Strong Start to Year for Australian Retail Sales
Australian retail spending rose 5% year‑on‑year in January 2026, marking the strongest start to the year. Growth was led by cafes, restaurants and takeaway services, which posted an 8.7% increase, while other categories also posted double‑digit gains. Regional data shows Western Australia leading with 6.2% growth, whereas food retail lagged at 2.8%. Economists warn that upcoming interest‑rate hikes and geopolitical risks could temper future consumer confidence.
Lidl GB Appoints Roberto Eretta as Chief Operating Officer
Lidl GB will appoint Roberto Eretta as chief operating officer, succeeding Maciej Tylkowski who moves to an international role this summer. Eretta, currently COO of Lidl Italy, has spent nearly two decades with the retailer, rising from area manager to...
Sallie Has An Ad Business And Meta Is Declining Credit Cards
Meta confirmed it will drop credit‑card payments for ads next month, moving advertisers to invoice‑only billing to curb fraud and the “cashback loophole.” At the same time, student‑loan giant Sallie introduced Backpack Media, a retail‑media network that sells ad inventory...
![[Interview] Navigating AI with Confidence: Sam Haslam Director at WTW Risk & Resilience Advisory](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/images/thumbnails/0a1cb2ea6ddf028e51b36f6f4348d566.webp?width=1200&resize=cover&quality=75)
[Interview] Navigating AI with Confidence: Sam Haslam Director at WTW Risk & Resilience Advisory
Sam Haslam, director of Risk & Resilience Advisory at WTW, explains how retailers are moving beyond chatbots to practical AI applications such as visual try‑ons, predictive supply‑chain models, and AI‑driven product design. He warns that rapid adoption without robust governance...
Sephora Doubles Down on K-Beauty Hair Care
Sephora is deepening its K‑beauty hair‑care offering, now featuring 17 Korean brands after adding Dr. Groot and Unove. Dr. Groot will launch online on April 1 and in stores on May 15, while Unove debuted earlier with a seven‑SKU line priced $13‑$28. The retailer...
The Iconic Lifts Annual Earnings by over 70 per Cent
The Iconic posted a 71% jump in adjusted EBITDA to $45.7 million for FY25, while its net merchandise value rose 6% to $893 million. Gross margin expanded by two points to 49%, reflecting stronger marketplace and platform services. Active customers increased 4%...
STIHL Launches B2B Marketplace Using Mirakl
STIHL Inc. has introduced a dealer‑fulfilled B2B ecommerce marketplace built on Mirakl’s platform, letting customers browse and purchase chainsaws, trimmers and other equipment online. Orders are shipped from the company’s network of more than 10,000 authorized U.S. dealers, with pickup...
Grove Collaborative Holdings Inc (GROV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Grove Collaborative reported Q3 2025 revenue of $43.7 million, a 9.4% year‑over‑year decline—the smallest drop since 2021, while active customers fell 7% to 660,000 and orders slipped 12.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was a negative $1.2 million, but management expects a positive...
Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
AutoZone reported Q2 2026 total sales of $4.3 billion, up 8.1% year‑over‑year, while EPS fell 2.3% to $27.63 after a $59 million non‑cash LIFO charge. Excluding the LIFO impact, EPS would have risen 7.1% and gross margin would have improved. Domestic same‑store...
Grocery Outlet Closing 36 Stores
Discount grocer Grocery Outlet announced the closure of 36 underperforming stores, about 6% of its footprint, after reporting a $235 million operating loss and a $218 million net loss in Q4. The closures are concentrated on the East Coast, affecting roughly 30%...
WTCE Roundtable Explores Digital Path to Profitable Inflight Food Retail
Ahead of the 2026 World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo, a WTCE‑hosted virtual roundtable explored how airlines can turn inflight food and beverage (F&B) from a cost centre into a profitable, digitally enabled retail experience. Panelists highlighted a mindset...
Capri Flare Yoga Pants: Length and Fit Options for Petite to Tall
Capri flare yoga pants blend a cropped length with a subtle flare, offering a polished look while aiming to solve common leggings issues such as sliding waistbands, bouncing pockets, and awkward calf cuts. The article explains how fit elements—high waist,...
Walmart Will Continue Selling Macs After Proving Market for MacBook Neo
Walmart announced it will continue selling Apple Macs, adding the $599 MacBook Neo to its lineup. The retailer previously used the M1 MacBook Air as a low‑cost entry point, pricing it as low as $599 before inventory ran thin. The new...
What AI in the Back Office Really Means for Life on the Shop Floor
Retail back‑office AI is reshaping security by turning passive camera feeds into proactive threat detectors. Smart cameras now analyze video, audio and behavioral cues to spot loitering, aggression or concealed weapons, while instant alerts route incidents to on‑floor staff. Integrated...
Achieving Environmental Sustainability: A Strategic Roadmap for Modern Retailers
Retailers in 2026 are shifting sustainability from a marketing slogan to an operational imperative, integrating eco‑focused cleaning services, AI‑driven inventory management, and circular business models. Specialized cleaning firms now use biodegradable chemicals and LEED‑certified equipment, directly lowering store carbon footprints....
National Nutrition Month Spotlight: MIGHTYLICIOUS Makes Gluten-Free Living Delicious and Easy
MIGHTYLICIOUS Gluten Free, a woman‑owned brand, launched a line of award‑winning baking mixes and ready‑to‑eat cookies aimed at the 1.3 million Americans on gluten‑free diets. The products promise traditional texture and flavor while meeting vegan, vegetarian and kosher standards. Available in...
An Impulsive Plan for Greater Produce Sales
The FMI "Power of Produce 2026" report finds that 90 % of shoppers buy fruits or vegetables they hadn’t planned to purchase, with 48 % doing so frequently. Store‑provided recipes, cross‑merchandising and social‑media inspiration are identified as the strongest drivers of these impulse...
Target Begins Roll Out of Next-Day Delivery to 20 More Cities
Target Corp. announced it will extend its next‑day delivery service to 20 additional metropolitan areas, pushing the total number of cities offering the option to more than 50 and covering roughly 60% of the U.S. population. The rollout is part...
Authentic Brands to Use Seel’s Agentic AI for Post-Purchase Processes
Authentic Brands will integrate Seel’s agentic AI‑driven Worry‑Free Purchase platform to automate post‑purchase issues such as missing packages, claims and refunds. The solution will be deployed across its portfolio, which includes ten brands in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 like Reebok,...
Sprouts Farmers Market Opens New Store in Clermont, Florida
Sprouts Farmers Market announced the opening of a new 30,000‑square‑foot store at 3420 S US Hwy 27 in Clermont, Florida, with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony on March 6. The grand‑opening weekend runs March 6‑8, featuring promotions such as 20 % off for new Sprouts Rewards...
Circana Launches Complete Why Analytics Platform for CPG Sales Performance
Circana unveiled Complete Why, an AI‑driven analytics platform for the consumer packaged goods sector, embedded in its Unify+ visualization suite. The tool models sales performance at store‑ and week‑level, evaluating up to 60 drivers such as price, promotions, distribution, competition,...
Sales at Record High, Americans View Meat as Part of a Healthy, Balanced Lifestyle
Meat sales in the United States hit a record $112 billion in 2025, up 2% in volume. Millennials and Gen Z drove two‑thirds of the unit growth, with many actively seeking more meat‑based meals. Over 98% of households buy meat, and 77%...
Spicules: The K-Beauty Skin Care Ingredient Primed to Break Through in 2026
Spicules, ultra‑fine needle‑shaped particles harvested from freshwater sponges, are emerging as the next K‑beauty breakthrough for 2026. Marketed as “liquid microneedling,” they form temporary micro‑channels in the epidermis, enhancing the delivery of co‑applied actives without invasive procedures. Korean brands are...
Retail Channels Remain Key as U.S. Supplements Market Grows
The U.S. dietary supplements market, valued at $68.74 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $131.08 billion by 2033, driven by an 8.5% CAGR. Vitamins continue to dominate, representing 28.1% of revenue, while immune‑health and specialty segments such as prenatal products also...
Aptar Beauty Launches NeoDropper Autoload, a Next-Generation Dropper with Automatic Filling and Precise Applicator
Aptar Beauty introduced NeoDropper Autoload, a next‑generation dropper for dermocosmetic and prestige skincare brands. The system combines a twist‑and‑push mechanism with an automatic refill applicator that delivers precise doses while preventing spills. Laboratory tests show microbial contamination four times lower...
Official Harry Potter Flagship Shop to Open on London’s Oxford Street
Warner Bros. Global Experiences announced a new Harry Potter flagship shop on Oxford Street, London. The 21,000‑square‑foot, two‑floor emporium will open in autumn 2026 at The Ribbon, 134‑140 Oxford Street. The store will feature immersive photo opportunities, interactive displays and...
Ahold Delhaize Transitions to Cage-Free Eggs in the US by 2032
Ahold Delhaize announced a new timeline to source 100% cage‑free eggs in the United States by 2032, after missing its original 2025 target. The retailer currently offers cage‑free eggs for roughly 75% of its private‑label range, leaving a quarter still sourced...
Kroger Hit with 2 Lawsuits over E-Commerce Role Classification
Kroger is confronting two newly filed class‑action lawsuits alleging it misclassified e‑commerce manager roles as exempt from overtime. The suits, filed by Morgan & Morgan in Colorado and Washington, claim the positions involve order‑fulfillment duties rather than supervisory functions, violating...
CCCA Seeks New Path to Passage
Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall are seeking to attach their Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) to the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing bill, hoping to secure a Senate vote. The CCCA would require banks to provide merchants with...
Pip Organic Becomes a Certified B Corporation (B Corp)
Pip Organic, a family‑owned kids fruit drink brand, achieved Certified B Corporation status in March 2026, joining over 2,500 UK businesses with the badge. The certification required a score of at least 80 points on B Lab’s rigorous B Impact...
Building a Foundation for Audience Monetization With First-Party Data
Retailers are shifting perception of first‑party data from cost to revenue asset. As third‑party identifiers disappear, brands are packaging privacy‑safe audience segments for partners, creating new monetization opportunities. Successful implementation requires a reliable identity layer, robust governance, cross‑functional ownership, and...
A Measure of Success: Independent Retailer Index Q4 2025
The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s Independent Retailer Index shows 57% of independent home‑improvement stores reported year‑over‑year sales growth in Q4 2025, a 29% increase from the previous quarter. Transaction counts remained flat, with only 32% seeing gains, while...
You Can’t Automate Trust: Why AI Still Needs Human Strategy in Marketing
Marketers are discovering that AI can automate data‑heavy tasks, but it cannot set strategy or build trust. The most successful teams pair AI’s speed with human judgment, using automation to execute a clear, human‑crafted vision. Without human direction, AI‑driven campaigns...
Amazon’s Disruption of Walmart Is a Slow Work in Progress
Amazon is rolling out a new supercenter model that doubles as a fulfillment hub, with the first site slated for Orland Park, Illinois in 2027. The hybrid design dedicates roughly half the space to warehousing and the rest to a traditional...
Privacy-First IOT: Why Retail and Public Spaces Are Moving Away From Camera-Based Analytics
Retailers and public‑space operators are abandoning camera‑based analytics in favor of radar‑based people counting solutions that respect privacy. Traditional video systems capture personally identifiable information, triggering GDPR obligations, costly consent processes, and public distrust. Radar sensors operating at 60 GHz millimetre‑wave...
Abercrombie & Fitch Forecasts Muted Annual Sales Amid Tariff Uncertainty
Abercrombie & Fitch announced it will factor a 15 percent U.S. tariff into its fiscal 2026 outlook, projecting net‑sales growth of 3‑5 percent and earnings per share between $10.20 and $11. The company estimates the tariff will shave about 70 basis points...
Simbe Becomes First Retail Robotics Company to Achieve UL 3300 Certification for Autonomous Robot Tally
Simbe announced that its autonomous shelf‑scanning robot Tally has earned UL 3300 certification, making it the first retail robotics company to achieve the standard. The certification validates Tally’s mechanical, electrical and software safety after passing more than 40 rigorous tests for...
High-Touch, High-Tech: Revieve’s Beauty & Wellness Index 2025 Signals a New Era of Guided Beauty Commerce
Revieve released its Beauty & Wellness Index 2025, showing guided diagnostics now initiate 60‑75 % of beauty journeys and deliver two‑to‑three‑fold higher completion rates. The data, drawn from millions of AI‑driven skin analyses, quizzes and virtual try‑ons, highlights longer engagement, especially in...
The Power to Pivot: Operational Velocity as a Key Retail Metric
Retail leaders are urged to prioritize operational velocity—the speed at which campaigns, inventory signals, and creative assets can be adjusted—over merely tracking click costs. The article argues that agility, not additional tools, is the true growth catalyst, recommending automated kill...
Amex Taps Customers for Fraud Fight
American Express is leveraging direct conversations with cardholders who have faced fraud to gather real‑time intelligence on scam tactics. The data helps the firm refine detection models as U.S. consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25 percent rise. Executives...
Giro Sport Design Expands UK Retail Presence with VIA Partnership
Giro Sport Design has teamed up with UK retailer VIA to extend its direct‑to‑retail footprint in Britain. Starting in 2025, the partnership will showcase a curated range of Giro road and gravel helmets and footwear, including 2026 launches, within VIA’s...
Frictionless Self-Serve Market Launched At Co-Op Live
Co‑op Live in Manchester has opened Europe’s first AI‑driven, frictionless self‑serve market, built with Oak View Group, AiFi and Boxbar Tech. Shoppers tap a cashless card, pick items, and leave while computer‑vision cameras track each purchase. The system is designed...
Video Forum: Justin Honaman, Amazon Web Services, Part 2
In a recent Video Forum, Justin Honaman, global head of retail, restaurants and consumer goods business development at Amazon Web Services, explained the concept of agentic commerce and its potential to reshape retail interactions. He highlighted how AWS’s cloud and...
How Brooks Brothers Is Refreshing the Oldest Apparel Brand in the US
Brooks Brothers, the United States' oldest continuously operating apparel brand, launched the "Make It Yours" campaign to reposition itself for a new generation of shoppers. The initiative emphasizes individuality while honoring the label's heritage, showcasing classic items such as Oxford...
FedEx Hub Chemical Spill Leads to Postal Service Shipping Restrictions
The U.S. Postal Service has placed an embargo on Priority Mail Express shipments until Friday following a chemical spill at FedEx’s Memphis World Hub on Feb. 25. The spill forced a partial shutdown of the facility, which can sort up to 484,000 packages...
Jelly Products Are Taking over Beauty Cabinets Again Thanks to Elevated Formats
Jelly‑textured beauty products are experiencing a resurgence, driven by high‑profile launches from Sol de Janeiro, Makeup by Mario and Milk Makeup. Sol de Janeiro introduced a solid‑stick Jelly Perfume Balm that promises ten‑hour fragrance longevity, while Mario unveiled a two‑in‑one Jelly Jar Lip & Cheek...
Decathlon Enters the Market for Bicycle Leasing
Decathlon has launched a consumer e‑bike leasing service in Belgium, offering daily and monthly rates that include maintenance, insurance and zero‑deductible theft coverage. The subscription starts at €1.25 per day or €38 per month, with contract lengths of 12, 24...
Face Masks Are Having a Major Glow-Up with Next-Gen Materials
Face masks are undergoing a major transformation as next‑generation formulations packed with high‑performance ingredients move them from occasional indulgences to core steps in daily skincare routines. UK retailer Boots reports selling a mask every five seconds, underscoring the category’s rapid...
Kérastase Is Rebooting Chronologiste Range with Breakthrough Formula ‘Caviar of Longevity’
Kérastase, the L’Oréal‑owned luxury hair‑care brand, is reviving its Chronologiste line with a new “Caviar of Longevity” formula. The launch centers on an Overnight Youth Serum that combines patented Pro‑xylane and ochrohyta algae to protect hair function and scalp health....
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Taps Love Story’s Sarah Pidgeon as Face of Spring Collection
Hailey Bieber’s e.l.f.-owned beauty brand Rhode has signed actress Sarah Pidgeon as the face of its spring collection. The line introduces two new Pocket Blush shades—Teacup pink and Candy Apple red—the first red hue for the product. Limited‑edition Peptide Lip...