PepsiCo and Conagra temper outlooks as they struggle with consumers’ shrinkflation concerns: Sales volumes for both companies fell as private labels capture record dollar and unit share.

Just because consumers are concerned with cost doesn’t mean they aren’t spending. Today’s path to purchase is less linear, influenced by deal-seeking, social media, and payment options. Here are five key stats on how consumer buying behavior is shifting.

Consumers spend cautiously as inflation perceptions, higher debt payments hurt confidence: But we expect retail sales growth to be healthy as buying power recovers.

US retail sales soar past our prepandemic forecast: 2024 sales will be 18% higher than we thought in February 2020 as consumers’ resilience shows no signs of slowing.

Gap’s turnaround momentum is building: The retailer is winning over shoppers with on-trend styles, while boosting its profile with buzzy celebrity and brand partnerships.

It was a happy holiday season for several retailers: Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch, Crocs, and Pandora are among the companies that beat expectations over the final months of 2023.

Consumer spending diverged in 2023: Shoppers splurged on lower-priced indulgences such as health and beauty items, but pulled back on big-ticket items such as TVs and couches.

As retail media evolves, ad placements off-site and in-store will help grocery advertisers reach shoppers in new and more engaging ways, but consumers may not be in a spending mood as credit card balances grow and savings accounts shrink. If Amazon can get grocery right, it may be able to fight off losing share to Walmart. But if the Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through, it could change everything.

Gen Z favors a range of product discovery methods, cost-conscious spending patterns, and flexible payment options. Here are three crucial insights and actionable strategies to help brands capture Gen Z’s attention—and dollars—this holiday season.

There’s good reason to expect strong growth this holiday season: With consumer confidence ticking up, consumers are spending more money than ever before.

Brand loyalty vs. brand backlash: Consumers want companies to support social causes despite the corporate dilemmas that could result.

Walmart’s grocery, ecommerce business powered it through another solid quarter: The retailer’s emphasis on value and convenience are helping it win market share, even as shoppers exhibit more signs of price sensitivity.

Costco’s fiscal Q4 earnings report, with total revenues of $78.94 billion, offers a glimpse into shifting consumer priorities: its shoppers are now favoring essentials, opting for groceries and gasoline, while luxury and other discretionary items have taken a backseat.

Credit losses are climbing, credit conditions are tightening, and consumer sentiment is on the decline

As consumers hunt for the best deals, generative AI will drive $194 billion in consumer spending by enabling brands to provide personalized customer service, marketing promotions, and commerce experiences, per Salesforce. Social media advertising will also have an outsized impact on purchase decisions versus traditional marketing efforts.

Amazon’s return-to-office policy defies research, enrages employees: Lack of evidence-based decision-making won’t give Amazon the committed employees it needs to take on Big Tech rivals.

US cosmetic and beauty sales are expected to grow over 10% this year—more than three times the 2.9% rate of the overall retail market, according to our forecast. It’s a sign of the “lipstick effect,” said our analyst Sky Canaves on our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

Student loan payment resumption could shock unprepared borrowers: But it’s an opportunity for financial institutions to do some proactive outreach and strengthen their customer relationships.

Deep discounts may drive consumers previously holding back on big-ticket or discretionary purchases to splurge, while parents will keep an eye out for back-to-school deals. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy may see Prime Day-driven boosts in physical store traffic.

Issuers are bracing for a recession to take a toll on charge-off rates, merchant fee revenues, and interest income. But have they fully baked in the economic threats consumers face?