For many retailers, the recent holiday shopping season was unlike any other as they contended with the disruption of the pandemic and its effect on consumer behavior. The result was a more extended holiday shopping season this year by design. While the Commerce Department’s recent headline figure for retail sales dropped by 0.7% in December compared to ... READ MORE >
Consumer Products
From retail to restaurants, the consumer products industry includes many sectors and subsectors. The industry also involves many well-known brands with loyal customers and employees, and ownership structures ranging from family-owned businesses to public and private equity-backed companies.
CHART OF THE DAY: $900 billion rescue package will aid consumers who need it most
The December decrease in U.S. consumer confidence shows how important fiscal aid for households provided by Congress’s new $2.3 trillion spending bill is to consumers. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which is based on a survey of a random sample of U.S. households, fell short of expectations, down 7.8% to 88.6 from a revised 92.9 a month ... READ MORE >
Traditional retail’s loss has been industrial’s gain
The holiday season is upon us and like most everything that has happened in 2020, it will bring unprecedented experiences due to the pandemic. Most people associate the holidays with buying presents for friends and family and getting together to share each other’s company. But with the coronavirus still raging, these time-worn practices may not be possible. ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Holiday sales off to a sluggish start
The holiday shopping season was off to a sluggish start in November as retail sales fell 1.1% compared to October, the Commerce Department reported on Wednesday. It was the biggest drop in seven months and well below analysts’ estimates of a modest gain. Retailers were hoping for a strong holiday season to help carry them through to the other side of the ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: In the video game industry, it’s the most wonderful time
The arrival of the holiday shopping season has buoyed the hopes of retailers catering to a younger crowd, even as coronavirus cases continue to rise. This is especially the case with video games. The Entertainment Software Association, in a survey, found that 38% of people age 18 to 34 play video games on a regular basis. It’s also an ideal activity for ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales rose 0.3% in October, the slowest increase in six months
Retail sales in the United States grew at a 0.3% monthly rate in October, slower than analysts’ expectations of 0.5% and the slowest rate in six months. Yet there was still an increase for the month of 7.1% year over year overall and 5.3% year over year excluding autos, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. Some of the biggest gains in ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales surge, but for how long?
Consumers opened their wallets in September as retail sales showed unexpected strength, rising by 1.9% over August for the fifth straight monthly gain, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a gain of 0.8% after the 0.6% increase in August. But this strength faces headwinds with the critical holiday ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Consumer confidence bounces back
After hitting a six-year low in August, consumer confidence firmly beat expectations and rebounded in September. The Conference Board, a think tank, reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 101.8 — a jump from 86.3 in August — and surpassed analysts’ forecasts of a slight increase. Confidence was much higher among those earning ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Consumer sentiment continues its climb back
The index of U.S. consumer sentiment index continued to climb back from the depths of the economic shutdown in April, the University of Michigan reported Friday. The index reached 78.9 in September, which was up from 74.1 in August and 71.8 in April. It was the second month in a row that the index had exceeded the consensus estimate, which was 75. The ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Higher food costs during the pandemic
The latest consumer price inflation data confirms what we all know – it costs more to eat during the pandemic, but it costs a lot less to drive to your favorite closed restaurant. Using February as the base month – the high point for the “all Items” consumer price index – the cost for food made at home is 3.6% higher than before the economic shutdown. ... READ MORE >