All industries are grappling with labor shortages and the retail sector is no different. … READ MORE >
Consumer products
Personal spending grew in September despite mitigating factors
Personal spending grew in September for the second straight month as the extra income from the enhanced Child Tax Credit program continued to offset the impact from the delta variant on consumption demand. … READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season countdown: What will they buy?
Consumer behavior has never been more diverse this holiday season, but some trends have begun to emerge. … READ MORE >
Canada retail sales climbed in August as in-person activities picked up
The rise in retail sales was led by food and beverage stores, where sales went up by 4.8%, clothing stores, up 3.9%, and gasoline stations, with 3.8% growth. … READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season countdown: Shopping has already started
What’s in store for retailers and other consumer products companies this holiday shopping season? We explore in our holiday season countdown series. … READ MORE >
Food sales remain steady as we move into fall
While top-line retail sales data for September increased by 0.7%, beating analyst expectations of a 0.2% decline, food-focused categories remained only slightly up from August. … READ MORE >
Retail sales defied expectations, continuing to rise in September
Retail sales defied expectations in September, rising in back-to-back months and highlighting the resilience in consumer spending amid supply shortages and the surge of the delta variant. … READ MORE >
Managing a supply chain: The short and long game for consumer goods companies
Persistent bottlenecks throughout the global supply chain stand in the way of middle market consumer goods companies’ ability to meet robust consumer demand. … READ MORE >
Buy later, pay later: Consumers postpone purchases amid high prices
The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rose slightly to 71.0 in September, following a nine-year low of 70.3 in August as consumers felt the impact of the delta variant and rising prices. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Strong back-to-school retail sales may signal positive holiday season
In what retailers hope is a preview of the holiday shopping season, retail sales from the critical back-to-school month of August increased by 0.7% on the month. … READ MORE >