Consumer Emphasis on Value and Need-Based Spending Continues in August,Reports Circana

Final wave of back-to-school spending is delayed, but there are opportunities to disrupt evolving consumer behavior and future shopping seasons

Traditional retail milestones, like the back-to-school shopping season, are being reshaped by changing consumer behavior, according to Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior. During the four weeks ending August 31, 2024, total U.S. retail sales revenue across the combined view of discretionary general merchandise and consumer packaged goods (CPG) declined 1% when compared...

South Korean Restaurant Locations in the U.S. Grow 10% Over the Past Year

Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released new research highlighting South Korea’s rising influence on the U.S. foodservice industry. Korean restaurants, foods, beverages, and flavors are experiencing rapid growth, with the number of Korean restaurant locations increasing by 10% in the past year alone. The surge has been fueled by expansion across both full-service restaurant (FSR) and quick-service restaurant (QSR) segments...

Circana Research Reveals 86% of Eating Occasions Sourced from Home Over Past Year

Despite easing inflation, ongoing economic challenges drive shifts in consumers’ eating patterns both in and away from home

Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, recently released a new report providing a complete view of food and beverage consumption trends, both at home and away from home. The 39th annual report, “Eating Patterns in America,” highlights a growing trend toward at-home dining over the past year, with 86% of eating occasions sourced from home. While retail volumes show modest growth...

Circana Reports on the Future of Dinner: Quick Meals and Invested Occasions Define Consumer Habits

Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released insights from its Future of Dinner report, revealing that U.S. consumers source 81% of their dinners at home and most often enjoy dinner with others. While Gen X prefers dinners that require minimal preparation and few ingredients, Gen Z consumers increasingly invest in special occasion dinners as they hone their kitchen skills, while also seeking no-prep dinner solutions. In fact, half of all dinners are ready in 15 minutes or less...

July Retail Sales Reveal a Summer Vacation From Discretionary Spending, Reports Circana

Total U.S. retail sales across the combined view of discretionary general merchandise and consumer packaged goods (CPG) continued on the path toward a state of equilibrium in July. During the four weeks ending August 3, 2024, overall sales revenue remained level with the same four weeks last year, and unit demand declined 1%. While both food and beverage and non-edible CPG sales revenue increased 1%, with generally flat year-over-year unit performance, discretionary sales remained challenged, with a 3% decline in dollars and a 2%...

Circana Appoints Holly Knightly as Chief Financial Officer

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today announced that Holly Knightly, currently executive vice president of Global Finance, Performance, and Transformation at Circana, has been promoted to chief financial officer (CFO), effective Aug. 12, 2024. Already a member of Circana’s Executive Leadership Team, Knightly will lead the global finance and strategy organization including planning, strategy, accounting, treasury, tax, reporting, and investor relations.

Knightly succeeds Anne Bramman, who will transition over the next few weeks following a successful tenure helping to bring together the strategy, growth...

Circana Announces Top 50 U.S. Restaurants

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released its 2024 Definitive U.S. Restaurant Ranking Report, offering insights into evolving consumer habits, performance trends, and the top players in the industry.

While restaurant traffic saw a modest growth of 1% in 2023 compared to the previous year, a 5% increase in consumer spending was recorded, surpassing the 4% growth observed in 2022. Notably, the industry now stands as a half-a-trillion-dollar juggernaut, with dollars exceeding 2019 levels by 12%, despite traffic remaining 8% below prepandemic levels...

19th Annual Power of Meat Reports Strong Meat Consumption, Evolving Consumer Trends

The number of Americans who describe themselves as meat eaters (80%) and the number of households that purchase meat (98%) remain steady from 2023, while the number seeking to decrease meat consumption has fallen by 20% since 2020, according to the 19th annual Power of Meat report released today by the Meat Institute and FMI—The Food Industry Association.

According to data cited from Circana, overall household penetration averages above 97% for all incomes, ethnicities, household sizes and ages...

Circana Report Reveals Private Brands Surge Amidst Inflation 

Supporting shoppers by investing in innovation and promotions is key for retailers.

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, ​​today released a new report on the state of private brands (also referred to as store brands or private labels). Despite high inflation, private brands have experienced growth, surpassing $217 billion in sales in the United States market. The report, “CPG Private Brands Update,” provides an update on the store brand landscape, and identifies retailer opportunities to increase demand for their own brand and private brand...

New Research Identifies Opportunities for Aligning on Consumer Eating Occasions

Insights revealed today from FMI – The Food Industry Association, Oliver Wyman and Circana demonstrate new opportunities for food industry trading partners to cater to shoppers’ expanding definitions of value. The research, Finding Growth for Food & Beverage at Retail: Winning Eating Occasions throughout the Day, supports go-to-market strategies and ways in which grocers can attract more shopper relevance regarding needs, experiences, tastes, rewards, health – and especially convenience.

Mark Baum, senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer, FMI said, “The research showcases how food and...

Circana Announces Hannah Kim as Chief Legal Officer

Circana™, a world leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today announced that Hannah Kim has joined the company as chief legal officer. As a member of Circana’s executive leadership team, Kim will oversee the company’s global corporate legal, compliance, and privacy functions, in addition to serving as secretary to the Board of Directors. Kim succeeds Susan Bennett, who will be departing the company to spend more time with her family. Bennett will serve as an advisor over the coming weeks to support a smooth transition...

Heavy Restaurant Breakfast Buyers Drive Both Commercial Restaurant Visits and Retail Sales

Continuing its cross-channel analysis to gain the most robust Complete Consumer™ insights, Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released new findings on morning tradeoffs happening across consumer packaged goods (CPG) and foodservice purchases. The latest insights highlight consistent growth in commercial restaurant visits for morning meals (+4% in the last 12 months), driven primarily by Tuesday to Thursday visits, when people are most likely to be commuting to the office.

The key driver of this restaurant growth, the heavy...

Plant-Based Meat Products Served Out-of-Home Grow by Almost 50% Across Europe’s ‘Big 5’ Countries

According to research from Circana, the leading advisor on consumer complexity that formerly traded as IRI and The NPD Group, the trend towards eating alternative plant-based meat protein products in out- of-home (OOH) eateries, such as quick-service restaurants (QSR), cafes, pubs and bars has increased by 48% in servings compared to 2019 across Europe’s ‘Big 5’ countries[i]. While in other food protein categories, the number of total product servings declined, including Beef (-5%), Pork (-16%), Chicken... 

Circana’s 2024 Food and Beverage Outlook Predicts Modest Volume Growth Following Three-Year Decline

Beverage and deli categories expected to outperform total food and beverage unit sales

Circana™, formerly IRI and The NPD Group, today released its 2024 food and beverage outlook, revealing that modest food and beverage volume growth is expected next year after three consecutive years of volume declines. The forward-looking outlook provides insight into the anticipated performance of the food and beverage industry throughout 2024, pointing to a more favorable landscape as several headwinds that weighed down 2023 are expected to recede...

Circana Research Reveals 79% of Americans Will Celebrate Thanksgiving with Their Usual Traditions

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released its first Thanksgiving Tracker, offering vital insights into anticipated consumer behavior and purchasing trends for 2023 and looking back at similar trends from 2022. This comprehensive analysis will enable manufacturers, retailers and media organizations to make more informed decisions about merchandising and promotions to drive growth and profitability during the Thanksgiving season.

The week prior to and the week of Thanksgiving are critical sales drivers, although consumers also shop early for spot deals...