How COVID-19 changed the way we shop – and what to expect in 2022 and beyond

1 week, 2 days ago

Value-seekers drove 2024’s retail trends and dead ends

Value was in vogue in 2024. But Amazon could face headwinds in the coming year with threatened tariffs on products from China and labor unrest in the U.S. FAST CASUAL CHAINS It was a good year for restaurant chains like Shake Shack that are a step up from fast food but still offer good value. The company’s sales slumped as …

Food Retail Sales Company This Year Target Mcdonald

Value-seekers drove 2024's retail trends and dead ends

The Independent

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But Amazon could face headwinds in the coming …

Food Retail Sales This Year Target Big Mcdonald

Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices

Associated Press

Sales rose this year during the holiday shopping season even as Americans wrestled with elevated prices for many groceries and other necessities, according to new data. Holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, outpacing the 3.1% increase from a year earlier, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit …

Retail Sales Spending Holiday Shoppers

Last-minute Christmas shopping takes a dive as buyers feel the squeeze

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Last-minute Christmas shopping saw a downturn this year as high …

Retail Christmas Spending High Cent Mri Mri Software

4 weeks, 2 days ago

It's beginning to feel a lot like stress! Christmas food shopping is as stressful as taking an exam or having a job interview, study finds

Daily Mail

While there's no doubt Christmas is a time for celebration and joy, it can also be a great source of stress. Heart rates spiked by 44 per cent on average, reaching 115 beats per minute when food shopping, they found. A new study shows the festive grocery shop - an inevitable task for any festive household - is as stressful …

Stress Heart Festive Cent Rates Study Spence

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Price warning as 17-month run of falling shop inflation ends

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A 17-month-long run of falling shop inflation has ended, with …

Inflation Prices Price Sign Shop Food Remained

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Alcohol use increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. A new study shows that it’s still high

CNN

CNN — A surge of stress-related drinking and alcohol-related deaths brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic in the US has not tapered off the way Dr. Brian Lee, a transplant hepatologist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, had hoped. “I was hopeful that we would see declines in alcohol use, but I’m a practicing liver specialist, and …

Pandemic Disease Alcohol Consumption Cnn 2020 Increase

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Alcohol use increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. A new study shows that it’s still high

CNN

CNN — A surge of stress-related drinking and alcohol-related deaths brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic in the US has not tapered off the way Dr. Brian Lee, a transplant hepatologist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, had hoped. “I was hopeful that we would see declines in alcohol use, but I’m a practicing liver specialist, and …

Pandemic Disease Alcohol Consumption Cnn 2020 Increase

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Stimulus measures to be enhanced

China Daily

A consumer learns about trade-in plans for home appliances at a store in Chongqing in July. SUN KAIFANG/FOR CHINA DAILY China will ramp up efforts to drive large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-in deals for consumer goods, with plans for strengthened supervision of the funds and measures to stimulate consumer spending, China's top economic regulator said on Tuesday. China's accelerated push …

Policy Growth China Consumer Consumer Goods Economic Home Appliances

1 month, 3 weeks ago

Grocery inflation rises as supermarket trips hit four-year high

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Supermarket prices were 2.3% higher than a year ago last month, up slightly on …

Market Sales High Million Increase Households Shopping Trips

1 month, 4 weeks ago

Rise of "emotional economy" reflects new trends, dynamics in China's consumption

China Daily

Rise of "emotional economy" reflects new trends, dynamics in China's consumption Xinhua Updated: Nov 12, 2024 Consumers shop at a Jellycat store in Lujiazui, Shanghai, on August 8, 2024. During this year's "Double 11" shopping festival, the burgeoning "emotional economy," especially among younger generations, revealed a major shift in the Chinese consumer market. Spending on "joyful consumption" during this year's …

Economy Emotional China Products Dong Chinese Consumers Blind Boxes

2 months, 1 week ago

Budget 2024: Furious pub owners accuse Labour of doing 'nothing to help' struggling boozers - as Jeremy Clarkson weighs in and punters ridicule penny off pint

Daily Mail

Furious pub chiefs have accused the Chancellor of 'doing nothing' to help Britain's beleaguered booze industry - as punters today ridiculed her 'penny off a pint' pledge. Rachel Reeves has put Britain on a course to high tax, high spending and high borrowing in tomorrow's Budget - as the Chancellor unveiled her plans to hike alcohol duty Celebrity publican Jeremy …

Wine Tax Labour Budget Alcohol British Scotland

2 months, 3 weeks ago

Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. One key reason is a relatively simple one: Wealthier …

Economy Wealth Stock This Year Fed Sign Americans

4 months, 2 weeks ago

Households cut food shop by 7.5% last year amid cost-of-living crisis

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. While nominal spending on the category increased over the …

Fifth Households Ons

4 months, 3 weeks ago

U.S. shoppers sharply boosted spending at retailers in July despite higher prices

LA Times

Americans stepped up their spending at retailers last month by the most in a year and a half, easing concerns that the economy might be weakening under the pressure of higher prices and elevated interest rates. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that retail sales jumped 1% from June to July, the biggest such increase since January 2023, after having declined …

Retail Inflation Sales Spending Month Shoppers Sharply Prices Americans

5 months ago

To revive the economy, China wants consumers to buy better stuff

Live Mint

Everywhere you look, the world’s politicians face tough economic choices. A survey by China’s central bank in April showed that over 60% of city-dwellers want to increase the amount in their savings accounts. America’s cash-for-clunkers programme, introduced in 2009 during the global financial crisis, prompted 360,000 extra car purchases in two months, according to Atif Mian of Princeton University and …

China Bank Consumption This Year Central Households

5 months, 1 week ago

The Future of Junk Food Could Be Healthy Food

Bloomberg

A few weeks ago, PepsiCo Inc. —the biggest maker of grocery store food in the US—reported its quarterly earnings. After several years of price hikes, consumers are buying less of PepsiCo’s food and beverages, which include Lay’s potato chips, Doritos and Mountain Dew. Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta blamed struggling American shoppers, whom he’ll try to woo back with discounts …

7 months, 2 weeks ago

The new normal? How inflation has wrecked how we shop for groceries

Salon

Early in the pandemic, the phrase “the new normal” started to be deployed with great frequency, almost as if insisting there was some semblance of normalcy about the situation would, in fact, make it so. On May 14, the Urban Institute released a new study highlighting how many families in 2023 relied on credit, including Buy Now, Pay Later options …

Food Pay Families Shop Snap Grocery Groceries

7 months, 4 weeks ago

Despite numbers showing a healthy economy overall, lower-income spenders are showing the strain

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The lower income consumer in the U.S. is stretched,” …

Consumer Kraft Heinz Lower Income Overall Lower Overall Lower Income

7 months, 4 weeks ago

Despite numbers showing a healthy economy overall, lower-income spenders are showing the strain

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Cracks are showing in one of the main pillars keeping the economy out of a recession: resilient spending by U.S. households. “The lower income consumer in the U.S. is stretched,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said late last month when reporting better profit than expected, and “is strategizing a lot to make their budgets get to the end …

Lower Kraft Heinz Healthy Economy Higher Income Income Consumer

8 months ago

Baby Reindeer success comes amid jump in subscription spending – Barclays

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. New TV shows such as Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, the …

Retail Spending Barclays Baby Reindeer

8 months, 2 weeks ago

The surprising items Aussies are splurging on in 2024 - and the popular buys they're culling to save money in the cost of living crisis

Daily Mail

The latest Australian spending habits have been revealed, highlighting what people are splashing the most cash on and the items they're avoiding to cut costs. The surprising category that saw the biggest jump in spending over the past year in Australia was pet supplies which had a 13 per cent rise What are Aussies spending less on in 2024? Home …

Gaming Accessories Spending Cent Save Money 12 Per Cent Pet Supplies

9 months ago

Consumption maintains healthy momentum

China Daily

A consumer shops at an automated self-service FamilyMart store in Shanghai in June 2022. Total retail sales of consumer goods reached 47 trillion yuan last year, marking a 7.2 percent increase from the previous year and a significant 15.6 percent rise compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. Looking at 2024, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that …

Holiday China Consumer Services Products Rural Areas Sales

9 months, 1 week ago

Emotional value spurs consumption demand

China Daily

A consumer shops at an automated self-service FamilyMart store in Shanghai in June 2022. A recent survey indicates that 49.3 percent of young people attribute their consumption motives to reaping the emotional value of their purchased commodities and services. As long as consumer goods can provide them with enough emotional value, young people don't mind even a long wait in …

Emotional Consumer Goods Consumption Emotional Value Young People Value Young

10 months, 1 week ago

Revenge-spending Indians drank and dined after being cooped up in covid years

Live Mint

NEW DELHI : Indians spent liberally on dining at hotels and restaurants and on alcohol in 2022-23 while going easy on clothing, food and non-alcoholic beverages, clearly marking out their preferences emerging from two years of pandemic lockdowns. Growth in private final consumption expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages slowed to 6.2% in FY23 from 6.6% in the year before, …

Household Consumption Private Expenditure Beverages Private Consumption Fy23

10 months, 1 week ago

Decoding consumption: On the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey

The Hindu

In an uncharacteristic late Saturday release, the Statistics Ministry unveiled the broad findings of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey done between August 2022 and July 2023. This is significant as it is the first major survey-based data released since 2011-12 that captures ground realities at the household level — especially with the once-a-decade Census, due since 2021, nowhere in sight. …

Household Consumption Expenditure Survey

10 months, 2 weeks ago

ING predicts that the ''malaise on the shopping street'' is not yet over

NL Times

The "malaise on the shopping street" has not yet ended, despite consumers' increasing desire to make purchases, according to ING economist Katinka Jongkind. Retail sales were down three percent last year, and they will probably drop another 0.5 percent this year, Jongkind expected. "Supermarkets will lose over 1.5 billion euros in turnover due to the tobacco sales ban that comes …

Sales Jongkind Shopping Street

11 months, 1 week ago

American consumers feeling more confident than they have in two years

Associated Press

American consumers, fresh off strong holiday spending, are feeling more confident than they have in two years. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose for the third straight month, to 114.8 in January from 108 in December. The index, which measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for …

Consumer American

11 months, 3 weeks ago

Thousands of restaurants and pubs closing across UK blame soaring bills among pressures they face

The Independent

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. However, he said, …

Business Industry Brexit Independent Restaurants Restaurant Hospitality

1 year ago

These 5 charts show how life got pricier, but also cheaper, in 2023

NPR

These 5 charts show how life got pricier, but also cheaper, in 2023 Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images For our wallets and the U.S. economy, 2023 was in many ways the year life began to look more like it did before the pandemic. The American shopping frenzy slowed and credit card debt inched up, …

Prices Price Credit Card Debt Grocery Prices

1 year ago

Americans ramped up spending during the holidays despite financial anxiety, higher costs

LA Times

Holiday sales rose in 2023 even as shoppers deal with still stubborn inflation in some areas as well as other financial worries, according to one measure. Holiday sales rose this year and spending remained resilient during the shopping season even with Americans wrestling with higher prices in some areas and other financial worries, according to one closely watched measure. This …

Sales Spending Americans Higher Prices Holiday Sales Holidays Despite Costs Holiday

1 year, 2 months ago

Fears of rising energy bills and a costly Christmas lead consumers to cut back

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Fears of rising energy bills and a particularly expensive Christmas …

Spending Consumers Christmas Lead

1 year, 2 months ago

US consumers keep spending despite high prices and their own gloomy outlook. Can it last?

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A flow of recent data from the U.S. government has made one thing strikingly clear: A surge in consumer spending is fueling strong growth, demonstrating a resilience that has confounded economists, Federal Reserve officials and even the sour sentiments that Americans themselves have expressed in opinion polls. On Thursday, the government said the economy accelerated at a 4.9% …

Consumer Pandemic Prices Spending Consumer Spending High Fed

1 year, 2 months ago

Savvy savers are sharing the 'weird' things they have started doing to cut down on their bills amid the rising cost of living from stashing restaurant napkins and even skipping meals

Daily Mail

Thrifty men and women are sharing the unlikely and 'weird' changes they've made to their lives to cut down on costs. From stashing restaurant napkins to reusing contact lenses and even skipping meals, the skyrocketing cost of living has forced many people to resort to extreme lengths to save a dime. 'I've seen people unroll a bunch of toilet paper …

Money Paper Toilet Save One Person Weird Toilet Paper

1 year, 3 months ago

Mental Health Day 2023: Navigating Anxiety

News 18

In today’s fast-paced world, anxiety has become an increasingly common issue, especially among the younger generations, including Generation Z and millennials. To shed light on this pressing concern, we turn to two seasoned licensed clinical psychologists, Sandeepa Kaur and Kanika Choudhary, who provide valuable insights on understanding and overcoming anxiety. Sandeepa Kaur, a licensed clinical psychologist with years of experience, …

Social Media Millennials Anxiety Kaur Generation Z Strategies Individuals

1 year, 3 months ago

Customers shopping differently due to cost-of-living crisis, says Aldi boss

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The boss of Aldi’s UK …

Ireland Supermarket Hurley

1 year, 3 months ago

China economic data show signs slowdown may be easing, as central bank acts to support growth

Associated Press

BEIJING — China’s factories picked up their pace and retail sales also gained momentum in August, the government reported Friday, suggesting the economy may be gradually recovering from its post-pandemic malaise. “Overall, in August, major indicators improved marginally, the national economy recovered, high-quality development was solidly advanced, and positive factors accumulated,” Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, …

China Central Bank Retail Sales

1 year, 4 months ago

Boosting consumption seen as key to reviving economy

China Daily

Visitors check out new energy vehicles during an event in Zibo, Shandong province, in August. Despite the continued recovery trend, consumption lacks momentum amid slowing personal income growth, the upgrade of the consumption structure and adjustments in specific sectors, said Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation's e-commerce research institute. Policymakers …

China Market Consumption

1 year, 4 months ago

Supermarket food and drink quality is worsening, say shoppers

The Independent

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Quality Products Shoppers

1 year, 4 months ago

Have rising prices permanently changed our habits at the supermarket?

The Independent

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Shop Supermarket Wealth Sign

1 year, 4 months ago

Consumers keep spending freely, powering a resilient economy

LA Times

Items are displayed in a boutique along Tennyson Street in Denver. Americans increased their purchases at retailers last month — for clothing, dining out, online goods and other items — in a sign that solid consumer spending is still powering a resilient U.S. economy. Analysts noted that spending on Amazon Prime Day, the online juggernaut’s big two-day sales event that …

Inflation Online Sales Spending Month Rose Stores

1 year, 4 months ago

Cost of eating out surges nearly 15 per cent as popular chains hike prices

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The cost of …

Average Cent Email Increase Nearly 15 Lumina

1 year, 5 months ago

EMIs Of Homebuyers Rise Over 20 Per Cent In Two Years In Affordable Housing Segment

ABP News

Affordable housing in India suffered the most due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and unlike the other segments, has not recovered in the past two years. According to their report, the share of affordable housing in overall sales in H1 2023 shrunk to 20 per cent, an 11 per cent decrease against the corresponding period in 2022. The mounting desolation is …

Interest Cent Lakh Emi 20 Per Cent Two Years Affordable

1 year, 5 months ago

Professional home organiser believes there's a link between COVID, declining mental health and hoarding

ABC

"When's the last time you made ice cream?" "This is probably mid-range hoarding, we've got up to my rib cage of stuff," Ms Carney says, outside the front door. Due to mental health struggles, Lee's craft room was unusable before professional home organisers helped. Clutter worse after COVID Ms Carney says just as more people have faced mental health struggles …

Health Mental Health Mental Covid Room Ice Cream Carney

1 year, 5 months ago

More than 80% of shoppers concerned about supermarket ‘shrinkflation’ – survey

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Barclays reported consumer card spending grew 5.4% year-on-year in June, up from May’s 3.6%, …

Spending Brits Barclays

1 year, 6 months ago

Consumers in Netherlands are spending less on shopping but more at restaurants

NL Times

People in the Netherlands are spending less on shopping but more at restaurants, NOS reported on Friday based on an analysis of ING customers' debit card payments in the second quarter of this year. Total spending by ING customers, including debit card transactions, cash withdrawals, and internet payments, increased by nearly 2 percent compared to the first quarter. However, It …

Netherlands Spending Increase Ing

1 year, 6 months ago

Food prices having detrimental effect on mental health – Which?

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Soaring food prices are having a detrimental impact on the …

Health Food Mental Health Prices Price Mental Food Prices

1 year, 6 months ago

Why Britain is turning its back on booze

The Telegraph

But while this boomed during the lockdowns, given the lack of other options, the longer-term trend is one of gradual decline. “Over the last 15 years has been consumers drinking a little less alcohol and paying a little more for the pleasure,” says Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA. “We have seen a slowing of midweek sessions and we’ve …

England Alcohol Drinking Nicholls

1 year, 6 months ago

Cost of living causing almost two million people to regularly skip meals – study

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Almost two million Britons skip …

Financial Cost Britons

1 year, 7 months ago

UK pubs and restaurants plead for government action on energy as bills soar 81%

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Last month, analysis of official government data by the commercial real estate specialist Altus …

Energy Hospitality Businesses Energy Costs Bills Soar

How COVID-19 changed the way we shop – and what to expect in 2022 and beyond

History of this topic

8 Stats That Show How Coronavirus Has Changed Our Spending Habits

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