CPG

Move over, Mother Nature: In the $1.8T global wellness market, consumers are more attracted to products that boast clinically proven vs. natural ingredients. Here’s what marketers need to know.

Nestlé follows trends to make sure it stocks the right merchandise. Moët Hennessy is headed to the Olympics as part of a global partnership. And The J.M. Smucker Company is choosing value over price. Here are three takeaways—each paired with a real-life case study—from NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show.

Netflix brings ad-supported bundle deals to France: A partnership with grocer Carrefour will combine deals on consumer packaged goods with a streaming subscription.

Kroger and Albertsons delay merger as opposition piles up: Calls to scrap the deal are intensifying amid concerns over the impact on shoppers’ grocery bills and workers’ wages.

CPG digital ad spending hits $48.79 billion in 2024: Its strength is driven by D2C strategies and increased search advertising.

Uber will shutter Drizly in March: Three years ago, Uber paid $1.1 billion for the alcohol delivery service. Now, the ride-hailing company is looking to streamline operations.

The 10-year-olds have taken over Sephora in search of their favorite skincare and beauty brands, catching the eyes (and ire) of many TikTokers. But this trend has implications beyond angering older consumers, highlighting the purchasing power behind Gen Alpha and social media’s role in product discovery. Here’s what brands can learn.

Grocery sales will account for 19% of US commerce sales in 2026: That’s enough to surpass apparel and accessories as the largest ecommerce category.

The future of ecommerce is grocery. Historically, three categories led the US ecommerce market: apparel and accessories, computer and consumer electronics, and furniture and home furnishings. But in recent years, growth has been fueled by essential goods, including food and beverage items, personal care products, and household supplies. This shift will take grocery to the top of the four major ecommerce categories by 2026.

71% of US adults prefer to take their time while shopping online for clothes and shoes, according to November 2023 Kearney data.

Starbucks eyes major growth opportunities in India: The company plans to open roughly one new shop in India every three days over the next four years.

PepsiCo and Carrefour trade words as pricing dispute heats up: The CPG company now claims it was the one to stop supplying the grocer after negotiations fell apart.

Instacart will show ads on its smart shopping carts: The company sees a significant opportunity to capture a sizable share of the fast-growing in-store retail media market.

McDonald’s and Starbucks face blowback over war-linked controversies: Consumers’ misconceptions over companies’ positions are the latest challenge for large brands to navigate.

Constellation Brands’ beer portfolio is hitting the right notes: But the company’s wine and spirits brands face stiff headwinds.

Our analysts have already made their big predictions for the year ahead, but the newsletter team has a few more to add to the list. As Amazon hits the gas on grocery, it may use its Amazon Fresh stores for fulfillment. Plus, we think beauty will get personal, Amazon could give digitally native brands a helping hand, and a healing economy could spell trouble for discount stores.

Carrefour fights back against PepsiCo’s price increases: The grocer pulled the CPG company’s products from shelves amid rising tensions between retailers and suppliers.

Conagra trimmed its outlook after sales slipped 3.2% in FYQ2: It expects sales to decline 1% to 2% this year, down from the 1% rise it previously forecast.

Starbucks bets on breakfast while more QSRs get into beverages: The coffee chain is hoping its new menu will encourage customers to buy more and visit more often, as well as hold off the competition.

Restaurants ended 2023 on a high note: Spending was up 7.8% YoY from November 1 to December 24, and that growth should continue as consumer sentiment improves.