Phil Barnard

Retail media is growing fast, but measurement remains fragmented. In a Cannes Lions 2026 conversation with Circana, CVS Media Exchange's Parbinder Dhariwal explains why the traditional funnel no longer applies, why most purchases still happen in-store, and why independent, cross-retailer measurement is essential to uncovering the true ROI of retail media investments and turning reporting into a business decision engine.

Retail data is helping small and medium-sized brands compete more effectively with larger rivals. With near real-time visibility into inventory, sales, and store-level performance, SMBs can proactively manage supply chains, prove value to retailers, identify growth opportunities, and make smarter decisions using retailer-trusted insights.

After years of reacting to disruption, CPG brands have an opportunity to shift from defense to growth. The path forward is rooted in three enduring fundamentals: deeply understanding consumers, innovating to meet evolving needs, and executing with precision across pricing, promotion, and distribution. By combining trusted principles with modern data and insights, brands can build resilience, unlock growth, and stay competitive in an increasingly complex marketplace.

Monitoring macroeconomic impacts on volume, price, and other aspects of the U.S. CPG industry.

The once-a-year marketing mix model is a legacy convention, and for most brands operating in volatile categories, it goes stale long before the next study begins. CPGs can match their measurement cadence to what actually drives it — decision frequency, category volatility, and data availability — using a smarter, always-on hybrid approach.

For emerging CPG brands, momentum is everything. A retailer meeting moves up. A competitor drops price. A new flavor starts to outperform expectations in one region but stalls in another. A founder needs to know whether last week’s sales spike was a signal, a fluke, or the beginning of something bigger.

Snacking is evolving from a between-meals habit into a lifestyle behavior. Across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, consumers are driving growth through demand for functional benefits, GLP-1-friendly options, natural ingredients, and anytime-anywhere convenience. Learn how changing motivations, occasions, and shopping habits are creating new opportunities for brands and retailers worldwide.

Why timing beats stockpiling for the apparel market this back-to-school season

Where SNAP participation, spend, and shopper behavior are headed — and what it means for your

A thing of the past might just be the Next Big Thing. Circana’s position as a leader in turning data into growth helps uncover trends like the nostalgia driving comebacks across categories.

Private label has evolved from a lower cost alternative into a growth engine reshaping how consumers define value across more categories. Shoppers are looking for products they can trust, with consistent quality and affordability that fits tighter household budgets, and retailers are increasingly meeting that demand with own-brand portfolios that do not ask consumers to compromise.

New snacking research reveals how functional benefits, GLP-1 medications, and AI-driven discovery are reshaping the way the world snacks

When SMBs are trying to break into retail or expand their presence, they need to show evidence that their product earns its place on the shelf. Sales rate is one of the clearest proof points that a small or medium-sized business (SMB) can bring to the table.

Retail media has spent years proving it can grow. Now it has to prove it can be trusted. At Cannes Lions 2026, Jon Gibs, group director, media insights and measurement at Walmart Connect, sat down with Circana’s Lindsay Pullins, senior VP of global retail media and commerce, to explain what that shift really means for advertisers. Here is a preview. The full conversation is worth watching.

The path to product discovery is no longer a straight line, as social commerce, omnichannel behavior, and AI are reshaping how consumers find and choose what's new. Circana's 2025 New Product Pacesetters report reveals where these forces converge and why generational differences are redrawing the discovery landscape.

Early summer deals sparked spending, but delayed back-to-school demand highlights the importance of smarter promotional timing and messaging.

Back-to-school shoppers are focused on getting the most for their money this year, balancing budget concerns with a desire for comfort, style, and versatility. From denim and sneakers to personality-driven backpacks, key trends are shaping what families buy—and why. See which categories are positioned to win and what's driving consumer decisions this season. The biggest surprise may be where shoppers are choosing to spend...

Here are the monthly and YTD top 10 selling DVDs and Blu-ray Discs.

Join us for Snack Unwrap: A New Global Era of Function, Fuel, and Fun — a forward-looking webinar on the forces redefining how consumers choose, use, and discover snacks in 2026.

Circana US Video Games Market — May 2026 Summary