The Retail Rundown: Father’s Day Grill Deals Heat Up as Inflation Pressures Mount

Father’s Day, the second major grilling occasion of the summer season, is less than two weeks away and serves as a promotional bridge between Memorial Day and Independence Day.

With just 11 days remaining until the holiday, grocers are merchandising a wide assortment of meat, poultry, seafood, and complementary food items aimed at outdoor cooking and family gatherings.

Retailers are competing not only with one another for Father’s Day meal spending, but also with restaurants as they seek to encourage consumers to celebrate at home...

The Retail Rundown: Post-Holiday Reset Brings Value Back to the Center of the Case

Grocery merchandising is settling into a post-holiday rhythm as promotional activity shifts back toward value, versatility, and the everyday traffic drivers following the Memorial Day push.

Staples such as bacon, chicken breasts, and ground beef continue to anchor store traffic, reinforcing the meat case’s role in everyday meal planning. While current merchandising remains focused on routine household needs, retailers are expected to increase seasonal promotions and feature activity as Father's Day and the Fourth of July draw closer.

In beef, chuck cuts posted the...

The Retail Rundown: Retail Focus Shifts Toward Father’s Day Grilling Demand

Cold and wet weather across several regions of the country dampened Memorial Day grilling plans, likely creating a softer-than-anticipated kickoff to the unofficial start of the summer grilling season.

Attention is now quickly turning toward the next major grilling occasions of the summer—Father’s Day and the Fourth of July holiday period. These seasonal events historically begin to influence demand patterns for grilling staples such as bellies, loins, ribs, and steaks. 

Following Memorial Day, protein promotions have shifted more heavily toward seafood, which now accounts...

Farm Bureau: US Meat Consumption Increases Despite Rising Prices

America’s demand for meat continues to grow, even as the cost of beef, pork and chicken rises. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to grilling season, and in the latest Market Intel, American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed what prices shoppers may find at the grocery store.

Industry analysis shows meat sales hit $112 billion in 2025, with more than 98% of American households purchasing meat for daily meals. USDA is forecasting consumption of beef, pork and chicken to rise in 2026.

“Beef remains the centerpiece of many cookouts, but record-high prices and historically tight cattle...

The Retail Rundown: Memorial Day Promotions Heat Up as Shoppers Focus on Value

Memorial Day weekend, arriving May 25, signals the unofficial start of summer and stands as one of the grocery industry’s most significant merchandising events of the year.

As grilling season ramps up, retailers are promoting meat, charcoal, and convenience-oriented foods. Cross-merchandising remains a key strategy, with buns, condiments, beverages, and grab-and-go entertaining solutions positioned throughout stores to encourage larger basket sizes and drive incremental purchases.

At the same time, inflation and rising fuel costs continue to influence consumer behavior heading into the holiday...

The Retail Rundown: May Ignites Grocery’s Biggest Early-Season Rush

Following a long and unpredictable winter, May finally ushers in its first run of sunny days, signaling a noticeable change in consumer behavior.

Shoppers are ready to head outside and start grilling. For grocers, this seasonal shift creates a key opportunity, driven by a lineup of high-impact shopping occasions.

At the start of the month, Cinco de Mayo kicks off one of the first notable spikes in spending. The occasion encourages shoppers to trade up to fresh guacamole kits, taco fixings, and ready-to-heat meals, driven by a...

The Retail Rundown: Grilling Season in View as May Retail Demand Builds

May is approaching, bringing the unofficial start of grilling season alongside major retail drivers like Mother’s Day, graduations, and Memorial Day.

The Retail Rundown: Retailers Balance Premium Cuts and Value Picks Ahead of Mother’s Day

Early signs of grilling season are emerging, with retailers striking a balance between premium beef offerings and value-focused pork and chicken to draw in shoppers. At the same time, they’re preparing to compete for share during one of the year’s biggest foodservice-driven occasions: Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day, falling on May 10 this year, is a holiday typically dominated by restaurants, with 63% of consumers planning a special outing and total spending projected to hit a record $38 billion, according to the National Retail...

The Retail Rundown: Pre-Summer Lull Ahead of Seasonal Grocery Spike

With Easter behind us, the retail sector is settling into its somewhat of a seasonal slowdown, offering grocers a brief breather before the summer sales rush kicks in.

The next few weeks are expected to be relatively calm, though early indicators, like warmer weather and evolving promotions, hint at rising demand as Memorial Day nears.

Even amid the lull, retailers are actively adjusting their merchandising strategies, shifting focus from cold-weather products to grilling and outdoor cooking essentials. Items like steaks and burgers are increasingly taking center stage as...

The Retail Rundown: Spring Demand Builds as Easter and Grilling Season Approach

Following an extended winter in some areas and disruptive weather in others, sentiment across the food industry is beginning to shift in a more optimistic direction.

As spring approaches, many retailers are counting on a release of pent-up demand, with consumers eager to refresh their routines. The seasonal reset could translate into more frequent dining occasions, while retailers are positioned to benefit from the return of backyard cooking and holiday gatherings.

With Easter now under three weeks away, the calendar itself is acting as a demand catalyst, pulling forward promotional activity and shaping merchandising strategies...

The Retail Rundown: Labor Day Protein Promotions at a Glance

Seafood leads Labor Day protein promotions, accounting for 27.1% of total ad volume. Pork follows at 23.2%, with beef and chicken each capturing about 22%. Retail buying opportunities for turkey held steady at 3.5%, while promotional activity for shell eggs remained limited.

Back-to-school demand has provided fair to fairly good retail support for eggs, according to Expana, with shelf prices holding mainly steady across most areas in the past month. Last week, white large Grade A eggs were advertised at $4.49 per dozen discounted, nearly $1...

The Retail Rundown: Summer’s Last Stretch Drives Seasonal Promotions

August has arrived, bringing a sense of urgency to make the most of summer’s final weeks. With Labor Day fewer than four weeks away and just seven weeks remaining until the season’s official end, retailers are already diving into back-to-school promotions.

Seafood claims the top spot among protein features again this week, making up 30.3% of all retail ads, followed by beef at 26.2%, pork at 20.8%, and chicken at 18.9%. Egg promotions remain minimal, comprising less than 1% of features—consistent with last week’s light showing. The Midwest led in egg advertising, while the Northeast and South Central regions showed more moderate activity...

The Retail Rundown: Retailers Push Value to Maintain Protein Momentum

Retail meat clearance over the Independence Day holiday was generally strong, with consumers stocking up on grilling staples for the summer’s flagship cookout occasion.

With few major buying events remaining this summer, grocers will likely push aggressive features and highlight value finds to sustain shopper engagement through the dog days of summer.

Post-holiday protein advertisements show seafood maintaining the lead at 33.1% of retail features, followed by beef at 25.1% and pork at 21.5%. Chicken accounted for 16.2%, while turkey fell to just 2%—half of the previous week's...

The Retail Rundown: Independence Day Deals in Focus

As the Fourth of July holiday draws closer, competition for front-page ad space among proteins is heating up. Seafood is currently leading with a 29% share, followed by beef and pork, each capturing 24%. Chicken accounts for 18%, while turkey trails at 2.6%.

Burgers and hot dogs remain backyard barbecue mainstays. Several national grocers were promoting 78–84% lean ground beef under $5 per pound, with eye-catching specials as low as $2.27 on a discounted basis.

Over Father's Day weekend...