In Q4 2023, drug channel sales continued to lag the multioutlet market as consumers shopped value channels to save money. But consumer needs in women’s health, healthy aging, sexual health, gut health, and sleep all present opportunities for the channel to grow. This report follows up on trends identified in our previous analyses and examines how those trends compare to the broader multioutlet and convenience channel landscapes. Highlights: Drug channel dollar sales declined 5.7% in Q4 2023. Average price inflation increased in the health and beauty departments, which accounted for 65% of total dollar sales in the drug channel. Private label sales declined compared to the previous year across most departments. The drug channel must capitalize on over-the-counter releases, as the channel dominates sales for the first few months after a product launch. The Opill will become the most effective over-the-counter birth control. It will be available in U.S. stores in early April 2024.

Get a clearer understanding of the evolving foodservice landscape in China with our expertly compiled report. This essential resource is designed to guide businesses and investors who are looking to make strategic decisions in the foodservice sector. What You’ll Find in the Report: Consumer Behavior Trends: Gain insight into recent changes in consumer behaviors and preferences with data derived from comprehensive ongoing surveys. Economic and Market Analysis: Learn about the economic conditions affecting foodservice, including changes in household income and dining out trends in key Chinese cities. Focused Insights on Key Events: Explore specific findings from recent festivals and their impact on the foodservice industry without revealing too much detail. Benefits of the Report: Informed Decision-Making: Equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to navigate the complexities of the foodservice market. Targeted Strategies: Identify opportunities for growth and tailor your business approach based on solid research and analysis. Stay Ahead of Trends: Keep up with the latest developments to better anticipate future market shifts. Interested in the full story? Our report offers in-depth analysis and detailed data essential for understanding this vibrant sector. Contact Us: For further information and to address your specific inquiries, reach out to our specialist, Gary Wong, at gary.wong@circana.com. Learn More: Join our webinar on Thursday, April 25, at 14:00 GMT for a discussion on the report’s findings and how they can be leveraged to advance your business. Event Registration

Regardless of country, gender, race, ethnicity or generation, consumers perceive gender inequality as one of the more urgent global issues of our time. Many believe media and brands have an influential role in advancing women’s stature. Advertising and media have immense power in challenging stereotypes and shaping gender roles. This report represents the third round of research Circana has conducted with the ANA’s SeeHer. It explores the sales lift achieved when creative promotes women authentically and positively. Highlights: While 94% of consumers around the world believe achieving gender equality holds personal importance to them, and 81% have a hopeful outlook on gender equality, the negative impacts of gender inequality continue to reverberate. Women have an estimated global economic purchasing power of $31.5 trillion, with $10 trillion in the United States alone.  Results from GEM analysis shows creative advertising that accurately represents women can drive incremental sales lifts up to 10X, a notable increase compared to a 5X sales lift seen in the 2019 analysis. The increasingly positive impact of higher-GEM creatives among younger generations highlights the evolving dynamics of higher consumer expectations of gender equality in advertising.

A Connected Intelligence Report There is at least one smart home product in 59% of U.S. households. Security cameras have the highest penetration of all categories, with cost-effective streamlined products driving unit sales growth. What other smart home products and services are on the rise? This Connected Intelligence report uncovers the consumers most likely to own these products and identifies the reasons behind the purchase.  Highlights:  Smart home product ownership remains strongest among consumers aged 12 to 24 and 25 to 34, with two-thirds of those cohorts owning a device.  26% of households own security cameras, and nearly 4 in 10 security camera owners also own a smart doorbell.  One-third of consumers agree that smart home products are difficult to set up and/or install. 53% say they have concerns about interoperability between products. Smart thermostats are more likely to be purchased for energy conservation reasons than smart lighting or smart power products.  The number of security device owners subscribed to monthly services has remained steady over the last five waves of research, going back to February 2022.  Other insights included: Current awareness and ownership by demographics, as well as cross-ownership Professional home monitoring, installation, and premium services Purchase reasons by type of product and where consumers buy Future interest and shopping intent among owners and nonowners Voice and the role of smart speakers and displays Demographic profiles by devices owned

The convenience channel outpaced other multi-outlet (MULO) channels in many top categories in Q1 2024, but lagged MULO growth in total store. Despite a decline in the number of trips to convenience, there was growth in dollars and units per trip compared to last year. Looking ahead to the summer, the p.m. snack daypart will be a key battleground, as many traditional QSR lunch and dinner chains use innovation to increase store count and enter the snack market. Highlights:  Convenience channel dollar sales grew 1% while MULO’s grew 2.5%. MULO (+0.9%) also outperformed c-stores (-2.1%) in unit sales for the quarter. Convenience outperformed MULO in year-over-year dollar sales in top categories like cigarettes and other tobacco products. MULO dollar sales outpaced c-stores for beer and candy.  Convenience private label sales decreased 0.9% year over year in convenience while name brands increased 2.2%.  Foodservice remains an emphasis for many retailers in the convenience channel. Although convenience foodservice traffic decreased 5.0% year over year in Q1 2024, the channel outperformed QSR in the p.m. snack daypart.  Promos and sweepstakes can be leveraged by convenience retailers and manufacturers to increase customer traffic during critical summer months.

Consumer escapism trends have been on the rise in recent years. As people seek ways to escape the stresses of daily life, nostalgia, inspiration and aspiration, and self-care have surfaced as key themes in consumer shopping behavior. For the remainder of 2024 and beyond, there is opportunity for retailers and brands to participate in the joy economy. By delivering products and services reflecting the emotional needs and preferences of today’s shoppers, retailers and brands can offer experiences that drive sales and loyalty.

Circana Inspire: Checkout Trends in 2024 The checkout area provides U.S. consumers with products across multiple departments, from salty snacks to home essentials. Together, these products are growing faster than most top categories in the store. This Circana Inspire report uncovers the top trends and challenges for the critical front-end grocery retail landscape. Key Insights: Products sold at checkout are gaining strength within the top product categories. Assortment at the front of the store answers increased demand for smaller pack sizes. The checkout area is a destination for the increasingly frequent retail-sourced snacking. Typical buyers of products available at checkout have stronger purchase dynamics, are less sensitive to inflation, and are less likely to depend on in-store support.

Despite fewer households seeing increased income and more consumers cooking at home, dining out was one of the top categories for increased spending in the coming month. This month’s China Consumer Sentiment Study reveals where foodservice consumers plan to increase their spend, and the categories they plan to cut back on. Key Insights: The share of consumers with growing and stable household incomes, and which Tier had firmer incomes. Restaurant prices increasing and decreasing across different channels. Expectations to dine out next month, and where and why consumers plan to reduce spending in foodservice. The top categories for expected increasing and decreasing consumer spending.

Circana Inspire: July 2024 After years of reactive health care purchases, consumers are proactively managing their wellness. But they continue to fight inflation, up 31% in the consumer health department, and their wages have not kept up. This report uncovers opportunities in the nearly $1 trillion U.S. consumer health care market. Highlights: The dollar and convenience channels remain the smallest multioutlet contributors to health care sales, but they lead in percentage growth year over year. Growth in 2023 was fueled by large and emerging brands across traditional OTC, nutrition, and personal care. Innovation has been focused on personal care, wellness, and elevating the consumer experience. Disruptive innovation accounted for around $1.7 billion in sales in 2023. These included categories like acne patches and full body deodorant. An understanding of consumer health care priorities, how they access information, and current purchase behavior can help inform innovation.

Peeling back the layers of media’s complex landscape reveals the core of our Measurement and Targeting Unplugged series: a commitment to uncovering more effective and accessible ways to target and measure media. We hear from Carl Carte r, SVP Media & Analytics EMEA, who shares a perspective on how combining calibrated methods, can deliver measurable success.  Download our latest paper, The Symphony of Strategy with Unified Marketing Measurement , in which Carl draws comparisons between media measurement strategy and an orchestra harmonizing multiple approaches. Listen to a short introduction from Carl about the challenges faced by marketing professionals and why a more unified measurement approach could be the solution.

China Consumer Sentiment Study: June 2024 Data Some of China’s consumers are looking forward to dining out this summer. Others are prioritizing categories like children’s education and traveling. This month’s China Consumer Sentiment Study compares incomes, price sensitivity, and summer expectations for consumers in Top Tier and Lower Tier cities. Key Insights: The tier cities with a higher percentage of consumers with increasing incomes. Where restaurants are rising their prices, and how consumers view these increases. The main reasons consumers buy from fresh bakeries. Comparing the categories for expected increased spending by city tiers.

Explore Eating Patterns in America with Darren Seifer, Circana Industry Advisor, Consumer Goods & Foodservice Insights.  Eating Patterns in America is a complete guide to understand today’s dynamic food and beverage landscape. It can help you identify new growth areas, deliver value to cost-conscious consumers, and transform your business.  The 39th edition of our flagship report, along with monthly and quarterly updates, draws on superior data resources and expertise across food and beverage consumption, foodservice, broadline foodservice distribution, small appliances, housewares, and more.

Amidst economic pressure, Australia’s foodservice traffic declined as consumers manage their spending on dining out and delivery services in Q2 2024. But some channels were able to offer the value consumers sought for their indulgence. Our infographic highlights the top trends you should know from Australia’s foodservice market. Key Insights: Retail was the only channel to grow in traffic (+1.1%). Deal occasions grew 20.3% in spend and 10.5% in traffic. The family cohort declined 5.9% in spend and traffic.

Throughout the past several decades, the definitions of health and wellness have expanded with a focus on the growing commitment to self-care. This trend is certain to continue. Across the globe, we have identified more than 55 ways consumers activate their well-being. This report shows how companies can support consumers on their wellness journeys. Highlights: U.S. consumers are most interested in improving their physical and mental well-being. More than one-in-three adults who purchase toys for themselves do it to escape reality. In the UK, alternative and homeopathic therapies have grown 14.7% in value. 29% of Gen Zers and millennials said they look to social media influencers to learn new ways of practicing self-care. 29% of consumers said increased energy is a top-three benefit, and 1-in-10 millennials say it’s their number one benefit.