Retailers and CPG manufacturers are facing a tough balancing act. Between shifting shopper loyalties, AI-driven expectations, and tariff-influenced cost uncertainty, chief commercial officers (CCOs) and their teams are navigating financial strain while trying to chart a clear path to growth. Yet within this complexity is opportunity. A clear, comprehensive view of the consumer provides CCOs with insight into openings competitors might not see. By focusing on adaptability, innovation, and brand loyalty, you can turn headwinds into tailwinds. Squeezed From Three Sides Consumers will continue to stretch their budget dollars by adding value and private-label brands to their carts. This price sensitivity is what makes tariffs the most challenging issue facing the industry. Most brands are unwilling to pass along input costs because it creates a trade-off in volume. As prices increase, consumers tend to switch to channels offering a price advantage – like superstores, clubs, and e-commerce.  Beyond these efforts, the conversation lately has focused more on the potential for AI to disintermediate retail with agentic commerce. As agents make decisions on behalf of shoppers, the need for brands to build connections with their loyal buyers will grow. As agentic commerce becomes more commonplace, the winners will be those who focus on driving real engagement with consumers. Those that haven't built enduring loyalty with their customers will be bypassed. In the looming agentic commerce future, brands will need to use their first-party data to fuel direct conversations with customers. Loyalty programs and direct marketing will be indispensable avenues for building the personal connections required to keep customers coming back. How To Engineer Growth The next wave of advertising and AI-driven commerce has yet to reach us. While we're all early on this journey, there are steps CCOs can take today to drive consumer-centric growth even in dynamic markets. Focus on Your Consumer Segments Don't underestimate the value of your target consumer segments. Have a clear strategy to find them where they shop and aggressively target them for growth. It's valuable to think more broadly about the segments you want to go after, and worth noting it may not make sense in this moment to target popular segments. In uncertain times, placing your bet on durable segments can be the smarter bet. For instance, many clients instinctively reach for the millennial and Gen X segments, thinking they're the most attractive targets. Yet, these consumer segments are facing a lot of job insecurity at the moment, and they don't have much disposable income. If, as many experts believe, there will be an economic downturn next year, these segments may pull back on spending.  Brands will fare better by focusing on a durable segment, like baby boomers, who have sufficient disposable income, protected wealth, and are willing to spend. They're in a good position to weather a shaky economy. Deep customer insights and an understanding of what's driving shopper motivation will help you identify the right segments to focus on. Prepare for Multiple Outcomes Of course, no one knows for sure where things are going to land over the next few months, so CCOs should prepare for multiple potential outcomes. Scenario planning is indispensable. Brands should plan for what’s likely to happen as well as for both the best and worst cases. Putting yourself in this defensive posture and being nimble enough to execute on a moment's notice will ensure you're ready for whatever tomorrow brings. Turn Faster Insights Into Future Advantage The past can be a reliable guide to decision-making, but when change happens faster than reporting, the path forward dims. More than 90% of the analysis clients ask us to do is focused on the past. That's still important, but if they want to move quickly, they need more time to understand what happened and how to react to various scenarios. With AI, large-language models, and proprietary retail graphs, we can help you collapse the insight-to-action cycle. Automation compresses the entire process to a couple of hours, but this AI-powered solution doesn't just spin the wheels faster — it helps you uncover the 'why' behind what happened. You'll benefit from thorough analysis of complex questions and fast, actionable insights, freeing up more time to imagine, create, and innovate. Why Assortment Planning Needs a Rethink Ever wonder if your product lineup truly reflects how people shop today? For a cereal brand, that question isn’t just interesting — it’s critical. The truth is, gaps in your assortment can mean missed sales and lost loyalty. That’s where Circana steps in. Our Assortment solutions don’t just crunch numbers — they give you clarity. By analyzing shelf data, shopper behavior, and category trends, we help you see the ideal mix by store, category, and geography. Translation: more sales, less guesswork, and whitespace you didn’t know existed. But insight alone isn’t enough. Speed matters. With AI-powered algorithms for scenario planning, you can simulate changes, measure incrementality, and make smarter add/delist decisions in minutes — not months. These prescriptive insights spark innovation and uncover untapped segments and channels before your competitors even spot them. And when you’re ready to launch? Our domain expertise helps you forecast demand and build programs that win. Because assortment planning shouldn’t be a back-office task — it should be your growth engine. Escaping the Triple Squeeze CCOs may be feeling the squeeze from the combined pressure of tariffs, AI, and brand loyalty shifts, but there are ways through – with the right partner, technology, and insights. Leaning into predictive commerce will help you identify and activate the right segments, while also protecting the channels with significant base volume. In a fast-moving market, those who leverage AI and automation will be able to spend more time focusing on the future, unlocking innovation, and achieving consumer-centric growth.

Baking at home is outperforming bakery sales, suggesting consumer affinity for homemade over purchasing prepared baked goods CHICAGO, October 20, 2025   –  As U.S. consumers embrace baking, the cookbook shelf is heating up. While the overall cookbook category remains flat in 2025, baking cookbooks are proving to be the breakout stars, according to Circana , LLC. Unit sales of baking cookbooks are up by more than 80% in 2025, versus last year. With over 800,000 baking cookbooks sold in the past 12 months, this growth reflects a broader consumer shift toward home baking as both a hobby and tradition – especially as the holiday season approaches. “Sweet Tooth” by Sarah Fennel is currently leading the growth in sales this year, but the momentum extends beyond a single bestseller. A closer look at the top-performing baking cookbooks reveals several key themes driving consumer interest: Skill Building : Many of the fastest-growing titles focus on making baking approachable – offering reliable, tested recipes that build confidence in the kitchen Small-Batch Recipes : Reflecting a desire for indulgence in moderation, several books feature scaled-down recipes in smaller quantities and perfect for everyday enjoyment Dietary Inclusivity : With gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free options increasingly common, other top growing titles cater to various dietary needs, ensuring that baking is tastily accessible to all Comfort and Nostalgia : Familiar or vintage recipes tap into the emotional connections and cherished traditions associated with baked goods “These cookbook subject trends suggest that consumers are seeking an accessible and personalized home baking experience that balances indulgence with practicality,” said Brenna Connor, books industry analyst at Circana . “People are baking for pleasure and for skill-building while balancing wellness and dietary requirements. Emotional fulfillment and creating meaningful experiences also play a role.” The increase in baking cookbook sales mirrors a broader trend: baking at home is outperforming bakery sales, Circana data shows. In fact, sales of baking products are up 1% this year, through September, in contrast to bakery sales which are down -2%. Drivers of growth in the baking aisle include candy-making kits, +22%, graham cracker crumbs, +12%, and baking essentials like flour and spices, each up +5%. Retailers should take note, as about one-third of baking aisle sales occur in the fourth quarter of the year. Cross-merchandising bakeware with baking ingredients presents a strategic opportunity to inspire shoppers and grow baskets in a single trip. “People are rediscovering the satisfaction of baking at home, especially as familiar favorites like cookies, cakes, and brownies are the top homemade baked goods consumed, according to Circana’s National Eating Trends data,” said Darren Seifer, industry advisor for consumer goods and foodservice at Circana . “Retailers and manufacturers who lean into this trend — by pairing baking ingredients with commonly-owned tools and easy-to-use kits — can inspire confidence in the kitchen, unlock incremental growth, and meet shoppers where inspiration strikes.”

The retail landscape is evolving as consumers adjust their shopping habits to meet the challenges of rising costs and shifting priorities. Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Advisor at Circana, discusses the latest retail trends through September and offers a preview of the 21st annual Holiday Intention Study. His insights reveal how consumers and retailers are responding to economic pressures and changing dynamics. Key Takeaways from September Retail Insights and the Holiday Study Marshal Cohen’s expertise provides valuable context to understand the forces shaping the retail sector this fall. Spending Trends Highlight Adjustments in Consumer Behavior Consumers are maintaining their purchases in essential categories, with food and beverages showing a 3% increase in dollar sales but flat unit growth. Similarly, CPG products have seen a 2% lift in sales dollars with no change in volume. This indicates that while consumers are buying the same amount as last year, they are paying more due to higher prices. General merchandise, however, tells a different story. Dollar sales have edged up by just 1%, while unit sales declined by 2%. This shift reflects the growing caution among consumers, who are scaling back on non-essential spending. Even previously strong segments like video games, buoyed last year by the launch of the Nintendo 2 Switch, are experiencing a slowdown. Holiday Shopping Starts Early Consumers are preparing for the holidays sooner than in previous years. This behavior is driven in part by concerns about higher prices, but also by retailers initiating promotions as early as October. With more consumers spreading out their holiday shopping over several months, retailers are adjusting their strategies to meet this demand pattern. Higher Prices Are Shaping the Retail Landscape Marshal Cohen’s findings underscore how increased costs are reshaping consumer habits. While there is resilience in certain sectors, such as food and essential products, the broader trend reveals a more cautious consumer recalibrating their purchases. Retailers, too, are navigating these changes by carefully balancing pricing and inventory to match evolving demand. Adapting to the New Retail Environment Marshal highlights the importance of being proactive in today’s retail climate. For businesses, this means closely tracking consumer behavior and adjusting strategies to align with shifts in spending priorities. For shoppers, it’s about planning smarter and allocating budgets to maximize value. The insights outlined in Circana’s Holiday Intention Study and September retail analysis provide a roadmap for tackling the challenges of today’s market. By staying informed and flexible, both businesses and consumers can succeed in a retail environment that continues to evolve.

“Invisible Inflation” emphasizes importance of product relevance as consumers prioritize spending. CHICAGO, October 15, 2025 — The trend of diminishing demand that appeared mid-year continues, revealing shifts in consumer spending behavior spanning retail. Overall, U.S. retail sales revenue was flat across discretionary general merchandise, retail food and beverage, and non-edible consumer packaged goods (CPG) during the five weeks ending October 4, 2025, compared to the same time in 2024, while unit demand declined 2%. Dollar sales gains for the month came from retail food and beverage (up 1%), but unit sales were down across all retail segments, according to Circana , LLC. “We are in a period of ‘Invisible Inflation.’ It appears — on the surface — as though retail sales have not realized the impact of inflation, but, in reality, consumers are pulling back on the amount of product they are buying, allowing them to spend the same overall amount even though what they are buying costs more,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for Circana . “Consumers no longer have the same purchasing power they had a year ago.”   The latest demand shifts are now evident even at the macro level, and the financial strain on consumers is becoming more evident. Discretionary general merchandise retail dollar sales declined 3%, and unit demand fell 6%, compared to the same period a year ago. Retail food and beverage sales revenue was up 1%, and unit sales were down 1%. Non-edible consumer packaged goods dollars were down 1%, while unit sales declined 4%. “Consumer prioritization means demand and spending shifts will be fickle in their impact, making it important to pay attention to more than just the big retail picture. Successful high-end product launches and promotional timing can alter sales at a product or category level, and create an inconsistent macro view,” said Cohen. “As marketers plan for the upcoming holiday shopping season and 2026, the keys to growth will be to emphasize the relevance of a product, and accelerate innovation – give the consumer a reason to prioritize their spending in your favor.”

Authored by Susan Goetz A four-step guide to balancing short- and long-term goals. In a challenging economy, it's tempting to focus only on short-term sales. But sustainable growth requires a strategy that builds your brand for the long haul while delivering immediate results. The most successful marketing teams know how to optimize for both. Circana’s “Building a Marketing Strategy for Short- and Long-Term Success” guide provides a clear, four-step framework to help you master this balance. Move beyond chasing quarterly numbers and start building a resilient brand that wins today and tomorrow. Highlights from the report: Advocate for Brand Building:   Learn why over-focusing on new customer acquisition can hurt long-term health and how to make the case for brand investment, even when budgets are tight. Unlock the Power of Awareness:   Discover the direct link between brand metrics and revenue, with data showing how a one-point gain in awareness can drive a 1% increase in sales. Find Your Perfect Channel Mix:   Understand that only 36% of channels are strong for both brand and sales objectives. We provide insights to help you identify the right mix for your unique goals. Measure What Matters:   Get a framework for evaluating your marketing performance, measuring upper- and lower-funnel impacts separately to prove value and optimize your spending.

During the holiday season, both retailers and manufacturers must consider a variety of factors when planning their purchase orders. Holiday shopping behavior is volatile, and while some predictions can be made on what happened last year, the best strategies rely on a combination of planning and adjusting based on purchase behavior.  Visibility and speed are the two most important factors that can help improve execution. If there is shared information between retailers and manufacturers, they can collaborate on purchase orders and make recommendations based on that shared data set. Likewise, if there is quick visibility regarding how items are performing on shelves, manufacturers and retailers can adjust as needed.  Common Challenges for Seasonal CPGs in Supply Chain Execution The holiday season presents a lot of opportunities for CPGs, as well as some unpredictability. Seasonal spending shifts from year to year, so it is important to have an accurate view of shoppers and their spending habits. This ensures that both retailers and manufacturers can quickly react and update strategies that reflect near-real-time purchase behavior.  Retailers Have Limited Shelf Space Retailers have limits when it comes to their shelf and warehouse space. There is no shortage of brands sending additional products for almost any category during the holiday season. With these limitations, it is vital that the purchase order aligns with demand forecasting that is fine-tuned to store-level purchase data. Assuming one store will sell just like another store can lead to a misunderstanding about the unique audience segments and need-states of different consumers living in proximity to different stores. For example, a store in the suburbs might sell significantly differently from a store in the city due to the very varying lifestyles and needs of those local consumers.   Consumer Purchasing Behavior is Volatile  The holidays are filled with changes in consumer behavior. People are often shopping for others that they may not have shopped for before. For retailers and manufacturers, this means there is ample opportunity for brand penetration, as consumers may be more likely to buy from new brands or even browse categories they don’t frequently shop. However, this volatility also leads to a level of unpredictability. Brands need to have data-backed insights into how consumers will engage with them, while retailers and manufacturers need to understand how consumers' shopping behaviors might change during the holiday season.  Tip: Although historical data can be leveraged to help predict consumer behavior, having access to current consumer data and market trends, especially around holiday shopping, can help you better forecast demand.  Aligning on Product Orders  For both the retailer and the manufacturer, the ideal world is one where the right amount of product gets to the shelves and sells out over the course of the holidays. That also helps retailers better manage the post-holiday markdown and clearance process. To reliably place purchase orders, strong communication is needed between retailers and manufacturers, alongside data-driven strategies. For example, a manufacturer might want to point to how their items sold last year when recommending larger purchase orders. Likewise, as a retailer, you can use previous data to justify purchase order sizes and share that data with manufacturers to improve supply chain execution throughout the season.   Eating Costs, Perishable Goods and Inventory Holding The worst position to be in is one where there is too much product, and it does not sell. This is especially true for perishables in the food and beverage industry, and truly seasonal items. There is no room for error when working with items that have limited shelf life or have no sales opportunities after the season is over.  Running Out of Stock at The Right Time A common misconception about supply chain logistics and execution is that out-of-stocks are always a problem. When it comes to seasonal shopping, especially when considering seasonal products and items, your goal should be  to run out of stock, but specifically at the right time. Excess inventory of seasonal items causes problems for both retailers and manufacturers. With collaborative visibility between retailers and manufacturers, you can plan potential markdowns and promotions based on how items are actually selling.  Of course, this requires both a shared view on in-store and on-shelf performance and a system that gets you access to that data quickly, so that decisions can be made effectively. With data from retailers, you can track what is selling where, and more importantly, what isn’t selling. Manufacturers often suffer the most when items don’t sell, since they often absorb the cost of recovering items that didn’t sell and pay a further price next year with smaller order quantities. With the right supply chain data solutions, manufacturers can quickly analyze where their products aren’t selling and potentially make changes to help move that product. Demand Forecasting and Inventory Tracking for Seasonal Products Historical data plays a large role in demand forecasting, but there are other elements to consider. A variety of internal and external factors can change consumer sentiment towards specific brands or overall categories. By finding a data partner that can combine insights across your supply chain execution with your marketing performance measurement and place those insights against external signals for market performance and consumer behavior, you can more accurately forecast demand.  For example, through historical data, you can understand how similar items performed in stores last year and use that data to make predictions for the upcoming season. But that data tells only part of the story. You can go a step further by investigating current consumer shopping patterns and potential expected changes in behavior. Both retailers and manufacturers can benefit from up-to-date market analyses, especially regarding shifting purchase behaviors for their categories. This can help both with the planning phase and with execution. If items are not moving fast enough due to a decrease in consumer spending across the category, retailers and manufacturers can have plans in mind to discount items or adopt different in-store strategies.  The Importance of Shared Supply Chain Visibility for Manufacturers and Retailers  The key to supply chain execution is a strong relationship between retailers and brands built on shared purchase data. Circana’s Supply Chain solutions help both parties share a single view into performance. As a manufacturer, you can use this data to help make recommendations for purchase orders that directly relate to real purchase data for your retailers. Retailers and manufacturers can use this data to get a quick understanding of sales performance during the holiday season, so any adjustments can be made when they would be most effective. With shared supply chain visibility, you can make the most out of valuable purchase data to understand and track trends, iterate, and improve.

Circana’s latest report, “The Global Health and Wellness Market: Generations’ Quest for Healthier Lives,” examines how leading brands and retailers are adapting to an evolving definition of well-being. Our research highlights the interplay of physical, mental, and community wellness across generations and shows how innovative, multi-dimensional strategies are driving engagement in today’s rapidly shifting landscape. A centerpiece of the report is an in-depth analysis of 12 key themes, organized within three core wellness trends: Physical Well-Being: Nutrition Optimization  – Consumers seek healthy eating, GLP-1 medications, supplements, and benefit-led products tailored to their goals. Smile Health  – There is growing awareness of oral and gut microbiomes, with consumers focused on holistic approaches to oral health. GenActive  – Exercise is embraced for overall wellness, with Boomers+ especially investing in comfort, independence, and lifelong mobility. CleanCrafted  – Shoppers are actively avoiding artificial additives across food, beauty, and home products, driving demand for transparency. Gender-Tuned  – Personalized wellness is gaining traction, with tailored products for hormonal support (for women) and prostate health (for men). Mental Well-Being: Beauty in Balance  – Self-care increasingly incorporates fragrance and makeup as essential aspects of mental wellness. Art of Aging Well  – Boomers prioritize mood and memory support, as well as sun care and skincare to maintain confidence across generations. Mindful Living  – Consumers are seeking intangible benefits such as confidence, peace of mind, and positive mental health through daily rituals. Mood and Confidence Boosts  – Especially among younger generations, emotional wellness is supported by home organization, joyful treats, and beauty routines. Community Well-Being: Movement for Life  – There’s robust growth in sports, fitness equipment, and activewear as consumers of all ages make physical activity central to their lifestyles. Community Connections  – Social circles are expanding, including greater parental influence and workplace wellness programs geared toward productivity and retention. Me to We  – Both digital and physical communities foster connection and personal growth, as activities like pickleball and strength training surge in popularity. These themes illustrate how each generation’s approach to well-being is shaped by its unique life stage and cultural moment. Gen Z prioritizes flexibility and personalization, Millennials value digital integration and social impact, while Boomers emphasize autonomy and preventive care. Consumer wellness routines are rapidly expanding beyond traditional nutrition and exercise to embrace holistic, community-driven, and tech-enabled experiences. Technology and ingredient transparency now play a key role as brands create authentic, verifiable, and benefit-led experiences that resonate across age groups. Barriers such as motivation and cost persist, requiring coordinated efforts from manufacturers, retailers, and service providers to enable holistic self-care. Develop wellness solutions that address physical, mental, and community health to build authentic engagement. Embrace transparency and clean-label positioning to win trust, particularly among younger and family-focused consumers. Leverage digital platforms and AI-driven personalization to guide consumer choices and deliver tailored experiences. Position retail as a trusted health destination with functional, preventive, and emotional wellness offerings at the forefront.

Authored by: Susan Goetz In a landscape where over 75% of CEOs look to marketing to drive growth, the pressure to deliver measurable results has never been higher. However, many marketing investments fail to reach their full potential, leaving value on the table. Common pitfalls in media planning, performance tracking, and strategy can silently erode your ROI and hinder sustainable growth. Understanding and avoiding these mistakes is  key to unlocking your brand's true power. Circana’s report, “10 Mistakes to Avoid to Drive Outcomes Growth,” delivers a data-backed analysis of the most common marketing missteps and provides a clear framework to optimize your strategy. We move beyond theory to reveal the "why" behind underperformance, offering an actionable roadmap for brands to maximize impact and achieve significant top- and bottom-line growth.   Report Highlights: The Optimization Opportunity:  Discover why 74% of media executions are nonoptimal and how to find the “sweet spot” that maximizes ROI, preventing wasted spend on campaigns that are above or below ideal frequency levels. The Recency Imperative:  On average, total media ROI changes by 43% year-over-year. Learn how real-time performance tracking can help you stay ahead of competitors and capture up to 16% more in digital-generated revenue. Balancing the Funnel:   Uncover the critical link between upper-funnel metrics like awareness and long-term sales. See how a single-point increase in awareness can drive a 1% sales lift while also improving marketing efficiency. Long-Term vs. Short-Term:  Explore the data showing why brand-building media delivers nearly double the ROI of short-term promotions and incentives, and learn how to balance both for sustained equity growth and pricing power. The Creative Multiplier:  Find out how creative excellence can increase marketing effectiveness by more than r 30% for TV and digital campaigns, and learn how to integrate creative evaluation into your planning process. Future-Proofing Your Mix:   Get ahead of the curve with insights into emerging media channels that deliver 2.6x the sales effectiveness of the total media average. We outline key strategies for leveraging new formats to boost campaign ROI.

Mass market beauty continues to gain momentum in the U.S. as consumers seek high-performing products at accessible price points. Fragrance, though a small portion of the mass beauty market, is leading the charge, with sales growing +17% in the first half of 2025 — the fastest-growing beauty category in mass retail. The performance of fragrance is fueled by the rise of dupe culture, where shoppers gravitate toward affordable alternatives to luxury scents. In skincare, masstige brands — or those offering premium benefits at mass prices — are delivering double-digit growth, enabling mass skincare to outperform prestige in terms of both dollar and unit sales. These results reflect a broader consumer shift toward efficacy without premium pricing, with mass retailers increasingly offering elevated options that meet these expectations.  Consumers Seek Affordable Options Within the U.S. Prestige Beauty Market Prestige beauty, meanwhile, is being defined by innovation, elevated formats, and experiential appeal. Fragrance dollar sales in prestige outlets grew by +6%, driven by high-concentration formats like eau de parfums and parfums, as well as new brand launches. Mini sizes surged, signaling demand for affordable luxury and trial-friendly formats. Prestige hair care benefited from innovation in treatments and scalp care, while makeup growth was led by hybrid lip products and contouring trends. Although prestige skincare saw a slight decline overall, body care remained resilient, underscoring consumers’ continued investment in indulgent and results-driven self-care. Up next: Arab and Asian influences are carving new opportunities in Latin America Jennifer Famiano Executive Director, Beauty Industry Analyst As an executive director and beauty industry analyst for Circana, Jennifer Famiano leads the beauty category team responsible for insights and market intelligence. She works to identify and recommend opportunities, white space, and marketing strategies for global prestige beauty clients. Prior to this role, she delivered strategic analyses to beauty retail partners using her unique insight as both a fan of the category and as someone who has worked for cosmetic manufacturer clients.

Marketers have long created campaigns based on demographics, but profound shifts in today’s generational spending create both new challenges and opportunities. To succeed in the current and future competitive environment, brands and retailers must move beyond stereotypes and create nuanced strategies that take into account distinct consumer behaviors across each cohort. Dynamic generational purchasing behaviors reflect respective priorities that impact a wide range of channels, categories, and products. Of course, younger shoppers traditionally look for products that meet their interests and needs during that phase of life, whether it’s trendy apparel (think bell-bottoms in the ’70s, acid-wash denim in the ’80s and high-waisted jeans in the ’90s) or popular beverages (mocktails today versus cocktails of the past). As one might expect, older consumers tend to embrace wellness for independence and appreciate meaningful family moments in their proverbial golden years.  In today’s landscape, however, consumers within each cohort are making decisions in an omnichannel marketplace and in a culture that’s been redefined by technologies like social media and AI chatbots. A company that sells toys, for example, should understand that Gen Alpha is the most diverse generation ever and most kids and tweens now watch online shopping content for ideas.  Instead of the “generation gap” focused on spaces between groups, marketers can focus on the connections within each cohort  to best tailor their offerings and messages in a thoughtful go-to-market strategy. Our research uncovered fascinating insights into current cohorts: Gen Alpha , with members under the age of 12, is still emerging but is the largest global generation ever and is both digitally native and digitally forward. In fact, 36.2 million Gen Alphas are active internet users, exceeding teens by 11.6 million. Gen Z,  born between 1997 and 2012, have reversed some social trends from Millennials and Gen X. They’re highly educated, financially pragmatic, and especially into experiences, guided by a desire for self-expression and ethical consumption. Millennials , hitting their prime family and career years, are allocating more of their spending to food and beverage and are into sustainable wellness routines. They want brands to feel exclusive and prefer online shopping, with 80% making most purchases digitally.  Gen X  are now in their peak earning era. Often underestimated, they are pragmatic, prioritizing price and practicality over flashy trends or influencers, and research products before buying them. These self-starters sales place a high value on loyalty and efficiency. Boomers  have the greatest generational wealth and are expected to pass along assets along to their heirs, making Millennials the wealthiest generation in history. Boomers are moving through their senior years differently compared to previous seniors: a majority say they expect to work past age 70 or not retire at all, and, when asked why, they are embracing “healthy aging.” Get more Generational Insights to Engage with Cohorts  Circana’s new report, “The Aging Arc,” provides a comprehensive analysis of today’s generational dynamics and why nuances matter. The research underscores the importance of understanding distinct priorities, values, and purchasing behaviors to connect effectively with each group.

Circana’s global beauty industry advisor Larissa Jensen co-authored a Harvard Business Review article with the founders of beauty company Beekman 1802, exploring how brands can accelerate growth by creating emotional resonance through joyful, shareable experiences that elevate everyday moments, evoke nostalgia, and build meaningful community connections. The article explores a critical theme in today's market: the intersection of data-driven insights and authentic brand storytelling. It argues that the most successful brands do more than sell products; they establish personal connections with their consumers. This is achieved by combining hard data with genuine, human-centric narratives.

As a small or mid-sized business, you are constantly balancing limited resources with ambitious goals. From managing inventory to keeping your products on the shelf, you don’t always have the same resources or scale as larger competitors. That is where analyzing supply chain data comes in. By giving your brand visibility into what is in stock, where your products are moving, and when action is needed, you can make smarter choices that save time, reduce waste, and strengthen your relationship with retailers. Supply chain data gives you that clarity. Instead of guessing, you gain the ability to spot risks early, prevent costly overcommitments, and strengthen your partnership with retailers. You do not need a massive team or complex systems to benefit, only access to the right data in a way that fits your scale. The result is more confidence in your operations and more opportunities to grow your brand on your terms. What Supply Chain Data Do SME Brands Have Access To? When you are running a smaller brand, you have access to the same core supply chain metrics that larger brands rely on. You can see how much product is in stock, how quickly it is being refilled, where your inventory is moving across stores and distribution centers, and when displays are shipping to stores. These insights reveal exactly where your brand is gaining traction and where adjustments are necessary. Accessing your brand's supply chain data also opens the door to strengthening your relationship with your retailers. Considering retailers work with vendors of all sizes, when you can share clear insights about how your products are performing, it becomes easier to collaborate on opportunities like new items, promotions, and planogram inclusion and positioning. Retailers value vendors who bring data to the table because they demonstrate a commitment to the partnership and a willingness to collaborate toward growth. Why is Supply Chain Data Important for SMEs? Supply chain data is crucial for your brand because it provides the clarity to act with confidence. Instead of relying on assumptions, you can see exactly where your products are, how they are moving, and when action should be taken. This visibility helps you avoid overcommitting to retailers, identify products that are not selling, and plan promotions that keep your inventory moving. It also strengthens your position with retailers. Shelf space is limited and constantly reviewed by retailers. Having accurate data enables you to verify that your products are performing effectively. By sharing these insights with your retailer, you can demonstrate to buyers that your brand deserves shelf space, highlight growth opportunities, and address issues before they become problems. This level of collaboration builds trust and gives your brand a stronger voice in competitive categories. How Can SMEs Benefit from Supply Chain Data? Supply chain data helps your brand maximize the value of the resources you already have. When you know exactly where your products are and how they are moving, you can avoid costly surprises such as overproduction, extra storage fees, or last-minute shipping expenses. Real-time insights enable you to adjust on the fly, saving both time and money while maintaining smooth operations. As market conditions, shopper behavior, and retailer priorities frequently shift, supply chain data provides the insights you need to respond more quickly, adjust your campaigns, and position your brand to effectively compete against larger brands. Beyond efficiency, supply chain data can point you toward new opportunities. Regional performance data, for example, shows you where your products connect most with shoppers. You can use that information to focus on high-potential areas, target off-shelf vehicles, try out new product ideas, or fine-tune your distribution strategy before making a bigger investment. What Should SMEs Look for in a Supply Chain Data Solution? When selecting a supply chain data solution for your brand, the best option is one that aligns with your current operations while providing flexibility for future growth. You do not need something built only for global enterprises. What you do need is a tool that is easy to use, provides the right insights, and helps you make better decisions without slowing you down. The solution needs to offer real-time visibility, so you always know where your products are and how they are being moved. Strong demand forecasting and inventory management features help you avoid costly mistakes such as overproduction or stockouts. Collaboration is just as important. A good solution creates opportunities to strengthen your supplier and retailer relationships by giving everyone access to the same reliable information. You will also want to pay attention to the quality of the data and the analytics behind it. Accurate, actionable insights are what turn raw numbers into decisions you can trust. Finally, consider how the solution integrates with your existing systems. The easier it is to integrate, the faster your brand can start using the data to its advantage. Solutions that take the burden of data management off your IT teams drive faster value at lower cost by processing the data for you, making it actionable immediately instead of after days of processing. Common Challenges SMEs Face With Supply Chain Data Adopting supply chain data can feel overwhelming at first, especially if your team has not previously worked with these tools. One of the biggest challenges is knowing how to translate numbers into actionable steps. It is easy to collect data, but without clear analysis, the insights may sit unused. Focusing on the metrics that matter most to your brand, like inventory levels and restock rates, helps you avoid this trap. Integration is another common hurdle. If the system does not connect smoothly with your existing tools, you may spend more time managing the data than acting on it. Choosing a solution that is designed to integrate seamlessly with your current processes will make adoption easier and save you from unnecessary frustration. Additionally, consider selecting a solution that provides ongoing support throughout the integration process, allowing you and your team to learn not only how to set up your account but also to understand each tool and navigate the software effectively. Many small and mid-sized businesses also encounter challenges when inventory gaps or out-of-stocks go unnoticed. These issues can disrupt your relationships with retailers if not addressed quickly. Systems that incorporate alerting features monitor for those issues and alert you daily to opportunities, driving speed to resolution. With the right supply chain data in place, you can monitor these risks in real-time, respond to problems before they escalate, and demonstrate to retailers that your brand is dependable. The Future of Supply Chain Data for SMEs The way small and mid-sized businesses utilize supply chain data is rapidly evolving. Tools that once felt out of reach are becoming more accessible, and new technologies are making insights easier to act on. Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics can now identify risks before they occur, such as a potential out-of-stock situation in a specific region, allowing you to take action early. Automation also reduces the time your team spends on manual tasks, allowing you to focus more on strategy and growth. For your brand, this means supply chain data is shifting from being a nice-to-have to being essential. With the right tools, you can adapt faster to changing shopper behavior, fine-tune your inventory and promotions, and compete more effectively with larger players. The future of supply chain data is about putting actionable insights directly in your hands so that you can grow your brand with confidence and clarity.

Latin America (LATAM) is shining on the international stage, with its beauty market posting +13% growth in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year – outpacing the global rate. Argentina emerged as the standout performer, not only regionally but globally. Fragrance remains the dominant category in the LATAM region, accounting for 65% of total beauty sales and growing by +15% thus far in 2025. The high luxury market continues to gain ground in the region, growing two-times faster than the overall category. by 33%. An interesting trend to watch is Middle Eastern fragrance brands are gaining traction, with double- and triple-digit growth across the region. Their retail presence is expanding, and they’re positioned to capture more market share into 2026. Asian Skincare Brands Thrive in the Latin American Beauty Market On the other hand, an Asian influence is sweeping through the skincare market. The smallest category in LATAM’s prestige beauty industry, skincare experienced +6% growth and the lowest pricing increase, up +3%, through June. The category is experiencing a downgrading trend, as consumers shift toward less expensive product; however, there are bright spots. Products targeting specific areas such as the eyes and mouth are outperforming the category average. Asian brands, especially Japanese ones, are thriving. In Brazil, which is home to the largest Japanese population outside Japan, the current #1 skincare brand is a Japanese brand. Social media continues to play a pivotal role in driving awareness and adoption of Asian skincare trends. Latin American Consumers Prioritize Multifunctional Beauty Products Fashion is making its mark on makeup in new ways. The category, which grew by +11% in the first half of the year, is being driven by a few key factors including fashion houses expanding their beauty portfolios beyond fragrance and into cosmetics. In fact, couture brands are growing by over +35%. Simultaneously, the region continues to embrace the “no makeup” trend, favoring light coverage, natural finishes, and multifunctional products infused with skincare benefits, including lip glosses and balms, and concealers – all of which are growing in sales.  Beauty is booming—and transforming—in fascinating ways around the world. From wellness-driven growth to pockets of luxury surges and a strengthening of cross-culture influences, the markets in Latin America, China , Europe,   Canada , and the United States  are each telling their own story. In 2025, it’s clear that consumers are redefining what beauty means to them —whether it’s through self-care rituals, ingredient-conscious choices, or a love for niche products. Ana Seccato Director, LATAM Beauty Analyst Ana Seccato, director for Argentina, Brazil, and Peru and beauty analyst with Circana’s Beauty practice for LATAM, is a beauty expert in the region. She was selected to enter a two-year leadership program in the first year of her career, which gave her experience with strategic business planning, product development, and data analysis.

If you’re looking to boost your CPG campaign’s business outcomes, it’s worth obsessing over your creative. “The quality of advertising is what makes or breaks your campaign,” says Laurie Sommer , Sr. Manager, Communication Lab at Mars.   And she’s right: Creative quality—including clear, authentic messaging, platform-native approaches, and compelling visuals—drive nearly half (49%) of the incremental sales delivered by advertising, according to our research into the top drivers of advertising effectiveness . “Not all creative is equal. Excellent creative delivers higher incremental sales than weak creative,” says Deirdre McFarland , Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of NCS, a Circana company. “When brands take steps to raise the quality of their advertising creative, they’re more likely to achieve better outcomes.” That leads to a big question: How do you define great creative? Forward-thinking CPG brands like Mars are leaning into AI tools to bring objectivity to creative quality and make smarter marketing decisions. Nearly three-quarters of digital marketers see improved testing, learning, and measurement models as key opportunities in 2025, according to the latest Digiday and NCS State of the Industry Report —and Mars has pursued these opportunities in a big way. A Scalable Solution for Rating Creative Mars and their agency, EssenceMediaCom, collaborated with CreativeX , a creative measurement platform. Their goal? Scale a creative excellence program across 50 brands and 65 markets over five years—and build a system that empowers brands to make more impactful creative decisions, grounded in data.  Mars used CreativeX’s AI technology to build a creative assessment tool that plugged into their global content production ecosystem, spanning platforms, agencies, media partners, and measurement teams. “Mars was already very advanced in its measurement,” shares Paul Brown , Global Client Partner at CreativeX. “Their challenges were to scale that measurement across all of their digital advertising and take those insights to drive impact across the organization. That's where CreativeX came in.” Loads of Learnings From Thousands of Creative Assets Mars used CreativeX to analyze more than 300,000 creative assets, integrating this analysis into their content production. As a result, they optimized their workflow, resulting in millions of dollars in media savings. “Mars leaned in early in establishing internal processes that define creative quality through to effectiveness,” says Matt Rooney , Head of Measurement, Global Accounts at TikTok, a key social platform for Mars. For campaigns running on TikTok, Mars analyzed assets according to the platform’s creative best practices. CreativeX assigned each Mars asset a Creative Quality Score (CQS). We then measured how the campaign translated to incremental sales, using our flagship Sales Effect studies. Across 30 measured Mars campaigns run on TikTok from 2023 to 2024, creative assets that followed four or more of TikTok’s creative guidelines consistently outperformed others, the results were clear: 33% higher NSV (Net Sales Value) ROI on TikTok for campaigns that had an excellent creative quality score (CQS)*. “What's important is being able to quantify how much impact creative quality has for brands such as Mars... and unlock greater effectiveness through creative data,” Rooney says. The data left no doubt: dialing up creative quality directly led to stronger sales outcomes for Mars. “Mars was able to elevate the quality of its creative, which fueled more incremental sales,” explains McFarland. “This access to granular details empowered Mars to make decisions that drove consumer engagement.” “Creative works better with data science, when brands marshal the insights of platform, sales effectiveness, and data partners they gain a better understanding of what’s working and why,” says McFarland. It’s an approach that Sommer plans to build on at Mars’ brands. “Mars wants to be recognized as an amazing advertiser... an advertiser that understands that marketing is a mix of art and science. I can say that we were and we are still ahead of the pack in understanding creative excellence.” As for the takeaway for CPG marketing leaders, TikTok’s Rooney has this to share: “Brands should focus on the process... where CreativeX has strength is the tooling underpinning that process. By focusing on how you build the process and how you establish a common currency from ideation through to execution, it helps all the different silos in the marketing process come together and ultimately unites quality and outcomes.” Want to level up your brand’s sales outcomes? Download our report, Five Keys to Advertising Effectiveness .