Global factors and localized events shifted China’s sports footwear market during the first half of 2024. Our infographic uncovers the trends that stood out and the categories to know as you plan for the second half of the year and beyond. Key Insights: The running market grew 0.9 percentage points. Hiking, trekking, and mountaineering categories all increased. CAMEL, an emerging Chinese brand, increased sales over 50%.

Circana Inspire: August 2024 The convenience channel declined in dollar sales for CPG products in Q2 2024. Multi-outlet+ (MULO+) increased in dollars and outperformed many of the top convenience categories. Total foodservice trips for the convenience channel also declined and were outperformed by QSRs. But with average eater checks well below those of QSR competitors, c-stores have an opportunity to promote value and win foodservice trips.  Highlights:  Convenience channel dollar sales declined 1.2% year over year while MULO increased 2%. Price per unit increased 3.2% year over year in c-stores and 2% in MULO.   Foodservice remained a key sales driver for many retailers in the convenience channel. Food-forward c-stores, including Casey’s and Wawa, increased traffic 2% year over year. Trips per buyer and units per trip decreased in the convenience channel, but dollars per trip increased due to higher price per units.  Meal deals at QSR and convenience retailers remain an important lever for foodservice traffic as new deals and options are introduced.

An AI-Powered Road Map for the Beauty Industry The beauty industry has an outsized impact on inclusion. But many people today still don’t feel like they are represented in health and beauty ads. Consumer expectations about inclusivity — accurate and representative depictions of all genders, gender expressions, races, skin tones, ages, body sizes, abilities, and sexual orientations — have never been higher. This report, conducted between Circana and SeeMe Index, shows how beauty brands with higher inclusivity scores grow faster than their less-inclusive counterparts. Luckily, there are several steps brands can take to become more inclusive, and the good news is they don’t have to start from scratch. Highlights: Certified Inclusive brands are growing 1.5x faster than their less inclusive counterparts. By 2044, the U.S. will have a majority-minority population, creating little difference between a general market and a multicultural market. Certified Inclusive brands were 2.5x more likely to have ads featuring adults with perceived age over 55. While romantic relationships are scarce in beauty ads, Certified Inclusive brands showed gay and straight relationships in equal percentages, whereas less inclusive brands were 12x more likely to show straight versus gay relationships.

Meat alternatives, including substitutes for chicken and beef, represent just 1% of total meat category sales in the U.S. But this subcategory continues to evolve, and there are pockets of high adoption rates across the country. This report explores the performance of meat alternatives from the past few years and uncovers opportunities for future success. Highlights:  Sales of meat alternatives reached $1.3B in 2020 but have declined for three years. The current $1.1B is still higher than prepandemic dollar sales.  Meat alternatives feature a $4.20 price gap above total meats, which might hinder purchases. The percentage of households purchasing plant-based meats is declining. But frequent-purchase households spend more per trip and have a higher dollar share across alternative categories.  Plant-based meats skew to millennials and Gen X households with higher incomes.  Retention of frequent buyers is critical to category success, as heavy buyers represent 75% of dollar sales.

China Consumer Sentiment Study: July 2024 Data Travel plans this summer are lower for China’s consumers than plans for Labor Day. But nearly half of them plan to travel, and more are looking to head to Tier 1 cities and overseas. This month’s China Consumer Sentiment Study compares income growth, restaurant price hikes, and shifting meal expectations across the foodservice industry. Key Insights: Across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, the share of increasing incomes fell compared to last month. Price hikes at restaurants was more noticeable in Tier 1 cities. In the coming month, consumers expect to reduce spend on snacks, desserts, and alcohol. 50% of consumers who are traveling planned a trip to Tier 2 cities.

In today’s competitive market, it’s critical to understand customers’ needs and what causes shifts in their preferences. Delve into the transformative power of loyalty data and explore how it can accelerate growth for your business.

The most authoritative, in-depth view of the motivations, behaviors, preferences, and platform choices of U.S. gamers Circana’s  U.S. Gamer Segmentation Report  is back! The 2024 edition provides the most updated insights into the postpandemic evolution of this dynamic consumer base. The report divides the U.S. gamer population by gaming motivations, behaviors, preferences, and spending across platforms. It also provides data tables and trend analysis of consumers’ shifting habits compared to 2018, 2020, and 2022 behaviors. Explore the gamer platform motivations for each profiled segment, along with key use cases by platform type. Uncover how device preferences and gaming habits are likely to change as gamers age. Know each segment’s share of entertainment time and money spent on games. See broad games market trends, including awareness of streaming, e-sports, and games as a service (GaaS) engagement on PCs and consoles.  Business Benefits Leverage the latest consumer behavior information to build business among key consumer groups Understand changes in behaviors, attitudes, and preferences of each gamer segment to improve product development Learn each gamer segment’s demographics to support effective targeted advertising and promotional messages Optimize your opportunities on all platforms with in-depth insight into the preferences of specific types of gamers Examine how consumers’ time and money investment and new platform adoption have shifted  Key Metrics Number of active gamers and their general gaming habits Gamer behaviors, interests, spending, and motivations Devices used to play games Player profiles across mobile, PC, console, and handheld Profiles of specific gaming habits by age and gender What’s Included in the Paid Report Excel deliverables featuring 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 data for cross-tab analysis Fully designed 40-page report with key charts and analysis for presentation Methodology Information in this report is based on a total of 5,000 U.S. respondents aged two and older. Adults (respondents aged 18 and older) completed the survey based on their own habits. Children and teens (ages 2 to 17) were recruited via parent surrogates; children aged 10 and older were instructed to complete the survey themselves (with their parents’ help, if needed). Parents of younger children were asked to complete the survey on the child’s behalf, with the child’s help. Industry Expertise With nearly 75% of all U.S. consumers reporting that they play video games, the customer base for games is one of the broadest in entertainment, and also one of the complex. As a result, video game publishers and developers are under increased pressure to deliver the content that players demand, when they demand it. At the same time, manufacturers must know how players interact with their content and hardware so they can power the best gaming experiences. Data and insights from Circana can ensure you’re responsive to market changes and your customers’ needs. You get complete, accurate information about your products’ market share and mindshare, plus industry insights, to help you track trends, identify business opportunities, and grow your business. We also offer custom research solutions, comprehensive video game metadata, and game forecasts to help you answer critical research questions and gain data-driven feedback throughout the development cycle.

Consumers across the globe continue to prioritize their health and wellness. By tapping into the trends fueling their wellness journey, retailers and brands can enhance customer engagement, build loyalty, and ultimately drive sales.

How U.S. Connected Consumers Take Charge of Personal Wellness Consumers around the world are expanding their approach to personal well-being. From telehealth to wearable devices, U.S. consumers are relying on and contributing to the $6.8 billion digital health market. This report uncovers opportunities for brands to connect with shoppers and support their wellness journeys in new ways. Highlights:  More than half of U.S. adults own a wearable device, such as smart watches, trackers, and rings. In some cases, owners may have more than one device.  Technology offers new ways for consumers to manage their health. Newer tech like smart rings provide additional formats for daily heath tracking.  Virtual health, or telehealth, allows consumers more flexible options to engage with health care professionals.  Oral health successfully leaned into technology, with connected devices and apps to track proper use. On the emerging side, tech is supporting women managing menopause symptoms.  Those using digital health devices spend more on consumer health categories and present an opportunity for growth and engagement.

With consumers cutting back on restaurant trips, increasing their reliance on in-home meals, and using kitchen appliances more often, there’s at least a glimpse today of consumer behaviors in 2020. Many of these shifts stem from cost pressures forcing consumers to find savings wherever possible. Consumers shifting behaviors can be stressful for marketers, but also represent opportunities for growth by attaching to those needs. To compete in this landscape, food and beverage manufacturers, retailers, and home products companies must understand consumers’ evolving needs. They must find innovative ways to make meal preparation easier and solve other problems consumers face. Circana’s new Inside America’s Kitchens report examines these trends and provides insights on implications for the food and beverage and home industries.  Questions Answered Which appliances are gaining household penetration, and where are they stored in the kitchen?  How do different generations approach meal preparation — and with which tools?  What is social media’s role in finding meal ideas and its role in generating sales for offline cookbooks? How often and why do consumers entertain guests? What worries do they face when entertaining at home? What is the role of grills on special occasions, what are meal preparer’s concerns about using grills, and how do they differ by generation?

Holiday 2023 is here! Consumers are feeling increasingly negative about the economy and personal finances this year. But they plan to spend about the same as Holiday 2022. Discover how much consumers expect to spend, how economic concerns may affect their decisions, when and how they plan to shop, and much more.

Use valuable insights on shopper loyalty behaviors and trends to accelerate growth. Success in today’s landscape requires a complete understanding of consumer spending across all of retail. Frequent shopper program (FSP) data can help you get ahead.

China Consumer Sentiment Study: August 2024 Data In China’s foodservice industry, the share of restaurants with price increases has increased for three consecutive months. In August, the proportion rose significantly over July, with prices growing across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. This month’s China Consumer Sentiment Study highlights how and why consumers use promotions for foodservice products.   Key Insights: The proportion of households with increasing incomes declined in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.  The percentage of restaurant price increases in Tier 2 cities is approaching the level of Tier 1 cities.  Expectations to dine out more in the next month were at record lows.  46% of consumers used super low-price offers in the last month

Holiday 2024 is here! U.S. consumers plan to spend an average of 2% more than they did last year. Black Friday has hit a four-year high in expectations of the best holiday deals. Discover how much consumers expect to spend, how economic concerns may affect their decisions, when and how they plan to shop, and much more.