CPG

7-Eleven to open 500 larger, food-focused stores by 2027: The struggling c-store chain hopes that more food options and a larger product assortment will restore traffic and sales.

Fenty Beauty makes a play for gamers: The brand partnered with Netflix's “Arcane” animated series that’s based on the “League of Legends” video game to roll out a gamer-inspired collection.

Every step of the grocery shopping journey is being digitized; how do consumers feel about it?

It’s a tough time to be a mid-market restaurant chain: Consumers’ pullback on dining out has led Denny’s, TGI Friday’s, and Shari’s to close locations.

Keurig hopes to capitalize on energy drink boom with Ghost acquisition: The CPG company leaned into the category after weaker-than-expected Q3 sales.

Sensei raises $16 million in seed round: The retail tech provider has its sights set on bringing automated, contactless stores to Europe.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol emphasizes need for fundamental strategic overhaul amid sales slide: The company’s US comparable transactions fell 10% YoY in Q4 as promotions and new products failed to win over customers.

Restaurants, food brands adapt to Gen Z tastes with “swicy,” diverse product offerings: Companies ranging from PepsiCo to Starbucks are looking to capitalize on younger consumers’ desire for dining out and grocery treats.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss why it has become so hard to get a read on consumer sentiment, the indicators we pay closest attention to to try and make sense of it, and how we expect consumers to feel for the remainder of the year. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and Analyst Zak Stambor.

Amazon tests yet another grocery format: Amazon Grocery, which is located next to a Whole Foods Market, aims to fill the hole left by the sister brand’s restrictions on certain ingredients.

Nestlé and P&G have diverging views of the US consumer: While P&G’s customers are happy to shell out for premium, effective products, Nestlé is losing ground to private labels.

The double-digit growth in US consumer packaged goods (CPG) digital ad spend will come to a halt next year and hover around just 6% through 2026, per our forecast.

Could in-store health clinics drive grocery sales? A new report seems to think so. But the broader challenges of the retail clinic business model will likely be too difficult to overcome.

Starbucks’ staffing shortages pose challenge for new CEO Brian Niccol: Just one-third of workers believe stores are sufficiently staffed, hurting employee satisfaction and the customer experience.

Marketplaces play a major role in beauty and clothing, while grocery shoppers rely on in-store visits. Retailers must balance both online and in-store strategies, leveraging loyalty programs and fast delivery to stay competitive.

Drugstores’ decline is hurting the US beauty market: Both Coty and L’Oréal linked the sector’s challenges to softer beauty demand, although sales broadly remain healthy as ecommerce and specialty retailers pick up the slack.

As the path to purchase becomes more fragmented, brands must be everywhere the customer is—and retail media partnerships are stepping up. “There really isn't [one] common flow, and so you really have to make sure you're present in any place the consumer is thinking about your brand's products,” Eric Tarnowski, senior vice president, connected commerce at Kenvue, said during Advertising Week New York. “Every conversion point is a brand-building opportunity.”

7-Eleven to close nearly 450 North America stores as it struggles to adapt to shoppers’ shifting c-store habits: The retailer is also investing in digital and loyalty programs and improving its food options to win back customers.

Nordstrom targets teens with curated beauty selection: The department store hopes to capitalize on their growing appetite for premium products and desire for in-store purchases.

Social media ad costs rise in key consumer categories: Our Industry KPI data suggests marketers may need to refine their ad strategies to improve campaign effectiveness.