Week of December 11, 2023
Accelerate Your Insights is a weekly news recap of the top trends in CPG focusing on retailer headlines, key shopper behaviors, and industry events.
Click the sources links below each headline to read more
Industry News
CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor: First half of holiday season shines for retail
Health and personal care stores were up 1.6% month over month seasonally adjusted and up 9.15% year over year unadjusted, per CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.
Inflation: What Happened This Year?
2023 NACS SOI data will reveal how inflation has impacted the convenience retail industry.
Numerator Dives Into Sales Impact of Weight-Loss Drugs
GLP-1 weight-loss mediations are becoming more popular and are driving down purchases.
November Online Grocery Sales Up 5% From Year Ago
The U.S. online grocery market posted $8.1 billion in total monthly sales for November, up 5.2 percent compared to last year’s $7.7 billion, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery shopping survey.
SPINS Featured Trend: What’s trending in the baby aisle?
For years, four companies have made up 99% of the US Infant Formula market. A major recall and nationwide shortage opened the door to unprecedented growth in new, more natural offerings.
Progressive Grocer Declares This Year's Category Captains
This year’s companies recognized by PG show a lot of daring in their category management strategies
Chobani Acquires La Colombe
Coffee company’s offerings complement Chobani’s food brands
The Future of Retail: Unpacking Innovative Front End Strategies
Ushering in a new vision for a key part of the supermarket
Pennsylvania has nation’s highest grocery price hikes: report
People are also paying more for food out in rural areas vs. city centers
Grocers planning to boost digital grocery and AI budgets in 2024
Grocery Doppio’s year-end report shows that digital shopping dipped in 2023, but executives remain optimistic
Retailer News
Kroger rolls out autonomous trucks to aid fast delivery
The Kroger Co. is moving beyond pilot stage with using driverless trucks in the “middle mile” of its fast delivery operation.
Deal For Gulf Oil Complete, RaceTrac Readies For Expansion
Atlanta, Georgia-based RaceTrac has confirmed that its wholesale fuel supply and trading subsidiary, Metroplex Energy Inc., has closed the acquisition of Gulf Oil.
Kroger Customers Can Now Shop Via Oven Touchscreens
Kroger and GE Appliances have introduced a feature for select WiFi-connected wall ovens and ranges that will allow consumers to view recipes and shop for ingredients via the appliances’ LCD screens.
Brookshire Bros. Transitioning To eGrowcery Digital Tools
Brookshire Bros., a regional grocery chain in Texas and western Louisiana, is deploying digital tools from eGrowcery for its online ordering and fulfillment operations.
Food Lion Adds To-Go Services At 35 More Stores
Food Lion has expanded its to-go grocery pickup service to 35 additional stores in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
What Grocers Need to Know About Mobile Driver’s Licenses
As adoption grows, retailers should learn about ID’s security features, standards
BJ’s Moves to Modernize Inventory Operations
Partnership with Nextuple will advance club retailer’s omnichannel fulfillment
Dollar Stores Curbing Sales, Jobs at Independent Grocers
UConn study reveals impact of fast-growing discount chains in rural areas
Price Chopper/Market 32 Snags NFRA Top Marketer Award
tcc Global and SparkShoppe collaborated with grocer on winning Frozen Food Frenzy campaign
What Makes Costco’s Q1 Earnings So ‘Special’
Warehouse club's CFO talks special cash dividend, membership fee hike, e-comm's comeback, expansion mode
Year in review: 2023 food retail stocks — Sprouts, Costco, Natural Grocers outpace a flattish industry
Most companies’ shares on pace to trail the market’s overall performance for the year
Central Minnesota Grocery Workers Call for Strike During Christmastime
Cub Foods, Super One Foods and SuperValu union members say workers’ rights were repeatedly violated
Shopper News
What’s Ahead for Dry January?
New products, promos aimed at those attempting to avoid alcohol next month
Consumers Gravitating Toward Casual, Food-Centric Gatherings
Small home-based social events spur food discovery, popularity of grazable fare
Cook-at-Home Behaviors Becoming Dominant: Report
NFRA’s latest study also points to the priorities of convenience and healthfulness
Exploring the Protein Boom: The Main Ingredient Dominating Grocery Shelves
As we move deeper into the ’20s, grocers are flexing their merchandising muscle by carrying a greater variety of both animal- and plant-based proteins across more categories, from powders to meats to desserts.