Biggest winners include makers/retailers of gift cards, value products, technology and vacations. Online, club, dollar, toy and consumer electronics retailers, as well as categories such as gift cards, technology, vacations and toys, will all perform well this season, according to Nielsen’s fourth-annual Holiday Shopping Sales Survey. Nielsen is a global provider of information and analytics…

A survey conducted by Hart Research Associates found 41% of customers are worried about the amount they pay for necessities like food and gasoline, up 18 points from September 2010. A new nationwide survey issued on Aug. 31, by Citibank finds a decline in consumers’ expectations for the economy, even though their assessment of current…

Shoppers battered by the recession are much less willing to absorb high gas prices and increasing store prices. Just as the CPG industry was beginning to show signs of growth, a new hurdle emerged: rising gas prices. With national gas prices 40% higher on average today than a year ago, many shoppers are having difficulty…

As retail technology evolves, convenience store operators have the tools to turn sales figures into actionable information. By Pat Pape, Contributing Editor. Thanks to advanced technology, retailers can now collect data at the point of sale that tells them what is moving out of their stores, when it sells, who buys it and at what…

In today’s health-conscious world, convenience stores are expanding their menus to include more healthy snacks and meals. By: John Lofstock, Editor. While cash-strapped consumers are cooking at home more often to help ease tight budgets, a new study by the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) found that these shoppers are on the lookout for…

“Some shoppers are retaining their frugal ways, others are spending more freely across the board and others still are spending more on some types of products, but remaining tight fisted about others,” notes SymphonyIRI CEO. SymphonyIRI has launched its Quarterly MarketPulse Survey Series, which offers consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies a comprehensive…

“Improved quality—not just for products, but for service, location and marketing communications—is needed to bring in or bring back consumers for whom c-stores aren’t top-of-mind choices,” says Mintel spokesperson. While on-the-go customers are consistently searching for convenient snack and meal options that won’t slow them down, Mintel reported hungry shoppers often ignore the convenience store…