Gen Z’s brand loyalty hinges on authentic user-generated content, not legacy clout. Food giants like Oreo and McDonald’s are losing steam – while Disney thrives by treating fans like community, not consumers.
Target’s internal doubts mirror its external struggles, as the retailer loses ground to rivals in pricing, e-commerce, and brand clarity. With leadership in flux, even employees question whether a comeback is possible.
Recently, the F&B industry has seen an uptick in hybrid plant-based products, which blend standard meat and dairy with meatless and dairy-free versions. But will consumers embrace them?
Walmart is dominating the grocery sector with unmatched pricing, delivery speed, and scale – and its lead is widening. As rivals chase value-conscious consumers, Walmart is already monetizing convenience.
Despite wage gains, food inflation continues to outpace earnings, leaving consumers increasingly anxious about grocery costs. Meanwhile, new tariffs threaten to disrupt the food industry, with stakeholders bracing for volatile pricing and potential shifts in shopper loyalty.
Amid the latest round of tariffs, global retailers like Walmart are weighing controversial price hikes beyond the U.S., a move that could shake consumer trust. Experts warn that spreading costs globally may backfire, leading to unintended economic fallout.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on a new study suggesting that many GLP-1 drug users have reduced their beef intake.
Target has struggled to define a unique place in its market, watching rivals like Walmart and Costco capitalize on growth opportunities while its own stock and sales falter. Target’s leadership now faces a critical moment to convince investors that it can once again turn challenges into triumphs.
Consumer price sensitivities, plus tariff uncertainty, have added up to tumult for CPG brands in 2025. “Whether it’s tariffs or the tightening of consumer wallets, CPG brands are trying to figure out how to get …
The battle between private label and name brands has taken a new form as analysts portend a stagnating global own brand market. The path ahead relies on innovation and retail portfolio synergy, NIQ noted.
After purchasing discount retailer Family Dollar for roughly $9 billion in 2015, Dollar Tree admitted defeat in a recent sale earlier this month that valued the banner at only $1 billion. Is this a signal …
Private label continues to maintain dominance over the CPG sector: in 2024, it grew $9 billion from the year before. As a result, opportunities and innovation abound.
At the recent National Retail Federation’s 2025 Big Show, Target’s Chief Commercial Officer highlighted how the retailer’s agile strategies, inclusive branding, and innovative partnerships keep it ahead in a competitive landscape.
Black Friday 2024 showcased omnichannel’s growing dominance, with online sales surging nearly 15%. Experts noted that while Black Friday has evolved into a season-long event, its role remains pivotal, sparking optimism for a strong holiday shopping season.
The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on restaurant operators’ outlook on labor for 2025.
Brick-and-mortar pharmacies face increasing competition from online retail options, leaving their outlook murky. Industry experts feel pharmacies need to focus on being tech-driven – and fast.
Kmart’s downfall, accelerated by poor management and failure to adapt to modern retail trends, ended with the recent closure of its last full-size U.S. store. Experts say there are lessons to be learned from Kmart’s demise.
Across the U.S., national retailers are expanding both in their communities and testing new markets. Trader Joe’s alone expects 22 additional locations to open by year’s end.
The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on the unlikely comeback bid of a once-bankrupt steak chain.
Amazon’s Prime Day sales, which began Tuesday, were expected to rake in $14 billion, up 10.5% from last year, Adobe Analytics projected. Such statistics have inspired competitors to join the July sales fray.
As consumers continue to stockpile frozen foods, retail operators are leveraging private labels to tap into that demand. Which frozen products are experiencing the most store brand sales growth? FI investigates.
Everything is cyclical. There’s a pendulum at play for any brand investing heavily in the private-label game – as more house brands populate shelves with similar names and cheaper prices than their national brand counterparts, public perception of the parent company may swing along with the pendulum; in other words, some consumers may begin to question what they’re compromising when their carts are full of private-label goods instead of the national brands they may have been buying last week, last quarter, or last year. So swings the pendulum as a blade of commerce.
“The digital element presents an expanded shopper/marketer revenue stream for the company,” Zakowicz said.
While e-commerce continues to gain ground, most consumers still appreciate the in-store shopping experience, according to a new survey.
Today’s retail workers are most eager to be equipped with tools that help them tackle inefficient tasks, particularly when interacting with customers.
The performance of dollar store stocks suggested investors believed Walmart’s best days were behind it. They were wrong.
For many major retailers, the latest quarterly results tell a familiar tale: consumers are fed up with high prices, spending less, and commodifying their loyalty by taking the best deal right now, regardless of whose logo adorns their grocery bag or shopping cart.
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.
Food prices are up; consumer confidence is down. Many QSRs and retail outlets reported losses in the last quarter. The Value Wars are here.
Shopper experience in the physical store is often what truly differentiates the independent grocer from brick-and-mortar chain stores and online e-commerce competitors like Amazon. The right mix of products, priced right, offered in the right place, and services delivered by welcoming staff in a pleasant environment are essential to building sales and customer loyalty.
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.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on Target’s plans to reduce prices on several items this summer.
As more work is being published (and more health-focused products manufactured) to improve health and happiness, we may be entering an era in which the average human life can not only be improved, but extended. Are store managers ready for what that means?
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.
