Insights Hub

Expectations to dine out improved with the national holidays in September & October. But household incomes for China’s foodservice consumers remained pressured. Still, consumers increased their spending expectations in experience-driven categories. This month’s China Consumer Sentiment Study shares September 2026 performance and highlights the latest consumer attitudes and behavior.

Decisions made too late carry a real business cost for retail and CPG executives. Predictive intelligence turns speed into a competitive advantage, because it surfaces growth and risk where there is still time to move investment.

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.

From denim and sneakers to computers, lunchbox staples, and college essentials, the back-to-school season spans several categories and stretches over a longer window than in the past. As they prepare for a new term, consumers are balancing tight budgets with students’ needs and preferences.

As enthusiasm grows for global football/soccer matches, brands and retailers can seize the moment to connect with millions of fans tuning in and shopping for team gear, food, and more. From TikTok marketing opportunities to watch party trends, discover the winning strategies to score big during this month-long tournament.

Retail media networks (RMNs) have been generating buzz over the past few years, and with good reason. These digital platforms are reshaping advertising and delivering up to six times the ROI of traditional targeting, thanks to the enhanced capacity to connect with engaged consumers at many points during their digital day. As the RMN space now enters a consolidation phase, networks that scale with purpose and integrate AI and automation will survive and thrive.