Explore every episode of the podcast Circana Growth Insights

Retailers, brands, and services can support consumers around the world on their physical, mental, and social health journeys. Sally Lyons Wyatt, Circana’s global EVP and chief advisor, Consumer Goods & Foodservice Insights, shares well-being research highlights from industries as diverse as books, food, beauty, apparel, consumer tech, pet, toys, and more. Consumers’ pursuit of well-being is strong, and the opportunities to lean in and support them are many. You might just learn how to support your own well-being goals. 

Highlights: 

• Not one of the three pillars of well-being — physical, mental, and social — exists in a silo.
• Brands, retailers, and services should consider opportunities outside their own lane to promote their offerings, including cross-merchandising opportunities with complementary products. 
• Well-being is a global concern. While regional differences exist, there are many universal views, including the benefits of physical fitness, food as medicine, mental health awareness, and the value of community engagement. 

U.S. consumers under the age of 35 will experience similar life stages as previous generations, but they will never mirror the grocery shopping patterns of older consumers. As the most ethnically diverse and tech-savvy population, they are inspired and moved by infotainment. They also have the unique ability to lean into their personal moods and appetites, answering in the moment, “what am I hungry for?” Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods group, and Kelly Krumholz, perimeter client insights consultant, talk about stark generational differences. Learn why it’s important to start solving for the needs of shoppers aged 35 and younger, who soon will be the majority. 

Highlights 

• Shoppers under the age of 35 have been shaped by the acceleration of smart phones, the explosion of social media, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Younger consumers are interested in cuisines like Japanese, Korean, and Cuban. This is a stark contrast to those of older generations, who prefer Mediterranean. 
• While it may have been the case for older generations, Gen Z and younger millennials prove the grocery store is not the only place to buy perishables. 
• Shoppers under the age of 35 under-spend in fresh. Most of their food dollars are spent on center-store items. 
• Young shoppers are motivated by relevance and experience. Messages that invoke feeling or speak to mood are more likely to hit the mark than low price. 

When it comes to meals, U.S. consumers are having a 2020 moment, believes Darren Seifer, our industry advisor, Consumer Goods & Foodservice Insights. The percentage of meals sourced from retail for home consumption is nearly 87% in 2024, giving us a vibe of at-home behaviors during the pandemic. However, how we’re getting to those meals and what’s on the table is where shifts are occurring. Jonna Parker, team lead for our Fresh Foods Group, says grocery retail might be winning, but it’s not the stock-up of the pandemic times. Instead, it’s just-in-time shopping for specific meals, often with a view to how that meal will be extended to another occasion.

Highlights: 

• With persistent high inflation, consumers routinely try to stretch their food budget, from buying smaller amounts that fulfill a meal or two, to packing a lunch for work or eating what’s on hand to avoid waste.
• Retailers – and even operators – should embrace their role of curating assortment and making suggestions for meal solutions, especially for Gen Z, who haven’t landed on their weekly routines. 
• Approaches to meals change dramatically during the week. Easy one-dish meals might be the answer for a weekday, but weekend meals can be complicated, from-scratch affairs. 
• We have identified 6 billion annual occasions where consumers tell us they table their budget in favor of a celebration. This behavior helps explain positive sales of premium products and even the success of fast casual restaurants, both of which deliver quality and experience. 

Circana has been chronicling changing consumption behaviors in its Eating Patterns in America research for 39 years. David Portalatin, Circana’s senior vice president and industry advisor for food and foodservice, shares how insights from our research inform go-to-market strategies and innovation across CPG manufacturing, grocery retail, and foodservice. David also shares some of the biggest shifts taking place in recent generations, including how Starbucks reinvented the coffee occasion even as coffee consumption at home was declining. Does anyone remember the after-dinner cup of coffee?

Highlights:

• “Healthonomics” describes how consumers are balancing healthy choices amid persistent high inflation. Many consumers look for tiered offerings and base their purchases on their most desired attributes.
• Restaurant traffic is down, but restaurants will prevail. Consumers continue to place value on the food experience and service enjoyed while dining in restaurants.
• A ham sandwich has been the top lunch choice for 30 years or more. But the types of ham available, the emergence of artisanal breads, and different gourmet spreads have drastically changed the way it can be consumed.
• Where there’s innovation, there’s growth. Keep the innovation pipelines flowing.

How can you use the biggest takeaways from the 2024 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) show in June to help your business succeed? Jonna Parker, team lead of Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, share highlights of new technologies, the challenges of balancing assortments by generational differences, the value of special occasions, and other lessons you should know for the rest of the year and beyond.

Highlights:

• In addition to major holidays, consumers celebrate an average of 18 occasions annually. These events not only include more people, but they also represent moments when shoppers are willing to splurge to bring joy to others. Retailers are responding with more solutions and inspiration, from party trays to specialty baked goods.
• Innovation isn’t always about new. Brands and retailers should inspire consumers to use products they’re already buying in new ways.
• Technology can potentially offset labor challenges, but including high-touch offerings like hot bars and salad bars should be decided on a store-by-store or regional basis. Not all areas will support the investment.

Dupes, or replicas, of premium products are having a moment. Fueled by high inflation and turbocharged by social media, dupes are being purchased and touted with pride by U.S. consumers attracted to high-quality, low-priced items. Circana analysts Maggie Swiatkowski, Kristen Classi-Zummo, and Beth Goldstein illustrate how dupes are playing out across categories from apparel, accessories, and beauty to consumer tech, home goods, and food. Is this the dawn of a new era for private brands?

Highlights:

• While dupes appeal to consumers of all ages, younger consumers are the most enthusiastic, given their strong engagement with social media.
• More than half of consumers have purchased a dupe and most would buy another.
• Even the products being duped benefit from the exposure and comparison of the replicas.

Nostalgia, inspiration, and self-care are trends driving consumer escapism. Inspired by her report, The Great Escape: Exploring the Rise of the Joy Economy, Kristen McLean, senior executive director of Circana’s Entertainment Knowledge group, highlights opportunities for connecting to consumers’ desire for escapism. Also important, she reviews what not to do.

Highlights:

• Consumers are looking to escape negativity in the world. The joy economy provides manufacturers and retailers with the opportunity to serve consumers a positive experience.
• By putting the consumer at the center of decision-making, brands and retailers can benefit from participating in the joy economy. When done authentically, they can increase consumer loyalty.
• Younger consumers are looking for a deeper dialogue with brands. They are particularly more vocal about their expectations. Listening to these engaged consumers can fuel ideas for more meaningful connections.

There are four key principles fueling successful innovation beyond launch: distribution growth, trial, marketing support, and product expansion. None of these should be considered stand-alone strategies. Lisa Maas, principal and lead for Circana’s Innovation practice, shares examples from New Product Pacesetters on how to achieve growth in the years after launch.

Highlights:

• Table stakes should include setting the right expectations for sales and distribution.
• Marketing and support investment might ease from a peak of 25% of sales in year one. But support, easily in the 6% range, should continue.
• Retailers will continue to monitor the ability of products to keep shoppers coming back. New forms, new occasions, and moving into adjacencies are easy ways for consumers to remain loyal to preferred brands.

Consumers continue to feel the pinch of inflation. While food remains a priority, consumers face tough choices when making any purchases, but emotions also impact their decisions. Jonna Parker, principal, fresh foods, and Darren Seifer, industry advisor, consumer goods and foodservice insights, discuss the consumer mindset and how competition for the food dollar plays out across food destinations, channels, and stores. 

Highlights: 

• Heat-and-eat and items and cooking sauces for easy meals are rising in demand. Consumers want to shave cooking time, but they don’t want to compromise on taste or experience. 
• Content creators have introduced consumers to the versatility of cottage cheese. Opportunities exist to reframe categories and inspire consumers. 
• Donut sales are up and not just because they’re a fun morning treat. Donuts have what CPG consumers are looking for: they’re portable, convenient, ready-to-eat, and satisfying across dayparts.
• Consumers seek convenience, but they are agnostic about where they purchase. Cooked, and often shredded, chicken is showing up as a winner across channels, including club, grocery, super centers, and specialty grocers. 

Beverage alcohol consumption has changed dramatically in recent years. The pandemic impacted the way people consumed adult beverages, and younger consumers aged 21 and older are driving consumption of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage alcohol products. Scott Scanlon, executive vice president of Circana’s Beverage Alcohol practice, provides insight into these changes and the outlook for 2024 and beyond.

Highlights: 

• Typically, as adults aged 21 and older begin drinking, their first choices are beer or wine. More recently, young adults aged 21 and older are starting with RTD beverages, particularly spirits-based options.
• Despite the vast array of beverage choices, beverage alcohol consumption is softening across generations. However, premium beverages are still showing growth.
• Much of the allure of RTD beverage alcohol among younger consumers is with packaging, including on-the-go options like ball form, slim cans, and aseptic packaging.
• Whiskey, tequila, spirits-based RTDs, and imported beer from Mexico continue to fuel the beverage alcohol market.

Our distribution, velocity, and penetration data, along with other metrics, shows us the top CPG Growth Leaders. But by listening to and observing the top companies, we can identify successful integrating strategies. Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor, consumer goods and foodservice insights, and Cara Loeys, principal, corporate CPG thought leadership, describe how the annual CPG Growth Leaders report is developed and share insights for CPG companies large and small.

Highlights: 

• Companies have differing challenges based on their portfolios, which is why we study sales. While successful companies are laser focused on the consumer, they differ in how they leverage other strategies, including integrated engagement, continuous newness, the premium-value bifurcation, and embedding artificial intelligence.
• Newness with a twist is a better way to view innovation, given that changes can be small but prescriptive to meet consumer needs or even illuminate new usage and consumption occasions.
• Growth in a challenging market is hard to achieve, but truly integrating strategies provides the path to success.

In 2023, CPG private labels grew dollar and unit sales thanks to the unique confluence of retailers investing in their own brands and consumers facing high inflation. Mary Ellen Lynch, principal of Circana’s center store solutions practice, discusses private brand shoppers and what they’re looking for. 

Highlights: 

• While consumers of all affluency levels buy private brands, households with children, as well as millennial and Gen X households with no children, are top purchasers of private brands. 
• Shoppers have price memory for their favorite brands and want to get as close to those former prices as possible. This puts pantry items in the domain of private brands, which are gaining share within salty snacks, long dominated by name brands. 
• Retailers continue to support their mainstream brands with marketing that reinforces their premium features: convenience, health, how products fit with the way consumers cook, elevated flavors, and quality experiences. 

Our expansion of multi-outlet data, MULO+, increases point-of-sale (POS) coverage 15%, providing 90% accuracy of CPG dollar sales sourced from census POS data. Jonna Parker, Team Lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, share a glimpse of this new, expanded view of the competitive grocery landscape. Discover why it’s critical for retailers to understand the go-to-market approach taken by all channels to determine their point of differentiation.

Highlights:

• Consumers shop up to an average of 12 retailers, including club, value, mass merchandisers, and traditional retail. Chances are, all will have the fresh basics. Don’t assume traditional grocery is the first choice for fresh. 
• With big box retailers and club stores focused on everyday low prices, high-low pricing in traditional grocery retail doesn’t drive the trips it once did. 
• Most Americans celebrate 18 food-focused occasions each year. Retailers need to think beyond the big holidays to surprise, delight, and support shoppers. 
• Data from early 2024 shows that people are eating more meals at home, but they’re not necessarily cooking from scratch. Learn how retailers can best support hybrid meals. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in business has positive benefits for workers, for business results, and for people and communities engaging with these businesses. Cecilia Ogude, Circana’s senior vice president, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, breaks down the benefits and talks about what’s missing without DEI. 

• Diversity doesn’t just focus on one element or group and doesn’t diminish the value of one group over another. It includes and supports everyone.  
• Equity – not equality – gives everyone access to opportunities.  
• Inclusion allows individuals the freedom to bring their lived experiences to their work, contributing to a rich corporate tapestry.  
• Without support for DEI, businesses stand to lose a connection among employees, leading to reduced collaboration and innovation.   

Some 93% of Gen Z and younger millennials are changing their behavior based on higher prices, a much higher percentage than previous generations. Stepping back for a wider view, Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, believes these younger consumers have been impacted by more trauma, from terrorism and a recession to pandemic and current inflation. Given the world they’ve grown up in, they aren’t going to become like their older counterparts. Parker and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, dive into generational differences and how retailers and brands can connect.

Highlights:

• 2024 is an inflection point where generational differences in eating, cooking, and shopping will need to be balanced.
• Retailers and brands need to recognize that older consumers still shop the separate store departments (such as butcher, dairy, and produce) while younger consumers rely more on cross-merchandising that brings different departments together for easy solutions.
• Even as butcher service counters are closing, store butchers have social currency, providing service via recommendations and tips on social media platforms.

Nearly 13% of Americans, or 17% of U.S. households, receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits, yet they represent nearly a third of total store sales. Sally Lyons Wyatt, Circana’s global executive vice president for consumer goods and foodservice insights, talks about who is winning the SNAP shopper and strategies all retailers should use to engage this valuable shopper group.

Highlights:

• SNAP shoppers represent nearly 50% of dollar store sales, and nearly 40% of convenience channel sales.
• SNAP is intended as a short-term benefit, meaning that SNAP is always new to many recipients. Retailers can help onboard shoppers and navigate the store for SNAP-eligible purchases.
• Retailers that make online search easy for SNAP shoppers will build loyalty that lasts after the benefits are no longer needed.

Moving from full-service to self-service in meat and deli departments, increasing value-added offerings in produce and deli, these are just a few examples of grocery retail’s evolution. Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, advocate for learning about the most important shopper groups and meeting their changing needs.

Highlights:

• Baby boomers, long the biggest spenders, are on the cusp of being overtaken by Gen X and millennials. While it’s still important to please boomers, long-term success depends on answering the call of younger shoppers.
• Younger consumers start their shopping journey online. The key to winning store traffic is securing the shopper before they enter the store.
• While older consumers value service, younger shoppers look for relevance and experience; think solutions, not stalls.
• Low-price and fresh offerings are no longer a reason to shop a store. Point of difference and only-available-here offerings will drive traffic.

Most of the consumer tech innovation at the Consumer Electronics Show 2024 are enhancements to existing technology; think better quality audio and new capabilities. Despite lackluster levels of product innovation showcased at CES, Circana tech analyst Ben Arnold and audio analyst Ashley McCann are optimistic about opportunities in kitchen, home and audio for growth in the year ahead.   

Highlights:  

• While artificial intelligence was the buzzword at CES, AI hardware was harder to find. Chatbots in cars and a new keyboard function are standout examples.  
• Kitchen products that speed or improve cooking and mix cocktails were on display at CES, indicating increased innovation in the small home appliance space. 
• Products that support digital creators, including digital cameras and accessories, are experiencing sales growth.  
• There’s still penetration opportunity, especially among older consumer, for smart home products, including security cameras and smart lighting.

Within the complex arena of marketing mix, linear TV and connected TV are viewed separately. Currently, CTV is having its moment, surpassing linear TV in return on ad spend. Circana’s Susan Kelly, solutions design, global solutions delivery and Kelly Dunham, delivery director, talk about execution and measurement of success for both approaches and the increasing value of targeting that is giving CTV its shine.  

Highlights:  

• Linear TV offers lower cost-per-impressions and provides a broader reach than connected TV. 
• Despite the higher cost-per-impression, advertisers are realizing a better return on ad spend with the targeted audiences connected TV reaches. 
• The sweet spot might be a combination of the reach of linear and the targeting audiences of CTV.  
• Measurement tools determine which levers (linear TV, CTV or other marketing strategies) are driving sales lifts.  
• Campaigns should be monitored mid-flight to ensure they’re connecting with the right audience, at the right time and with the right message.  

The pandemic put the breaks on a lot of consumer tech innovation, so anticipation is building for CES 2024, when many companies will display their latest and greatest. Ben Arnold, Circana’s executive director, industry analyst, Consumer Technology, provides examples of innovation that go beyond tech gadgets and shares what he hopes to see at the show.  

Highlights:  

• From autonomous vehicles to drug discovery, artificial intelligence is making headlines. How will open-AI positively impact the daily lives of consumers?  
• Virtual reality hardware has been getting updates, but new applications are possible, from warehousing to personal fitness.   
• Circana research points to opportunities harness tech to empower consumers to take more control over their health.  
• Pet tech has been a darling of CES in recent years, but we’re due for a new wave of innovation. 
• Don’t miss Ben Arnold and Paul Gagnon’s CES presentation: Navigating Today’s Consumer Technology Market, January 8, in the West Hall, room 232, 2 pm. 

Traditionally in the U.S., the day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday, which moves holiday shopping into high gear. While doorbusters have dwindled, brands and retailers work to lure shoppers with deals and experiences that set the tone for holiday sales. Circana’s Joe Derochowski, vice president and industry advisor, home and home improvement, and Ben Arnold, executive director, industry analyst, consumer technology, weigh in on Black Friday week results and discuss how their industries can claw back holiday sales.

Highlights:

• While not as bad as 2022, sales of home goods and consumer electronics were still down. The upside, gains were made compared to earlier periods of 2023.
• Different ways to shop and research is changing Black Friday traffic and extending Black Friday sales beyond a single day.
• Consumer electronics, once was a key category that brought shoppers out on Black Friday, now has to work for a share of household spend.
• Innovation is needed to reenergize the market and give consumers the new products and experiences they’re looking for.

As middle-of-the-road grocery retail continues to get squeezed, reaching consumers before they make decisions becomes critical. In this Fresh Pulse episode, Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, share strategies retailers can use to highlight their points of differentiation, starting with elevating outside-the-store marketing.

• Retailers’ focus on in-store execution ignores pre-tailing, when consumers make their decisions of where to shop and what to buy, as well as post-tailing, their at-home experience with what was purchased.
• Foodservice leverages limited-time offers successfully, and it’s a great opportunity for retailers as well.
• Use heavy traffic departments, like produce and meat, to promote digital offers and encourage app adoption.

Despite a forecasted sales decline of 4% - 5% through 2024, sales of small appliances remain elevated from pre-pandemic levels. To buck the negative trend, marketers should focus equally on messaging and innovation. Joe Derochowski, Circana’s vice president and industry advisor, Home and Home Improvement, shares his secret sauce for picking holiday winners and identifying opportunities for growth throughout the year.  

Highlights:  

• The replacement cycle for many small appliances may shrink from the traditional five to eight years given high usage throughout the pandemic.
• The top 10 items sold January through August are a great indicator of what will sell well during the winter gifting season.
• Holiday sales are anticipated to be down 4%, but there are ways to beat that by leaning into consumer behavior, especially the value we place on time.
• The Consumer Electronics Show, coming in January, is a great way to see the advancement of “smart,” including floor care, home comfort and personal care appliances. 

Both the economy and the replenishment cycle of products are negatively impacting the consumer technology industry. Paul Gagnon, Circana’s consumer technology industry advisor, shares his outlook for the coming holiday season and how he hopes the industry is preparing for the time when consumers will be spending again.  

• Moving to a new home is a great motivator for tech purchases, but high mortgage rates, resumption of student loan payments and high credit card interest rates are all weighing down the housing market.   
• Consumers report they’re willing to spend more for consumer electronics this holiday season, with TVs and PCs identified as intended purchases. However, consumers are looking for deals and they’re willing to wait for them. 
• The Consumer Electronics Show is around the corner, and Paul will be looking for genuine innovation, improvements to bundles of hardware + services, and whether home automation players finally come together in a single, simple ecosystem for the benefit of the consumer.  

Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, talks turkey – and economic pressures – with Circana’s Joan Driggs. Times are tough and while it’s critical to be realistic about economic pressures, it’s also an opportunity to dig deeper opportunities to connect with shoppers.  

Highlights:  

• When facing economic challenges, consumers revert to routines to avoid buyer's remorse, even with food items.
• Retailer and manufacturers have an opportunity to lean into the small celebrations that consumers embrace throughout the year, from family milestones to sporting events.
• Thanksgiving in 2023 might be the battle of retailers, many of which will be rolling back prices. Ultimately, Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year.
• Many households will right-size portions of some of the Thanksgiving meal to permit more options. Think preparing a turkey breast instead of a full bird to accommodate another roasted meat.  

To achieve growth, companies strive to predict what the consumer is likely to do in both the near term and long term. Optimal forecasting, according to Lance Goodridge, Circana’s executive vice president of Analytics and Insights, will fit with current performance, include appropriate and predictable causal factors, and be within the bounds of company objectives. No small feat.  

Highlights include:  

• While there will always be situations that can’t be predicted, like an epidemic, the right mix of causal factors, including inflation, weather patterns and finance rates, along with consumer behaviors, can lead to sound demand forecasts.
• Accurate forecasts can help companies make decisions about investments in innovation, assortment, and production levels.
• What spurred demands in the past, like a promoted price, might not work as well in the future. Knowing the shopping journey can help determine specific purchase influencers.  

The unique value proposition of frozen foods is not getting the attention it deserves. Based on her webinar, Icy Hot Insights: Frozen Trends, Sally Lyons Wyatt, executive vice president and Practice Leader, Circana, outlines the many definitions of value that frozen addresses.

Highlights.  

• Heavy frozen entrée buyers account for 36% more restaurant trips than the average customer. Frozen can compete on restaurant quality, cuisine type, and flavor experience, quickly and in the comfort of your own home.
• Manufacturers and retailers have opportunities to promote low cost per serving and ways frozen foods can stretch the food dollar.
• There are so many ways frozen foods aren’t being promoted, including as waste minimizers, as recipe ingredients for trending kitchen appliances, or as options that fit special diets.
• Ice cream, sherbet and frozen novelties represent an anchor that attracts a wide cross-section of consumers. Leverage the power of frozen treats to promote other frozen items.  

In this Fresh Pulse episode, Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, highlights consumer purchasing behavior in the meat department. Promotions aren’t seeing expected lifts, purchases are designed for minimal waste, and it’s often social platforms and digital retail apps that are guiding shoppers.  

Highlights:  

• More consumers are using retail apps to plan shopping and load deals to their loyalty cards.  
• As shoppers visit fewer stores, being part of the consideration set is critical.  
• Younger shoppers are more likely than older shoppers to associate all types of channels, from Big Box to discount, as destinations for fresh foods.
• Grocery is winning in fresh by leveraging FOMO – fear of missing out.

As inflation continues to press consumers, volume sales are down across food and beverage. Amid economic headwinds and a return to pre-pandemic activity levels, consumer behaviors are changing, but we are not consuming less. Circana thought leaders David Portalatin and Alastair Steel explain how shifting behaviors are illustrating new patterns in consumption across retail and foodservice.  

Highlights:  

• Food inflation might be easing, but we’re still paying around 30% more for retail food and beverages than we were pre-pandemic. As consumers trade down, they are also buying smaller amounts to avoid waste.  
• Where disinflation is seen in retail, it’s not occurring in foodservice, where the price of a meal is more than 4 times that of food sourced from retail. Still, growth can be seen for the morning and afternoon dayparts and at quick-service restaurants.
• Consumers are looking for deals. Restaurant apps are helping get diners in the door and feeling good about the value on offer. At retail, coupons are coming back, but not at depths that are motivating shoppers.  

Circana has undertaken an extensive audit of America’s kitchens, recording what’s in our pantries and refrigerators, and inventorying appliances, cookware and utensils. Findings, found in the new report, Inside America’s Kitchens, reveal that we’re stocking far fewer food items than in 2020, yet we’re making good use of tools in our meal prep. Darren Seifer, Circana Food & Beverage Industry Analyst, shares insights into behavioral changes and generational differences.  

Highlights:  

• With the inflation of 2023, consumers are pulling back on impulse purchases and doing their best to avoid waste. There are an average of 10% fewer pantry items in 2023 than there were in 2020.  
• Convenience is a priority for all consumers, but how we realize it differs, often based on our ability to pay for speed, great taste, fresh offerings and customization.  
• While coffee is nearly ubiquitous across households, there are dramatic generational differences in how it’s prepared. Generation is an indicator of other food items, as well, with older consumers more likely to have staples like cooking oil and canned tomatoes, while the youngest households are more likely to have pasta sauce and pasta on hand.    

Inflation may be easing, but consumers are still paying dramatically higher prices than two years ago, and face increasing pressure resulting from the additional SNAP benefits that expired earlier this year, forthcoming student loan repayments and increasing credit card debt. Still, consumers of all household incomes are finding affordable escapes or rewards and easy entertaining ideas, courtesy of fresh foods. In this Fresh Pulse episode, Jonna Parker, principal of Circana’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, discuss macroeconomic pressures, why even cash-strapped consumers are making choices based on “and” not “or,” and the importance of connecting with the right shoppers with the right products.  

Highlights 

• The pinch of inflation continues to hurt, but fresh offerings can lean in by defining their “value” to the shopper. Across household income groups, value doesn’t equal lowest price.  
• Shopper trips are up but baskets are smaller than two years ago, with consumers visiting more retailers to fulfill their needs. Too many retailers and brands are focused on high-spending boomers, often without realizing the changing behaviors of this group. It’s time to look to where growth will come from.  
• Along with more frequent, small trips in-store, online shopping appeals to those wanting to stick to a budget. Both work against in-store discovery, meaning marketers must work harder to showcase new delights and solutions.  

Kristen McClean, executive director, industry analyst, Circana Books & Entertainment, describes books as “ideas wrapped up for sale.” When we study the books people buy, we learn about their thoughts and their shifting attitudes over time. This understanding helps us better meet changing consumer preferences.

Highlights:

• Books reveal the radical changes that are taking place as we find our post-pandemic normal, including a return to work, experiential travel, and increasing interest in physical well-being.
• These interests, in turn, will affect product innovation, marketing strategies, and the influencers and social platforms consumers engage with.
• Sales of fiction books are up for three consecutive years, including romance, fantasy, and escapism, which are causing a ripple effect across the CPG, toys, and entertainment industries. “Kidults” might be driving more toy sales, but marketers of all products should take note of their child-like preferences.

Easing inflation is making headlines, but consumers remain challenged by high prices. In this Fresh Pulse episode, Jonna Parker, principal of Circana’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, discuss consumer behavior, macroeconomic challenges, and why plus-one purchases are undervalued.  

Highlights: 

• Consumers are on the hunt for deals and will shop across multiple stores to find them. While trips were up, baskets were down around five units per trip in June 2023. 
• Consumers’ value of their time has rebounded since the pandemic. As a result, hybrid meals are now the norm, with consumers leveraging freshly prepared retail options, restaurant offerings, and pantry staples to pull together meals.
• Bakery items epitomize the value of a plus-one purchase, as consumers look for affordable items to brighten lunchboxes, reward small accomplishments, or elevate meals. Retailers should encourage extra purchases through their apps.   

Consumer tech purchases for school, work, and entertainment were high during the pandemic. Tech items also have a long lifecycle, with replacements occurring on average every four years. The net result is a sluggish consumer tech industry in 2023. Circana’s Mike Crosby, executive director, industry advisor for commercial and consumer technology, and Paul Gagnon, vice president, industry advisor, consumer technology, share their outlook on the consumer tech market for the remainder of 2023 and into 2024.  

Highlights:  

• Most tech sales take place at the end of the year, from back-to-school season through the winter holidays. Retailers and manufacturers should use digital platforms to encourage consumers to shop in store, an easier place to showcase wares and adjacent products.  
• Innovation in consumer tech took a back seat to production during the pandemic. Look for the innovation pipeline to fill again at the close of 2023 and into 2024. There’s excitement around AR/VR as Meta ups its game and Apple enters the arena.
• Consumers might be ready for tech upgrades and replacements, but budgets are tight. Many consumers will look for ways to extend the life of products they already own. Retailers and manufacturers should be prepared for the upcoming holiday season with optimal innovation or promotions — or both.  

Inflation is high, which might limit discretionary spending and travel for many. Still, it’s summer and consumers are making the most of pandemic investments made in outdoor spaces, grills, and smokers. Now is the time for retailers to rewrite their summer playbook and merchandise for a new generation. Learn some tips and tricks from Jonna Parker, principal of Circana’s Fresh Center of Excellence and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics. 

Highlights:  

• Meat might still be king of the grill, but its increasingly sharing space with vegetables, plant-based meat alternatives and different types of protein.  
• Brands that cross-promote across categories and retailers that highlight convenient solutions see a bigger sales lift. Consider the opportunities of educating and inspiring consumers with products from across the store to build bigger baskets around the theme of grilling, for example.   
• With more retail channels competing in fresh, too many are selling the same products and traditional price promotions aren’t delivering lift. Consider digital ads and messaging to target and connect with shoppers and get them to make the trip to the store.
• Retailers don’t necessarily need to change their assortments, but they should rethink how they merchandise. Consider different colors and merchandising strategies to position products in new ways.  

Innovation is a foundational attribute of Circana, so its sponsorship of The Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Most Innovative New Product Awards makes perfect sense. Sally Lyons Wyatt, Circana’s executive vice president and practice leader of client insights, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, share insights on the winning trends and attributes.  

Highlights:  

• Sweets and snacks are often an impulse purchase, so innovation in this area is particularly important. Older consumers look for innovation from their trusted brands, while younger consumers are attracted to global flavors and interesting experiences.
• Award-winning products made the most of packaging. They presented a sophisticated and clean front panel and told the brand/company story on the back panel.
• While bold and fun flavors dominated, other winners included sustainable products, allergy-friendly options, and products that mixed function with fun (such as energy- and vitamin-boosting candies).  

The merger of IRI and NPD ― now Circana ― brings together data and expertise from 20 industries, including CPG, general merchandise, and foodservice. These combined resources across 30 shopping channels, hundreds of retailers, and more than 1,200 categories enable Complete Wallet™, the most complete view of what, where, how, and when consumers buy. Patty Altman and Michelle Bennett, executive vice presidents of Consumer and Shopper Insights at Circana, describe the opportunities Complete Wallet unlocks.  

Highlights:  

• Timely information — fueled by receipt panel data, consumer surveys, and myriad other data sets and technologies — identifies consumer lifestyle shifts as they happen in real time.
• Brands, retailers, and other industry players are able to expand their perspective on the shopper to identify new opportunities for growth.
• This more complete view also identifies consumer purchasing priorities across all categories as well as by shopper type, from SNAP recipients to generational cohorts.  

CPG retail is feeling the impact of tumbling consumer confidence. Ongoing inflation and anticipation of a recession have consumers pulling back on stock-up trips and instead shifting to quick trips and sticking to their shopping lists. In this Fresh Pulse episode, Jonna Parker, principal, Fresh Center of Excellence at Circana and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, share proven strategies that inspire shoppers and drive loyalty.

• 40% of shoppers report combatting inflation by stretching meals and minimizing waste. Produce benefits from quick trips, as consumers buy only what they need and consume what they have. With produce considered essential, retailers should hone their EDLP strategies.
• Retailers don’t have to “own” the entire meal. Fresh items can complement both convenience items or meal components sourced from foodservice.
• With promotions still down compared to pre-pandemic, retailers should leverage their digital assets, including coupons, social media and QR codes, to make recommendations for shoppers.

Why, where, and when people drive changed dramatically during the pandemic. Many of those shifts are proving sticky — with big implications for the CPG and retail industries. In this podcast, Circana’s Nathan Shipley shares insights on the impacts these changes are having on the auto aftermarket. He also explores how remote work and consumer mobility trends are affecting CPG consumption and how shifts in local and distance travel could change retail.  

Highlights:  

• Working from home has meant more local trips and more demand for on-the-go products from untethered workers who are combining business with leisure travel.  
• Airline disruptions have driven more people to drive for travel, as has the pandemic boom in RV purchases.   
• New car sales are coming back but are tempered by high interest rates. Many Americans are continuing to invest in their current vehicles to defer the purchase of a new car.  

Insights that are anything but skin deep. Circana’s Larissa Jensen, vice president and beauty industry advisor, describes the power of Circana’s Complete Beauty™ capabilities,  including a full view of mass and prestige sales and consumer behavior across skincare, makeup, hair and fragrance.

Highlights:  

• A majority of beauty sales occur in brick-and-mortar stores, given the experiential nature of products like color cosmetics and fragrance. But the technical side of beauty, including key ingredients and promised performance, fare well online.  
• Learn how beauty products are part of consumers’ shifting attitudes toward wellness.  
• Consumers are turning to beauty to satisfy their treat mindset. Learn which categories are answering the call.  

Circana’s Don Unser, president of thought leadership and Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor for the retail industry, share observations and insights into the nearly $3 trillion U.S. retail landscape.  Tapping into Circana’s Complete Store™ measurement of online and offline sales across CPG, general merchandise and foodservice, retailers, manufacturers and operators will learn how consumer behaviors are impacting shopping today, and how they can plan for what comes next.   

Highlights:  

Consumers view of grocery shopping is an exercise of “extreme essentials,” indicating they are grudgingly paying higher prices for fast-moving consumer goods. Consumers’ approach to general merchandise, however, is with a “discrete discretionary” mindset, where they need to replenish items that are nearing the end of their lifecycle, such as for well-worn activewear.  

Retailers and manufacturers have been focused on share growth, but by the end of 2023 and into 2024, expect a shift in outlook to be about margin growth. The pie, folks, isn’t getting any bigger.  

Learn the impact that economic indicators such as jobs, wages, online shopping, even work-from-home is having on consumer spending, particularly for “potent purchases” and “impact purchases.”  

As consumers wrestle with inflation and resume busy lifestyles, it’s critical to stay ahead of their shifting consumption trends. Circana now provides the most complete view of the $1.5 trillion CPG retail and foodservice landscape in the U.S. — from supply chain through consumption — so you can unlock business growth. Circana’s Joan Driggs, Vice President of Content and Thought Leadership and David Portalatin, Senior Vice President and Industry Advisor, Food and Foodservice, highlight the clarity this new capability uncovers.

Highlights:

• Identify the daypart that reverted to pre-pandemic volume.
• Understand how the notion of home centricity started before the pandemic but accelerated between 2020 and 2021.
• Explore the ways the industry’s affordability can uniquely support consumers experiencing frugal fatigue and seeking to reward themselves or boost their mental and emotional well-being.

Volume is down more than 4% across the store in February, but a little less so in fresh departments. Despite the dim outlook, Jonna Parker, principal of Circana’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, highlight some bright spots in fresh and share some creative promo strategies they’ve seen, as well as some valuable insights on pricing.  

Key takeaways:  

• Fresh – and especially the meat department – is a three-legged stool for 2023: affordability, permissibility, and favorability.
• As cash-strapped and frustrated shoppers search for deals, consider “stacking promos” or shelf tags that remind shoppers how much prices have dropped for certain products.
• Be careful with pricing strategies, however. Use data to understand price sensitivity and learn which tactics will “move the needle.”  

Snacking is a consumer barometer for mood, behavior or even how busy we are. While snacking helped us cope or stay entertained during the pandemic, now it reflects our return to active lifestyles. Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst, shares insights on snacking trends, how different generations approach snacking and opportunities for snacking success.

Key takeaways:

• We snack differently depending on age. The youngest consumers’ snacking is controlled by their parents, who are looking for healthy options to tide kids over to the next meal.
• It’s not teens who are the heaviest snackers. It’s consumers in their 40s, but currently, those Gen Xers aren’t the biggest populations, so they’re not driving much growth.
• Immunity is less important now than during the pandemic, but digestive and calming attributes are still sought.

Retailers and their CPG partners need to pull out all the stops in 2023 to acknowledge and support shoppers as they work to balance health, time and budgets. Promotional creativity and operational excellence should be foundational in building trust with shoppers. Jonna Parker, principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and IRI partner Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, offer up strategies for winning in grocery in 2023 and beyond. 

Key takeaways:  

• Jonna Parker warns that “when you stand for everything, you stand for nothing” in today’s competitive grocery landscape.  
• Consumers are looking for solution support and education from grocers.
• With ongoing labor shortages and younger shoppers looking for new ways of shopping, the grocery industry is at a pivotal moment of change. 

According to Kristen McLean, Executive Director, Industry Analyst, NPD Books & Entertainment, books are “the idea market.” And given her view across 800 million units and 6,000 subject categories, she is capturing ideas at the intersections of discovery, consumption and purchasing. For the CPG and Gen Merch industries, the insights from book sales are a barometer for demand, but also a catalyst for innovation.  

Key takeaways:

• The TikTok generation, those aged 35 and younger, have outsized influence, recommending not only what we read, but how we spend our time and what we consume.
• Books provide insight into CPG consumption trends. Cookbooks focused on convenience and easy-prep meals are in, but there are also increasing sales of titles for baby food.
• Even though younger consumers are fans of sustainability and thrift, they also have room for premium and aspire to luxury. Opportunities – think licensing!

In the final CES podcast episode, NPD colleagues Ben Arnold, consumer technology industry analyst and Joe Derochowski, home and home improvement industry advisor, share their highlights from the big event, including how technology is enhancing – and enabling – the consumer experience.

Highlights:  

• Initiatives including the Home Connectivity Alliance work to bring smart appliances together for an easier and more robust consumer experience.
• More consumer health and wellness needs are being met with technology across new categories, including bathmats that read body composition and pillows that support quality sleep.
• Technology is also making greater enablement possible, from voice-activate kitchen appliances and customizable gaming consoles to beauty and personal care applicators.  

NPD’s consumer technology industry advisor Paul Gagnon and retail IT and B2B technology industry analyst Mike Crosby share highlights from CES in Las Vegas. The good news for tech buffs: Innovation is making a comeback after the pandemic years’ focus on operational efficiency and supply chain challenges.

Highlights:

• Performance and power are back, especially in support of gamers, with more efficient and powerful monitors that are also larger and have improved cooling. But consider them portable rather than mobile devices. 
• A lot of computer and TV purchases were made during the pandemic. Manufacturers and providers should be gearing up for the replacement wave that will occur in 2024-2025. 
• Integrating TVs into home décor is about the only new news for TVs, but connected TV platform competition is heating up. Now, it’s about the content, not the hardware. 

Recapping their Consumer Electronics Show presentation, “7 Ways the Consumer Electronics Consumer Has Changed,” NPD colleagues Ben Arnold and Paul Gagnon illustrate the growing value consumers derive from technology and the opportunities for manufacturers and developers to meet changing consumer needs.  

Key takeaways:  

• Consumer technology holds a greater place in the household budget than it did prior to the pandemic – and it’s due more to the value of technology than to inflation.   
• Aside from foundational technology, application innovation enables convenience, productivity and even personal health.  
• Marketing of electronics is changing: It’s increasingly migrating to digital channels and focusing more on the value tech brings to how people live their lives.

IRI's Growth Insights C-Suite Conversations feature notable leaders talking about the future of CPG, retail and media. Our newest installment focuses on sustainable protein and features the perspectives of Simon Limmer, CEO of Silver Fern Farms, New Zealand's leading producer and marketer of grass-fed beef, lamb and venison. He is joined by Joe O’Connor, president of Applegate, a leading producer of natural and organic meats and cheeses that was acquired by Hormel Foods in 2015.

In this exclusive interview, Limmer and O'Connor first share their personal definitions of sustainability. O'Connor talks about Applegate's sustainability journey, from antibiotic-free meats to organic meats and now regenerative agriculture. Limmer details Silver Fern Farms' unique business model for sustainable meat production. And both look at future sustainability trends, who the sustainable meat consumer will be in 2030, and the crucial role progressive farmers play in making sustainable protein products possible.