Nielsen released information about how the legalization of marijuana affects the U.S. snacking industry. In the U.S., interest in cannabis is growing — and laws are shifting to meet consumer demands. Most recently, the Illinois legislature approved recreational marijuana use for adults, with sales of cannabis products containing the psychoactive element, THC, anticipated to start…

According a report by to retail management consulting firm BRP, only 18% of retailers are focused on increasing the convergence of physical and digital shopping environments, despite 82% of customers shopping and reviewing products online before purchasing in-store. Because e-commerce has elevated consumers’ expectations of the shopping experience, retailers must now provide service anytime, anywhere…

The proliferation and convenience of mobile devices has completely changed shopping behaviors and elevated customer expectations. Mobile shopping will continue to grow as 41% of consumers in a BRP consumer study indicate they plan to increase their shopping frequency on a phone or tablet in the next 24 months. Shopping via a phone is just…

Consumers want a personalized and consistent experience across channels, but according to BRP’s 2019 Unified Commerce Survey of top North American retailers, only 28% of retailers offer a shared cart across channels. Consumers now start and stop their shopping journey in different channels, including online marketplaces and social media, and frequently shop for the same…

A new report by the National Confectioners Association (NCA) found that, while preferences for dark, milk, and white chocolate vary widely across age groups, millennial shoppers have an above average preference for fine chocolate. “This deep analysis of the chocolate consumer should be helpful to everyone in the industry — from manufacturers to suppliers and our…

Hershey’s published a new report, “Creating Value in a Shopper’s World,” to help its retail partners create a better shopper experience and win over customers. The report follows Hershey’s first retail report, published last year: “In a Shopper’s World.” “Growing in today’s complex retail environment requires unprecedented cross-functional collaboration and partner data sharing,” said Phil Stanley,…

Seventy-nine percent of consumers frequently purchase merchandise in-store, and 96% of consumers indicate that ease of checkout and payment are important factors when choosing where to shop, according to BRP’s SPECIAL REPORT: The State of Store Technology With an increased focus on customer engagement and the convergence of physical and digital, the point of sale…

A new GasBuddy study intended to understand consumers’ brand loyalty and purchasing habits at the pump found that among the drivers that fill up four or more times per month, only 19% were loyal to a particular brand. The GasBuddy study examined 500,000 Pay with GasBuddy members point-of-purchase data between Oct 2018 and March 2019.…

The North America NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council (CCRRC) published a new report, Embracing Modern Convenience: Responding to Shopper Needs. The report outlines the evolving needs of c-store customers and advises convenience retailers on how to serve them more successfully. According to the report, c-store shoppers pay attention to: Speed: nearly 80% of c-store food and…

BRP’s 2019 Consumer Shopping Habits – The Generation Gap report identifies how and where consumers prefer to shop and which factors — such as generational differences — influence their shopping . The report is based on findings from a BRP survey of 1,298 U.S. ‘Digital Consumers’ (ages 18-37) have higher expectations for the retail experience than…