Predictions and Forecasts

Gazing into the crystal ball and predicting what the future will hold.

  1. Shopper & Customer
While retailers typically put a significant emphasis on post-holiday sales, they didn’t resonate with shoppers after the 2023 holiday season. During the week after Christmas, year-over-year sales were down across the board, with only computer software sales seeing an increase from 2022. Department stores, cosmetics stores and clothing stores saw some of the largest declines, […]
  1. Corporate Finance
Joann, the 81-year-old fabric and craft retailer, has filed for bankruptcy as it struggles with customers cutting back on discretionary spending. In a statement released on Monday, the Ohio-based company said it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has secured $132 million in funding with most of its financial stakeholders that helps reduce its […]
  1. Data & Insights
In episode 444 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Michael Browning, co-founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands, a portfolio of innovative brands that help kids learn, play and grow, including Urban Air, Snapology, and The Little Gym. Listen in as Browning provides an overview of Unleashed Brands (0:55), discusses why he launched the […]
  1. CPG: Food
Cadbury is today (18 March) launching Cadbury Dairy Milk &More, a new addition to the Dairy Milk range. Comprising two new flavours, Cadbury Dairy Milk Nutty Praline Crisp and Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel Nut Crunch, the bars are available in retailers nationwide from today. The… This story continues at Cadbury launches Dairy Milk &More with […]
  1. Partnerships & Alt Profit
Following a collaboration with Ghostbusters Afterlife in 2021, Walkers is partnering with Sony to celebrate the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, through an on-pack promotion. The promotion is set to give shoppers a chance to win prizes every hour between 6am and midnight. Until 5… This story continues at Walkers and Sony partner for Ghostbusters: […]
  1. Trends & External Forces
Parfetts has announced turnover leapt 6.7% to £646m in its latest annual results. The employee-owned wholesaler said it has rewarded staff over the year with a record 10% pay rise and an overall 14% bonus. The Stockport-headquartered company attributed the success to focusing on increasing… This story continues at Developments in Parfetts’ retail offering boosts […]
  1. Retailer Media
Google wants a bigger piece of the traffic driven by retail media advertising. To start getting it, the tech company has launched a new offsite retail media solution in closed beta. Lowe’s has signed on to be one of the first retailers to test the solution for what will be the first offsite retail media […]
  1. Media & Marketing
In today’s digital age, where social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook reign supreme, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out and connect with their target audience. One such method gaining traction is the strategic utilisation of QR codes within these social networks. By integrating TikTok QR code into marketing strategies, businesses can […]
  1. Corporate Finance
As it seeks to find firmer footing, Joann has entered a Transaction Support Agreement (TSA) with a majority of its financial stakeholders and other parties that includes commitments for approximately $132 million in new financing. The 800+-store crafts retailer has initiated voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of […]
  1. Department: Food
WASHINGTON – To kick off the 2024 Annual Meat Conference, the Meat Institute and FMI – The Food Industry Association announced 10 winners for the 2024 Leaders of Tomorrow Program. The winners are: Kaylee Russell, Tyson Foods; Michael Yeater, Albertsons Companies; Tammy Gonzales, Cargill; Mike Van Drie, SpartanNash Co.; Nicole Koch, Seaboard Foods; Liz Holt Welnhofer, Pre Brands; Hillary Niblock, Superior Farms; Marie-Pier Labarre, Cascades; Zachary Stadler, Associated Wholesale […]
  1. Data & Insights
LAS VEGAS – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the launch of the next generation of its retail media platform. Epsilon Retail Media applies artificial intelligence and person-first identity in the ad server, unlocking opportunities to drive stronger outcomes with shoppers on retailers’ properties, across the open web or in tandem. […]
  1. Channel: Grocery
Kroger and Albertsons have argued in separate legal filings that the federal Trade Commission (FTC) is misguided and flat-out wrong in opposing their $24.6 billion merger. Both retailers contend that the FTC, in suggesting that the deal would give the combined companies an unfair competitive advantage, ignores the fact that they would also be competing […]
  1. Channel: Mass
Bloomberg reports that in the UK, both Tesco and J Sainsbury suffered disruptions over the weekend caused by “technical disruptions.” According to the story, “J Sainsbury Plc, the country’s second-largest grocer, experienced ‘issues’ with contactless payments and won’t be able to deliver the ‘vast majority’ of the day’s online orders … Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Officer […]
  1. Data & Insights
Washington Post columnist Shira Ovide has a piece in which she tested Rufus, Amazon’s new artificial intelligence chatbot that the company says is designed to help people figure out what to buy based on vocal prompts. She writes, “In general, I thought the shopping bot was at best a slight upgrade on searching Amazon, Google […]
  1. Shopper & Customer
The New York Times had a piece over the weekend about how young people, largely because of the impact of TikTok and other social media sites, have turned Sephora into a “retailer of choice.” According to the story, “Teenagers in the United States have said Sephora is their favorite beauty retailer, surpassing Ulta, according to […]
  1. Channel: Grocery
On Friday, we reported: In Connecticut, the Trumbull Patch reports that “a petition calling for enhanced equipment and improved conditions at a Stop and Shop grocery store in Trumbull has garnered more than 400 signatures as of Thursday night. “The petition, titled ‘Enhance Equipment and Conditions at Stop & Shop Trumbull CT,’ was launched earlier […]
  1. Merchandising
“A lot of business cases, they depend on internal efficiency gains. But if you don’t measure this … then it will never lead to project success or success on the digital shelf … Have a measuring mindset.”            — Ilse Goverts-van Kesteren, Lead Business Consultant, Wunderman Thompson When Wunderman Thompson asked […]
  1. Data & Insights
Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) is spurring organizations across different sectors to fundamentally reimagine their approach to digital transformation. Nowhere is its disruptive potential more evident than in retail, where Gen AI’s ever-increasing capabilities are powering a new age of customer-centric innovation. Retailers are exploring use cases across a wide range of functions, from new […]
  1. Technology & Innovation
In today’s dynamic world of retail, the spotlight remains on artificial intelligence (AI) — and for good reason. AI is undoubtedly transformative, reshaping the future of retail. In addition to AI, other technologies are also making significant strides. Radio-frequency identification (RFID), replacing barcodes, revolutionizes supply chain and inventory management. Video analytics leverages computer vision to […]
  1. Media & Marketing
Richmond, the sausage brand, has kicked off a £2.6m marketing campaign including a TV ad, video-on-demand, outdoor posters, social media and in-store promotions. The “Good Times” brand campaign is designed to highlight the brand’s “unique heritage whilst also providing a look ahead to the future… This story continues at Richmond sausages roll out new £2.6m […]
  1. Department: Food
Weetabix has announced its latest family-focused collaboration to promote healthier snacking for kids and families via its exciting new range of Marvel inspired, HFSS-compliant children’s cereal bars. The Marvel Oaty Bars contain just 3.2g of sugar per bar and are available in three flavours: white… This story continues at Weetabix introduces Marvel-inspired, HFSS compliant kids’ […]
  1. Associates & Employees
Central Co-op is raising minimum pay for colleagues to £12 an hour, alongside paid breaks and a suite of additional benefits aimed at enhancing colleague well-being and flexibility. Central Co-op said the pay increase, effective from 1 April, reflects its appreciation of the difference its… This story continues at Central Co-op raises staff minimum pay […]
  1. Stores & Formats
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has praised the work that local shops in Wales do in their communities as part of the launch of the 2024 Welsh Local Shop Report. At the launch of the report last week in the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament),… This story continues at Welsh c-stores commended for job creation, […]
  1. Department: Nonfood
As a nation of animal lovers, it will come as no surprise that more than half of shoppers have a pet and, as they are fed daily, pet food needs to be purchased regularly – on average once every 11 days – meaning the category… This story continues at Tails you win In focus: Petcare […]
  1. Trends & External Forces
WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a recently enacted New York state law that would impose age-based restrictions on the purchase of certain dietary supplements. Passed by the New York legislature and signed […]
  1. Retail Operations
Retailers know that digital influences the customer journey, from initial awareness to post-purchase. So why is there still such a staggering divide between consumers’ digital and physical brand experiences? We explore the gaps, challenges and opportunities on this week’s Retail Remix with Justin Racine and Zach Zalowitz of Perficient. Together with host Alicia Esposito, they […]
  1. Partnerships & Alt Profit
Anti-food waste app Too Good To Go, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has released an open letter signed by more than 30 companies from the UK’s food, retail and manufacturing sectors calling for mandatory public food waste reporting. Signatories of the letter,… This story continues at Food waste: top companies call for […]
  1. Data & Insights
Successful leaders, teams and companies that endure over the long run seek to find ways to balance, unite and integrate opposing dualities into a harmonic and flexible approach that leverage opposing tendencies without merging or averaging them. Here are three key dualities we should all become masters of managing whether it be personally or for […]
  1. Media & Marketing
  If success does leave clues, then failure leaves many as well.  Regular readers of this blog know that Boston Market, once a pioneer of rotisserie chicken and home-style meals, finds itself facing a slow fade. This isn’t the first time a seemingly established brand has fallen from grace. The story of Boston Market’s decline […]
  1. Data & Insights
Publications about marketing often invoke the comparison of a digital shelf with a physical one. After all, a digital shelf displays your products for the customer to browse, just like a shelf in a brick-and-mortar store would. This comparison, however, has its limits. While customers come to browse the physical shelf, your digital shelf goes […]
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Editor’s Choice

  1. Media & Marketing
  2. Channel: Restaurants
  3. Department & Category
  4. Department: Consumer Durables
  5. Department: Food
  6. Department: Nonfood
  7. ESG
  8. Media & Marketing
  9. Data & Insights
  10. Shopper & Customer
  11. Technology & Innovation
  12. Trends & External Forces
  13. Merchandising
  Don’t want to cook, don’t want to do dishes, well according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® your kids don’t want you hear you complain about cooking dinner either. Chuck E. Cheese has a new program for that has a great chance to make the entire family happy according […]
  1. Channel: Mass
  2. Corporate Finance
  3. Media & Marketing
  4. Agencies & Vendors
  5. Data & Insights
  6. Trends & External Forces
Target reported Q4 and 2023 financial results at its annual investor day on March 5, 2024. Quarterly comp performance improved sequentially from Q2 to Q4, but 2023 ended with comps down -3.7%. Profitability outperformed expectations as the company realized $2B of operating income growth in 2023 and reported notable gross margin improvements. The stock was […]
  1. Trends & External Forces
  2. CPG: Food
  3. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital
  4. Channel: Grocery
  5. Channel: Mass
  6. Department & Category
  7. Department: Beverage
  8. Department: Food
  9. Department: HBC
  10. Acquisitions, Divestitures & Mergers
  11. Corporate Strategy
  12. Corporate Finance
  13. ESG
  14. Partnerships & Alt Profit
  15. Media & Marketing
  16. Data & Insights
  17. Shopper & Customer
  18. Technology & Innovation
  19. Trends & External Forces
  20. Retail Operations
  21. Associates & Employees
  22. Operations & Supply Chain
  23. Owned Brands (Private Label)
  24. Stores & Formats
Comments from Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen. "Kroger achieved strong 2023 results, in line with our long-term growth model and built upon three consecutive years of historic growth.

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