Predictions and Forecasts

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

  1. Technology & Innovation

ISE 2026 Barcelona review: scale, substance, and the foundations we still need

James Pepper, CEO at Vista Technology Support, rounds up his key takeaways from ISE 2026, which took place last week in Barcelona, Spain. Twenty two years after its first edition, Integrated Systems Europe continues to serve the professional audiovisual industry’s annual reality check. The 2026 show in Barcelona set new benchmarks: more than 92,000 attendees, […]
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Copay Accumulators and Maximizers in 2025: Popular, Profitable, and Problematic

Valentine’s Day is almost here! It’s the perfect time for our annual update on plan sponsors’ enduring sweetheart: copay accumulators and maximizers—the benefit designs that divert manufacturers’ copay support away from patients and toward plans and PBMs. As of late 2025, about four in ten commercially insured lives were enrolled in plans using a copay […]
2 min read
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  1. Retail Ecosystem

Super Bowl 2026 Ad Recap

In this episode, the CPG Guys review all of the television ads that played in Super Bowl 60, February 8, 2026. CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained […]
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Deposit Return Scheme questions answered with new webinar series

Exchange for Change, the not-for-profit organisation delivering the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is launching a free introductory webinar series to help businesses prepare for the scheme’s introduction in October 2027. The first series of ‘DRS 101’ webinars will run… This story continues at Deposit Return Scheme questions answered with […]
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  1. International

‘Think Bigger, Win Together’, urges Unitas

Unitas, the UK’s largest wholesale buying group has shared its strategic direction for the year ahead at its annual senior supplier event. At the Unitas Supplier Partner Directors’ Luncheon, held on 29 January in London, David Cooke took to the stage for the first time… This story continues at ‘Think Bigger, Win Together’, urges Unitas […]
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  1. Department: Food

Barratt Sweet Shop launches Flumps Hearts for Valentine’s

Barratt Sweet Shop is giving retailers the perfect excuse to stock up in time for Valentine’s Day with the launch of Flumps Hearts. The new to market heart-shaped vanilla flavoured marshmallows (RRP £1.50), are now available just in time for Valentines Day. Now wrapped in… This story continues at Barratt Sweet Shop launches Flumps Hearts […]
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  1. Channel: Mass

Tesco store expansion plans includes former Amazon Fresh sites

Tesco, has outlined its store growth ambitions for 2026, saying it is on track to deliver over 70 more Tesco Express stores before March 2027. The supermarket’s growth has been boosted by the acquisition of five former Amazon Fresh stores in London. These sites in… This story continues at Tesco store expansion plans includes former […]
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Nakd expands protein range with new cherry launch

Nakd Protein Cherry has been launched to offer a fruity protein alternative to a category dominated by chocolate and caramel. Nakd Protein Cherry Bars add a “uniquely fruity twist” to the protein bars currently on offer and joins the range’s line-up — including Cocoa Hazelnut, Peanut… This story continues at Nakd expands protein range with new […]
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  1. Stores & Formats

Anta plots first US flagship

​[[{“value”:” Dive Brief Located in California’s Beverly Hills, the store will serve as Anta’s “brand hub” and comes just days after its parent company bought a stake in Puma. Published Feb. 9, 2026 Anta plans to open its first U.S. flagship store in California’s Beverly Hills on Friday. Courtesy of Anta Sports “}]] 
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  1. Technology & Innovation

Danish fashion retailer Message connects the dots with Sitoo omnichannel technology

Sitoo, a cloud native PoS and unified commerce platform, has announced a new partnership with Danish omnichannel fashion retailer Message. In a LinkedIn post, Sitoo said: “We have new friends! And they’re curators of stylish, accessible fashion across Denmark and beyond. Message is a Danish multi-brand fashion retailer, founded in 1980, offering clothes, accessories, footwear, […]
2 min read
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  1. Data & Insights

FaceTime with the Content Guy:  An AI Assessment-Fatalistic or Optimistic?

Axios had a brief piece the other day that captured the great conundrum of artificial intelligence, and it started this way: “AI has the promise, and high likelihood, of upending society at a scale greater than the internet — and possibly as profoundly as fire or electricity.  Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns it could destroy […]
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  1. Technology & Innovation

The AI Super Brawl, NVIDIA’s OpenAI Gut Check, The World Eats Software

Welcome back to our Big Technology Agenda Setter newsletter, in your inboxes most Mondays from myself and journalist . This week we look at the Super Bowl ad fight, Nvidia’s forthcoming decision on OpenAI, and the market’s continued software conundrum. The Super Bowl advertising fight between OpenAI and Anthropic might’ve been more interesting than the […]
3 min read
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  1. Data & Insights

1 in 4 parcels processed out of hours in 2025, Collect+ data shows

More than 130 million parcels were picked-up or dropped off at Collect+ locations over the last year, and over a quarter (27%) of these were outside of office working hours, reveals new data from Collect+, PayPoint’s Out-of-Home (OOH) parcel network. On average in 2025, nearly… This story continues at 1 in 4 parcels processed out […]
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Stop crazy rates system | Viewpoint: James Lowman

After weeks of delay, the government has confirmed it will give additional business rates support to pubs and music venues over the next three years in recognition that the package of measures the chancellor announced in the budget did not go far enough. We’ve been… This story continues at Stop crazy rates system | Viewpoint: […]
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  1. Media & Marketing

Allwyn awards £40,000 in prizes to 22 outstanding National Lottery retailers

Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has awarded £40,000 in prizes to 22 National Lottery retailers in its latest Site, Stock, Sell online quarterly prize draws, recognising stores that demonstrate consistently strong execution of National Lottery in-store standards. Two National Lottery retailers received the £10,000 top prize, with a further 20 retailers each awarded… This story continues at Allwyn awards £40,000 in prizes to […]
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  1. Media & Marketing

Tony’s Chocolonely launches ‘There’s Fight in Every Bite’ TV ad

Tony’s Chocolonely has launched a new TV campaign that invites chocolate lovers, companies and retailers to join its fight against exploitation in cocoa. Tony’s Chocolonely first-ever TV commercial globally will broadcast across Sky Channels from 9pm, 10th February. The chocolate-challenger brand secured £500k worth of… This story continues at Tony’s Chocolonely launches ‘There’s Fight in […]
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  1. Channel: Dollar/Value

Morrisons convenience and wholesale boss departs

Morrisons director of convenience and wholesale Matt Heslop has departed from the role he took on less than a year ago. Heslop joined the leadership team at Morrisons in March 2025 and had previously held several roles at Lidl for over 20 years, including being… This story continues at Morrisons convenience and wholesale boss departs […]
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  1. Channel: Mass

Walmart to add automation, robotics to Louisiana distribution center

​[[{“value”:” Dive Brief The retailer’s $330 million investment, slated to start this year, is part of a larger effort to upgrade all 42 of its regional distribution facilities. Published Feb. 9, 2026 A Walmart distribution center packaging conveyor in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. In Louisiana, more than 1,900 Walmart employees work at distribution centers. Courtesy of […]
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  1. Media & Marketing

Lowe’s adds kids workshops to its loyalty program

​[[{“value”:” Dive Brief The home improvement retailer is building out its MyLowe’s Rewards program with “great member-only moments,” SVP of Digital Commerce Joe Cano said. Published Feb. 9, 2026 Courtesy of Lowe’s “}]] 
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  1. Shopper & Customer

Event Marketing Still Matters: Why Valentine’s Day Proves Timely Food Messaging Wins

In a persistently challenging macroeconomic climate, Valentine’s Day once again proves that event marketing—when done with relevance and restraint—still moves wallets and behavior. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics, Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record $29.1 billion, eclipsing last year’s $27.5 billion. Even more telling: shoppers […]
4 min read
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  1. Media & Marketing

How Fabletics Hit $1B and What’s Fueling Its Next Phase of Growth

In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein chats with Meera Bhatia, President and COO of Fabletics, on the strategies powering the brand’s impressive momentum. Fresh off hitting the $1 billion revenue milestone, Meera breaks down how Fabletics has driven sustained growth through category expansion, measured store growth and a flexible membership model that […]
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  1. Media & Marketing

Advertising, Brand Recall, and Celebrities

Super Bowl ads have always juggled story power and star power. But the overall swing toward celebrities has been an ongoing trend. In 2010, just 31% of Super Bowl ads included a famous face. Last year, a whopping 68% of Super Bowl ads featured celebrities and 51% featured multiple celebrities, according to iSpot.tv and EMARKETER. […]
3 min read
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  1. Technology & Innovation

Out of home delivery and automated parcel locker specialist InPost prepped for takeover

A consortium fronted by Advent and FedEx is set to buy InPost for 15.60 euros per share, valuing the European parcel locker company at 7.8 billion euros ($9.2 billion). The transaction to expected to close in the second half of this year. Advent and FedEx will each own a 37% stake in the parcel locker […]
3 min read
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  1. Media & Marketing

Spotify Teams up with Bookshop.org to Synchronize Audio and Physical Books

Spotify has teamed up with Bookshop.org — the online bookstore that connects readers with local booksellers across the U.S. — to begin selling books through its app. The service is meant to be used in tandem with Shopify’s new Page Match tool, which helps readers seamlessly switch between the audio and physical versions of a […]
2 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Biona launches trio of Spelt Cereals

Biona has announced the launch of three new spelt breakfast cereals that tap into the current trends for minimally processed, organic breakfast options. First in the new range is Biona’s organic Crispy Spelt Flakes which are made from 100% whole organic spelt and nothing else,… This story continues at Biona launches trio of Spelt Cereals […]
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  1. CPG: Food

Divine Chocolate launches Luxury Mini Egg Collection  

Divine Chocolate is celebrating Easter with the launch of a premium collection of Luxury Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs, each crafted from Fairtrade cocoa with natural ingredients and free from palm oil. The collection features two mini egg varieties, Divine Luxury Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs and… This story continues at Divine Chocolate launches Luxury Mini Egg […]
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  1. Stores & Formats

Mini profile: Pearl opens new Shell forecourt and Spar store in Bradford

Pearl Forecourts has opened a new to industry Shell service station and Spar store at Whetley Hill in Bradford. Located on the site of a former restaurant on the B6144 and servicing a busy area of Bradford, the forecourt is open 24 hours and has… This story continues at Mini profile: Pearl opens new Shell […]
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  1. International

Retail association responds to latest BoE interest rates decision

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has responding to the latest Bank of England decision on interest rates, and the Quarterly Monetary Policy Report. Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Borrowers must wait at least another month to see if mortgage costs… This story continues at Retail association responds to latest BoE […]
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  1. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital
  2. Channel: Grocery
  3. Channel: Grocery - Natural
  4. Channel: Mass
  5. Department & Category
  6. Department: Food
  7. Acquisitions, Divestitures & Mergers
  8. Corporate Strategy
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  18. Owned Brands (Private Label)
  19. Stores & Formats

Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go Are Gone A Historical Retrospective on Amazon’s Grocery Experiments & the Road Ahead

  On January 27, 2026, Amazon confirmed what many analysts had quietly anticipated: its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go store banners are being shuttered across the U.S., ending a decade of experimentation in brick-and-mortar grocery retail. According to Amazon, all 57 Amazon Fresh grocery stores and 15 Amazon Go locations are slated to close imminently […]
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  1. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital
  2. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital
  3. Channel: Grocery - Natural
  4. Channel: Mass
  5. Department & Category
  6. Department: Food
  7. Department: Nonfood
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  14. Associates & Employees
  15. Operations & Supply Chain
  16. Stores & Formats

BREAKING NEWS:  Amazon Bails Out Of Physical Stores Business, Closing Go And Fresh Stores

Amazon announced today that it is closing its 57 Amazon Fresh Stores and 15 Amazon Go stores.  With the exception of Whole Foods, which it acquired for $13.7 billion in 2017, it will now be out of the bricks-and-mortar business for the time being. The company’s food retail focus now will be on expanding its […]
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  1. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital
  2. Channel: Grocery
  3. Department: Food
  4. Data & Insights
  5. Shopper & Customer
  6. Technology & Innovation
  7. Trends & External Forces
  8. Stores & Formats

December E-Grocery Sales Hit $12.7 Billion, Up 32% YOY

The latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey is out, reporting that “monthly U.S. online grocery sales accelerated dramatically in December, with total sales surging 32% year-over-year (YOY) to finish the month with a record high $12.7 billion … This robust performance reflects higher order frequency, spending rates, and a larger user base than December […]
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  1. Technology & Innovation
  2. Channel: Mass
  3. Department: Consumer Durables
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  18. Operations & Supply Chain
  19. Stores & Formats

NRF 2026 review: AI grabs the spotlight as retail technology steps into its next chapter

By James Pepper, Vista Technology Support A Brief Introduction to NRF and How the Show Is Structured Every January, the National Retail Federation’s ‘Retail’s Big Show’ transforms New York’s Javits Centre into one of the most influential gatherings in the global retail calendar. Tens of thousands of professionals arrive to explore new technologies, exchange ideas, […]
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