US Treasury Cuts Costs by Axing the Penny: What it Means for Retailers
The penny’s swan song – likely to occur next year – may save millions, but it won’t shake 99-cent psychology in retail pricing.
Tag: walmart
It’s Getting Difficult to Keep Pace with Walmart
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.
Economic Strain: Food Bill Gets Unruly
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.
Spread the Pain: Walmart, Competitors Consider Global Price Hikes
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.
FI Fast Break audio news: May 28, 2025
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 Fallen Behind Retail Rivals – Again
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.
Investors Give Albertsons Another Chance – For Now
Following its earnings call last Tuesday, Albertsons stock finished the week up about 2.5% – but the stock took a winding road to get there. Shares originally fell nearly 8% on Tuesday, the day after the company’s fiscal fourth quarter release, before bouncing back over the next two trading sessions.
People’s Union USA Kicks Off 7-Day Economic Blackout of General Mills
Recently, People’s Union USA began calling on consumers to boycott products from various businesses in protest of alleged social, economic, and environmental offenses. Monday, participating consumers kicked off a seven-day economic blackout of General Mills.
Study Shows Vegan Grocery Costs Vary Widely by State
A recent study by CashNetUSA analyzed the average cost of a basket of vegan groceries purchased at Walmart stores across the U.S. Its findings revealed significant discrepancies in both the affordability and accessibility of plant-based groceries among states.
‘Status Quo’ Wont Cut It: Private Label Market Share Threatened
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.
The Billion (Family) Dollar Question: What Happened to Dollar Stores?
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 …
Walmart Partnership Pushes Fresh Produce Limits
Walmart is partnering with India-based agritech company GreenPod Labs to clean up its supply chain: the tech innovation endeavors to minimize produce spoilage during transportation.
It’s Private Label’s World — On the ‘Cusp of a Super Cycle’
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.
FI News Review (January 17, 2025): Top Stories in Food and Beverage Right Now
Raising the Dough: Gluten-Free Texas Toast Represents ‘Huge Breakthrough’
By all accounts, New York Bakery’s R&D team may have produced a game-changing gluten-free product. The key, one company exec says, is the brand’s unique alternative to dough.
FI Fast Break audio news: Jan. 2, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on Starbucks’ revamped drink menu for 2025, featuring new beverages like a Cortado.
FI Fast Break audio news: Dec. 18, 2024
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast examines Walmart’s plans to equip employees with body cameras at some U.S. locations.
Behold, the Pharmacy of the Future
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.
News Roundup (November 8, 2024): The Hottest Topics in the Food Industry Right Now
What Killed Kmart? Key Retail Missteps Led to Demise
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.
Column: Walmart, Amazon in High-Tech Food Fight
Amazon’s chief engineer used to have a dog named Rufus who ran up and down the halls fetching tennis balls. That doesn’t seem like a big deal for a multibillion-dollar business. But recently, Amazon brought …
The Future of Grocery Shopping is Omnichannel
Food and beverage stakeholders already know that to guarantee a sale, one must meet consumers where they are. Today, that’s online. Nearly 70% of consumers purchase groceries online in some capacity, according to recent data …
Trust Your Gut: Harken Sweets Goes All in on Superfood Snacks
A health scare inspired CEO Katie Lefkowitz to create gut-friendly snack bars. She ended up with a sweet solution in the form of date caramel candy bars.
The Shifting Landscape of Grocery Retail: Four Key Trends
Retailers are navigating a complex landscape right now marked by regulatory scrutiny, rising shrinkage, and financially stretched consumers. These pressures are forcing retailers to adapt quickly, according to Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert.
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FI Fast Break audio news: Aug. 21, 2024
The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast provides an update of Walmart’s drone delivery plans, and more.
Cash or Credits? Walmart, McDonald’s Explore New Kind of Employee Compensation
New employee compensation initiatives at employers like McDonald’s and Walmart aim to make on-the-job experience count toward college credits.
Prime Numbers: Amazon and Competitors Heat Up Summer Sales
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.
Private Label Growth Pockets in Frozen Food
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.
Missing the Mark – Private Label is Failing at Target
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.
Going Electric: Walmart Commits to Digital Signage
“The digital element presents an expanded shopper/marketer revenue stream for the company,” Zakowicz said.
Survey Shows In-Store Shopping Still Very Much Matters
While e-commerce continues to gain ground, most consumers still appreciate the in-store shopping experience, according to a new survey.
Survey Shows Retail Workers Prefer Practical Tools over AI
Today’s retail workers are most eager to be equipped with tools that help them tackle inefficient tasks, particularly when interacting with customers.
Dollar Stores Have Reached An Inflection Point
The performance of dollar store stocks suggested investors believed Walmart’s best days were behind it. They were wrong.
Private Label Drives Summer Growth
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.
Walmart Eyes Guatemala, Costa Rica
Central America’s burgeoning population is proving an attractive target for Walmart, which announced its plans to invest $1.3 billion in Guatemala and Costa Rica in the next five years. Cristina Ronski, who heads up the …
Fast-Food Chains Racing to the Bottom to Attract Inflation-Weary Consumers
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.