The latest Fast Break news podcast touches on PepsiCo’s acquisition of a Mexican-American brand and what that says about consumer demand.
The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on the surge in interest regarding specialty coffee.
Economists warn of a potential recession in 2025. As a result, food and beverage companies must focus on innovation and sustainability as they navigate economic challenges and interest rate cuts.
Retailers have ramped up their merchandise deliveries amid a threatened strike by U.S. dockworkers that could disrupt the imminent holiday shopping season. 45,000 dockworkers are poised to walk out at 36 ports along the East and Gulf coasts following the expiration of the longshoremen’s six-year master contract, which expires on October 1.
The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on fallout from the headline-grabbing Boar’s Head recall.
From slowing inflation to Seven & i Holdings’ refusal to be bought by Alimentation Couche-Tard to the passing of a beloved chain’s CEO, don’t miss the latest episode of FI News Review.
The performance of dollar store stocks suggested investors believed Walmart’s best days were behind it. They were wrong.
Orange juice futures are up more than 400% since 2020, and the rising prices have consumers wondering if the juice is truly worth the squeeze.
All of a sudden, $5 value meals are everywhere, from fast-food chains to major retailers. Industry insiders say the deals are simply a short-term solution, however.
The most recent rising trend in retail is lowering one’s expectations of retail. This year, clothing companies tended to fall the worst, followed closely by QSRs, big box stores, and grocers, in that order.
Many consumers feel they can’t win on cost alone – they also need an experience, or at least a decent reason to visit a brick-and-mortar store.
According to a new survey from Lending Tree, a staggering 80% of consumers now consider fast food a luxury because it’s so expensive.
Consumers in the U.S. and Canada say that they are willing to pay more for products that practice eco-friendly sustainability and ethics in their development, packaging, and sale of products, particularly around animal cruelty and ocean pollution.
For the first time in the report’s history, the top six brands – all of them – are store brands, from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target.
A regular feature in shopping carts from coast to coast, the humble banana has long been a reliable source of nutrition, convenience, and affordability. Yet beneath its cheerful exterior lies a complex tale of botanical intrigue, economic uncertainty, and environmental peril.
The celebrity chef, who appeared on Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible show between 2011 and 2023, fears that as many as one-fifth of all American “mom-and-pop” restaurants could be forced to close by year’s end due to rising labor costs.
Magic Spoon cereal is twice as expensive as most other name brands. Many regard its flavor as questionable and its better-for-you status isn’t as rock solid as consumers would like to believe.
Across the US, inflation-weary consumers continue to push back on years of price hikes, cooking from home or simply buying less to save more.
How much money is the Easter candy market worth? Hold onto your Easter baskets – in the United States alone, 2024 Easter candy sales are expected to exceed $3.3 billion (Statista)
It’s not hard to understand why these companies have found success in a challenging environment. These are comfort food manufacturers (among other things!) whose identities, infrastructure, and revenue are built upon foods people reach for when they’re feeling down, feeling squeezed, or both.
In 2023, we also saw a growing trend among consumers to adapt their buying habits to save money by trading down and prioritizing cost savings over quality, with 66% of consumers seeking out less expensive goods in 2023.
EV charging stations outside, stores within stores inside, sprawling beauty sections, niche products, reimagined loyalty programs – the battle for foot traffic is cutthroat as the economy roars to life.
Cocoa prices are nearly 65% higher than they were one year ago, and New York futures prices have hit a 46-year high.
PepsiCo’s latest earnings call revealed net revenue of $91.5 billion for the fiscal year and $27.9 billion in Q4.
Chicken listings on restaurant menus have grown 6.4% in the past five years, outpacing the 4.7% of burgers and other beef-based items.
