To really understand the current market drivers in Europe’s foodservice industry, we have identified eight larger scale visit situations – what we call “Need States” – in which we all of us find ourselves from time to time: work, education, travel, shopping and errands, night out, meals out, leisure/events, and home meals. The work situation includes the commute to the workplace, and work lunch, a snack or beverage in between – anything that is triggered by the fact that consumers must be on-site for work. Education is basically the same but for teachers and students. Travel can include business or private travel. Shopping and errands refer to things that consumers do or need to get done and are using the foodservice industry for a meal, snack, or drink while being out and about. Leisure means anything that is connected to a trip to cinemas, museums, theme parks, events, etc., when consumers may take a snack or even use a restaurant, but the restaurant is not the destination. Meals out means taking friends or family out for lunch or dinner, and together with night out, which is more beverage oriented, those are really the only two situations where the restaurant, bar or café is the core destination. And finally, home meals, or restaurant transactions when the consumer is at home but unable to cook. Let’s first look into how important these situations are for the foodservice market across the six European countries we track in foodservice at NPD. In 2019, before the pandemic, the work situation alone represented more than one-third of all foodservice visits (not spend). Together with education, four out of 10 transactions in our industry are connected to consumers going to or being at school or the workplace. Meals out and leisure each represent 13% and 14% of visits, respectively. One out of 10 is connected to a shopping trip or other kind of errands. Travel represented 6%, and home meals represented 11%. When looking into how these situations have been changing, we see that the work and education situation was, is, and will continue suffering the most. Today, it is still lagging more than 5 billion visits in the prior 12 months compared to 2019. Almost all other situations have been improving significantly but are still below pre-pandemic levels. The new reality and driver of these changes in the future is certainly the permanent changes that COVID-19 brought to our work and private lives. Most of us continue to work from home, and there’s also less business travel, even more online shopping, digitalization, investments into converting our homes to make them more accommodating for work, sustainability, health & wellbeing trends, and our desire for experiences are shaping our new reality. It’s something the restaurant industry must plan around in order to cater to the needs of consumers across Europe. Get insights straight to your inbox

Consumers have relied more on e-commerce since the pandemic began, but that’s changing this year Port Washington, N.Y., November 9, 2022 – The number of consumers planning to shop online for the holidays fell from 85% last year to 80% this year, which is the largest ever shift favoring stores, according to the annual holiday purchase intentions survey from The NPD Group . This is also the first year, since before the pandemic, that consumers expect to make more of their holiday purchases in stores (46%) than online (45%). Checkout receipt-based insights from NPD also support these new findings, as in-store sales revenue grew 1% in September compared to last year, while online sales were flat. “After more than two years of heavy online shopping, consumers are ready to get back to the sport of shopping,” said Marshal Cohen , chief retail industry advisor for NPD. “Despite saying they plan on scaling back holiday spending this year, sales revenue through October fell 1% below last year’s levels, which shows that shoppers are still willing to spend money on general merchandise, even as prices continue to rise.” Nearly 80% of consumers still plan to do at least some of their holiday shopping online, but plans to shop pureplay e-commerce retailers declined since last year. Fewer than three-quarters of consumers expect to shop online-only sites during the holidays, down from 79% last year. Among those planning to shop online, 16% anticipate picking up their purchases in stores or curbside, compared to 14% last year, which will increase foot-traffic at brick-and-mortar stores. Perhaps due to rising cost-consciousness among consumers, mass merchants stand to gain the most from decreasing focus on ecommerce over the holidays. In fact,44% of consumers plan to shop at mass merchants this year, compared to 42% in 2021. “Impulse and self-gifting are an integral part of the holiday mix, without them, it is hard to achieve growth,” Cohen said. “Success this season depends on the ability of retailers to leverage promotions and exciting products that play to feelings of shopping cheer. Increasing in-store shopping levels will deliver greater benefits to retailers that can entice consumers into buying on impulse, which could help move excess inventory out the door while also giving store bottom-lines a boost.” #Holiday

Chicago, November 9, 2022 — During the Great Recession, many major restaurant chains turned to deals and promotions to generate short-term sales and remain top of mind with consumers, and the strategy worked. Now, the strategy isn’t working as well. As higher menu prices offset the value of discounts and promotions, consumers are taking less advantage of restaurant deals, reports The NPD Group . Neither deal nor non-deal commercial foodservice visits increased in the quarter ending September 2022. Foodservice deal occasions were down 1%, and non-deal orders were down 2% in the quarter compared to a year ago. Higher food and operational costs for foodservice operators have limited their ability to offer steep discounts and deals. In the 12 months ending June 2022, there was a one-dollar difference between an average restaurant customer check on a deal and a check not on a deal. Additionally, many operators, especially independents and smaller quick service and full service chains offer few or no deals, according to NPD’s daily tracking of the foodservice industry . Some major quick service restaurant (QSR) chains have increased their deal offerings. However, the chains with the highest deal rates did not outperform other QSR brands in the quarter ending September 2022. Traffic to the QSRs offering the most deals was down 1% in the quarter compared to a year ago, the same decline witnessed by the balance of QSR. Although deals aren’t driving traffic overall, there were some successfully executed promotions. These programs synched to loyalty programs, like digital coupons, or were creative, attention-grabbing, and relevant to customers. The top-performing chains — those with the best traffic performance in the quarter — had high customer satisfaction scores based on friendly service, quality food, the taste of food, and affordability. “Today, the foodservice industry has not yet broadly turned to deals to drive traffic. Operators who want to generate short-term lift via discount promotions should consider creative promotions that don’t damage the perception of the brand’s long-term value,” says David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America . “However, it’s essential to remember that the critical traffic drivers remain quality food, tasty food, friendly service, and affordability. These are the attributes of the most successful restaurant brands.”

Gains in Hardware and Subscription Spending Were Offset by Declines Across Other Segments Port Washington, NY, November 8, 2022 – According to the Q3 2022 Games Market Dynamics: U.S. * report from The NPD Group , consumer spending on video gaming in the U.S. totaled $12.34 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2022 (July – September), a decline of 5% when compared to Q3 2021. Non-mobile subscription content and video game hardware spending were among the quarter’s growth categories but were unable to offset declines experienced across other segments. Console and portable content contributed most to the overall drop in spending. Data from Sensor Tower shows U.S. consumer spending in mobile games during the third quarter fell 9% from Q3 2021.. “Mobile game spend in the U.S. continues to decline as consumers contend with both economic uncertainties and a new post-pandemic normal,” said Dennis Yeh, gaming insights lead at Sensor Tower. “Midcore games that require longer or continued playing sessions are being pinched by reductions in discretionary time and money to spend on mobile games. Spending on mobile games is declining much more than it is for games that typically require less active engagement, like social slots games. While there is still a decent chance this year’s U.S. mobile game revenue will surpass 2021 levels, worsening headwinds have firmly shifted the conversation away from the question of by how much.” Overall content spending in Q3 reached $10.64 billion, a 7% decrease over Q3 2021. Hardware increased 16% and accessories declined 12%. Among the best-selling and most played games across all platforms in the third quarter were Among Us, Angry Birds 2, Bingo Blitz, Call of Duty: Warzone, Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Clash of Clans, Coin Master, FIFA 23, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, Madden NFL 23, Mario Kart 8, Minecraft, NBA 2K23, Pokémon GO, Roblox, Splatoon 3, The Sims 4 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. PlayStation 5 led video game hardware in both unit and dollar sales in the third quarter of this year. “Improved supply of new generation consoles provided a much-needed boost to consumer spending in the third quarter. Unfortunately, this increase wasn’t enough to offset lower content spending from a light release slate and macro factors impacting the video game consumer,” said Mat Piscatella, games industry analyst at The NPD Group. “PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series hardware each achieved double-digit percentage gains in consumer spending during the quarter, while new premium releases such as FIFA 23, Madden NFL 23, NBA 2K23 and Splatoon 3, among others, saw strong sales and engagement. The market is showing signs of positive momentum moving into the holiday quarter. If the supply of new generation consoles continues to improve, more positive changes in performance may be seen.” Methodology : Games Market Dynamics: U.S. provides a comprehensive measure of the consumer spend on video games in the U.S. including purchases of video games hardware, content, and accessories. It is released on a quarterly basis and provides insight and trending into the broader consumer spend on the industry including physical format sales such as new and used physical retail sales as well as game rentals, and digital format sales including full game digital downloads and downloadable content (DLC), spending on subscriptions and mobile gaming. This assessment of the broader consumer spend on the industry utilizes NPD’s monthly POS tracking services as well as consumer data from other NPD trackers, monitors, and reports. *Accessory sales exclude game cards About Sensor Tower, Inc. Sensor Tower is the leading provider of market intelligence and insights for the global app economy. Founded in 2013 and based in San Francisco, CA, Sensor Tower provides enterprise-level data on mobile apps and publishers through our Store Intelligence, Ad Intelligence, Usage Intelligence, and App Intelligence platforms, which offer download, revenue, share of voice, and engagement metrics at unparalleled accuracy for the world’s most important markets. For more information, visit sensortower.com. Follow us on Twitter: @sensortower.

The NPD Group prévoit un marché 2022 en recul de 5 % en dépenses et de 9 % en visites, par comparaison avec 2019 Le ticket moyen a bondi de 7 % depuis 2019, toutes occasions de consommation confondues en restauration rapide et en restauration à table Quatre Français sur 10 déclarent qu’ils se rendront moins souvent au restaurant dans les prochains mois Les Français préservent leurs sorties en famille Paris, le 8 novembre 2022 — À l’occasion de la publication d’une enquête consacrée à la restauration hors domicile*, The NPD Group , qui a récemment fusionné avec Information Resources, Inc. (IRI®) pour constituer un groupe mondial leader et fournisseur de technologies, d’analyses et de données, livre ses résultats. The NPD Group révèle ses prévisions pour 2022 : l’année devrait se terminer sur un recul de 5 % en dépenses et de 9 % en visites pour le total marché, par rapport à 2019 qui sert d’année de référence pré-Covid. S’appuyant sur un panel CREST de 18 000 personnes interrogées tous les mois sur leurs habitudes de restauration, The NPD Group fonde ses prévisions sur les données du marché RHD qu’il suit en France depuis 2004 et sur son expertise sectorielle unique. Bilan 2022 à neuf mois : l’effet inflation Même si le marché semble progresser plus vite et tendre vers la normale côté dépenses, cette bonne santé apparente repose en partie sur l’inflation. Le bilan des neufs premiers mois de l’année montre que le marché de la restauration commerciale est en recul de 11% en visites et de 10% en dépenses par rapport à 2019. La restauration rapide, qui a augmenté de 3 % en valeur en comparaison de 2019, a vu son ticket moyen s’élever de 7 % en trois ans, avec un pic de 10 % à l’heure du déjeuner. Côté visites, le circuit affiche toujours un retard de 3 % par rapport à 2019. La restauration à table reste à la traîne : elle est toujours en recul de 19 % en dépense et de 25 % en visites par comparaison avec 2019 avec un ticket moyen en augmentation de 7% également et un pic de 15% à l’heure du déjeuner. Enquête : les Français face à la hausse des prix Lors de l’enquête « Les Français face à la hausse des prix en restauration » réalisée en septembre 2022, 54 % des répondants ont affirmé que leur situation financière impactait leurs habitudes de consommation hors domicile, soit 7 points de plus qu’en avril 2022. Les 18-34 ans se montrent particulièrement sensibles au prix, puisqu’ils sont 65 % à déclarer changer leurs habitudes de consommation en raison de leur situation financière. Arbitrage : famille je vous aime ! Si quatre Français sur 10 ont l’intention de se rendre moins souvent au restaurant dans les prochains mois, ils semblent toutefois préserver certaines occasions particulières et faire des arbitrages. En effet, par comparaison avec avril 2022, les visites en famille ne reculent que d’un point, tandis que les sorties au restaurant entre amis reculent de neuf points et les déjeuners de travail de huit points (ratio net, part en pourcentage de consommateurs déclarant moins d’occasions soustraite de la part de ceux en déclarant davantage). Maria Bertoch, experte foodservice au sein de The NPD Group, commente : « Les résultats de cette étude montrent que les consommateurs prévoient de dépenser mieux plutôt que plus du tout, comme ce fut le cas lors de la crise de 2008. À l’époque, alors que 51 % des consommateurs allemands, britanniques, français, italiens et espagnols envisageaient de restreindre leurs sorties au restaurant, les résultats dans ces cinq pays avaient été moins impactés au final que prévu, avec un recul de seulement 2,3 % du total marché en 2009. » * « COVID-19 Foodservice Uncertainty Impact Survey France Vague 2 », une enquête The NPD Group menée le 22 septembre 2022 auprès de 512 répondants (42 pages). Plus d’informations sur demande.

Global toy sales increased 30% compared to pre-pandemic sales in 2019 PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., November 8, 2022 – Across the 12 global markets tracked by The NPD Group , toy industry sales increased by 2%, reaching $36.7 billion for the year to date through September 2022 compared to the same period last year. Sales revenue rose 30% when compared to the $28.3 billion generated in 2019 before the pandemic. According to NPD’s Retail Tracking Service, which reports on toy sales in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States (but not China), sales increased in seven countries, but declined by 2% in France, 5% in Germany and UK, and 7% in Belgium. Brazil toy sales revenue increased by 23% and Mexico grew 13%, followed by Spain, Canada, U.S., Italy, and Australia. Overall unit sales volume declined by 4% for the year to date, volumes recovered in September in the U.S., Spain, and Australia. “Three-quarters of toy sales unit growth in September came from Brazil and Mexico, where sales of 2022 World Cup Panini merchandise have had a tremendous impact,” said Frédérique Tutt, global toys industry analyst at NPD . “The timing of the World Cup could affect some markets in the run up to the holiday season this year.” Of the 11 toys supercategories tracked by NPD, six experienced sales increases versus 2021. Plush toys enjoyed the highest growth, increasing by 32%, followed by action figures and accessories at 12%, explorative and other toys at 10%, and building sets at 5%. Outdoor and sports toys and dolls had the largest sales declines, falling by 7% and 8%, respectively. The three fastest growing subclasses during the year to date were non-strategic cards and stickers, followed by traditional plush toys, and action figures and collectibles. Growth in all three subclasses were driven by kids and adult collectors. The top declining subclass, skates and skateboards, fell 30% versus last year. Looking at the five best-selling toy properties this year through September, Pokémon was the largest, followed by Star Wars, Barbie, Marvel Universe, and Hot Wheels. Licenses continue to drive sales growth globally with 29.8% of dollar sales, up 2% year over year, and 5% over 2019. “Unlike many other categories which grew tremendously during the pandemic and then saw sales drop dramatically post-COVID, the global toy market continues to perform and maintain an elevated level of sales,” Tutt said. “As we approach the final quarter of the year, seeing a 2% revenue growth is encouraging for the industry. Once again, toys and games prove their resilience against political and economic uncertainties.”

After last year’s COVID-19 Omicron surge, which derailed many plans to travel and gather, consumers are gearing up for the most festive holiday season in three years. For the footwear and accessories businesses, this optimism translates to a need to refresh wardrobes for social gatherings and invest in items to support travel plans. However, concerns about the economy are looming over this holiday. The 2022 season will prove to be a balancing act as U.S. consumers pair their pent-up holiday energy with their most practical priorities. Here are the top factors that will influence footwear and accessories sales in the U.S. this holiday season: Later Lift This year, consumers are less concerned about product shortages and more focused on inflation, prompting brands and retailers to entice consumers with early deals to help spread out the spending. However, based on the decline in sales reported by NPD for October, that message may have fallen a bit flat. Despite early promotional activities, brand and retailer focus should remain on peak shopping periods, including Thanksgiving week and the last two weeks leading up to Christmas, which traditionally account for the highest percentage of holiday sales for the footwear and accessories markets. Occasion Opportunity The annual NPD Holiday Purchase Intentions study found that this year, more U.S. consumers plan to host or visit family and friends, have an overnight stay away from home, and are generally less concerned about COVID-19. This behavior will create opportunity for dressier footwear, boots, handbags, luggage, and other categories. Self-purchasing will be particularly important in these areas, so brands and retailers need to entice consumers to treat themselves, especially since fewer consumers plan to self-gift this year. And let’s not forget about the continued cozy craze – while there are occasions to get a bit more dressed up this year, slippers will remain a key item for the holiday season and will continue to exert their fuzzy influence on other items such as mules, clogs, sneakers, loafers, and boots. Social (Media) Stimulus Consumers, particularly younger age groups, are increasingly using social media to discover and purchase products. In July, 84% of Gen Z consumers reported that they learn about or discover footwear brands and retailers from social media and 47% have purchased via social media, both up from the beginning of the year, according to the NPD Future of Footwear study. Video posts on sites like TikTok have led to sales for many of the hottest, sold-out footwear and accessories items this year. And, in turn, posts about sold-out items tend to drive up demand. Especially in the footwear market, where a handful of the hot brands and items are key contributors to holiday season sales, brands and retailers need a solid strategy to drive (or leverage) the hype and fulfill the demand, without overshooting. Mixed Methods Across the overall retail landscape, there has been a continued slow and steady decline in the percentage of sales generated online, as physical stores have regained share. For the footwear and accessories businesses specifically, online penetration leveled out in 2021 at about five to 10 points higher than before the pandemic. Both physical stores and digital platforms continue to drive recovery in these industries. For this holiday season, NPD noted a slight dip in the overall percentage of consumers planning to shop online, versus 2021. While we expect to see more of them hitting the stores, for the footwear and accessories businesses this expectation likely won’t lead to a major shift in the metrics we’ve observed this year. Shoppers will be taking advantage of both the in-store and online sales channels, and the less friction that exists between the two, the better. The ups and downs of the past few years, along with the current and uncertain macroeconomic environment, could stifle footwear and accessories sales growth this holiday season. Brands and retailers that remain focused on their consumers’ current lifestyles and priorities will gain share of mind, and share of wallet, during the holidays. Get insights straight to your inbox #Holiday

—Sales of men’s body groomers are up 74% over the last two years Chicago, November 3, 2022 — Manscaping, which is trimming or shaving body hair on the chest, neck, ear, nose, groin, and other areas, isn’t new and dates back to the ancient Romans, but it’s now come back in vogue. In addition to social media validating all types of men’s grooming, there are products made explicitly for manscaping, like body groomers. The 74% sales growth of body groomers over the last two years is evidence of these products’ popularity, reports The NPD Group *. Other trimmers, like ear, nose, and pen trimmers, have also grown retail sales by double-digits from the 12 months ending September 2020 through 12 months ending September 2022. Sales of men’s body groomers and trimmers reached new heights during the early stages of the pandemic when men emerged from pandemic lockdowns with months of body and facial hair growth to remove. For example, in the 12 months ending September 2021, body groomer sales increased by 62% compared to a still sizeable 7% growth in the year ending September 2022, according to NPD’s ongoing tracking of personal care product sales. There have always been shavers and razors available to trim and cut hair on the head and face, but the appeal of body groomers is that these products are specifically designed to trim around delicate, thin skin. Most beard trimmers come with detailing attachments that help shape facial hair. On the other hand, body groomers come with attachments that glide more cleanly over body hair, with various guard lengths. Although Gen Zs, ages 18 through 24, have been credited with popularizing the manscaping trend, buyers of body groomers and men’s trimmers represent all age groups. Both men and women purchase body groomers and men’s trimmers, with a slight skew towards male buyers. The area of the country with the highest sales of men trimmers, up 44% in the 12 months ending September 2022 compared to a year ago, is Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC/VA. “Fueling the manscaping trend are innovative manufacturers who recognize the need for specialty trimmers designed for different body and face areas,” says Joe Derochowski, NPD home industry advisor . “The need was always there, and these manufacturers addressed it and brought it to the forefront, and consumers are responding.”

Inaugural 2021 DAP participants achieved significant growth and strengthened partnerships with key retailers CHICAGO – Nov. 3, 2022 – IRI®, which recently merged with The NPD Group to create a leading global technology, analytics and data provider, today provided an update on the recent success and strong momentum of the company’s Diversity Advantage Program (DAP), which empowers women- and minority-owned consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to grow. “The inaugural program has achieved fantastic results for the many participating businesses owned by members of underrepresented groups,” said Boris Oglesby, executive vice president and practice leader, IRI. “We are grateful for the support of IRI’s employee volunteers and our many retailer partners, who have dedicated significant time and resources to this initiative. We are also excited to welcome the 2022 cohort of businesses into the program and look forward to providing the data, insights literacy training and expertise needed to help them grow their sales and market share, and achieve ongoing success.” For the past year, DAP has offered complimentary access to consumer and shopper insights data and applications, literacy training and consulting services to 27 participating companies, delivering material benefits for each business. Notable successes include: BLK and Bold Specialty Coffee , a specialty coffee manufacturer, tapped into the opportunity for premium, specialty K-cups in the single-cup coffee category with a leading retailer by identifying stores with the highest propensity for purchases and quantifying sales impact. The retailer subsequently increased potential distribution for BLK and Bold by 450 stores. Mented , a new women-founded cosmetics company, leveraged a detailed consumer survey to better understand the cosmetic shopping preferences of a leading retailer’s customers. Insights derived from the survey helped guide Mented’s strategy, which contributed to a sales increase of more than 80% and a doubling of its average weekly distribution at the retailer. Pernell Cezar, Co-Founder & CEO for BLK and Bold, commented, “DAP has unlocked incredible opportunities for our business that never would have been attainable without access to the valuable sales and consumer insights that IRI provides. As a result of the program, BLK and Bold has accelerated growth and is well-positioned for continued success. I am very grateful to IRI and the participating retailers for dedicating their time and resources to this effort.” IRI’s Diversity Advantage Program was developed by IRI employees who wanted to create a fair and equitable consumer goods ecosystem. The program empowers rising minority- and women-owned consumer packaged goods companies to achieve positive organizational growth. DAP is supported by more than 200 IRI employee volunteers and includes 11 retail partners across the United States and the United Kingdom. To be eligible to participate in DAP, companies must have $1 million to $25 million in annual sales and be recommended by a participating retailer. Click here for more information about the program or email DAP@IRIworldwide.com for information on how to apply for the 2023 program.

Port Washington, N.Y., November 2, 2022 – The NPD Group today announced the recipients of its fourth annual Automotive Aftermarket Performance Awards, which were shared with the recipients during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas. The awards recognized brands that achieved the top increases in U.S. market share in key areas of the aftermarket and tires market. Winners within accessories and appearance, chemicals/additives/fluids, maintenance and repair, and specific tires segments were identified using NPD’s Retail Tracking Service, which reports sales data collected from a panel of retailers including automotive specialty, mass-market, tire, e-commerce, and others. NPD 2022 Automotive Aftermarket Performance Awards U.S. Award Winners for Top Increase in Market Share Aftermarket Category Brand Accessories & Appearance Chemical Guys Chemicals/Additives/Fluids Valvoline Maintenance & Repair NOCO Companies Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, 12 ME August 2022 (among brands with at least $25M in sales) Tires Segment Brand PCLT & HD/Commercial Tires Michelin ATV/UTV/Sport & Trailer Tires Carlisle Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, 12 ME August 2022 “It is a pleasure to celebrate the continued growth and resiliency of the aftermarket, and we are excited to recognize some of the companies that have realized success amid turbulent times,” said Steve Flavin, president, automotive practice, NPD. “These awards demonstrate the leadership that has helped to sustain the aftermarket’s strength and will continue to guide the industry through the next set of challenges.”

IRI’s latest food and beverage inflation data reveals insights from Halloween and expectations for the upcoming holidays CHICAGO – Nov. 2, 2022 – Information Resources, Inc. (IRI®), which recently merged with The NPD Group to create a leading global technology, analytics and data provider, today released a new report, October 2022 Price Check: Tracking Retail Food and Beverage Inflation , with insights regarding food inflation and its impact on consumer shopping behavior. The report leverages point-of-sale data for October 2022 and includes data across U.S. food channels, including grocery, drug, mass market, military commissaries, select club and dollar stores, as well as e-commerce. The latest data shows that food and beverage prices in October 2022 increased by 1.4% compared to September. Compared to a year ago, overall food inflation has stabilized in the past three months. However, consumers are using multiple tactics to reduce spending in pressured times, such as switching to private labels, trading out of expensive food categories, and trading down to mainstream and value brands, consuming more at home versus away from home “As overall food inflation continued to increase from September, consumers are trading down on several products such as detergents and frozen meals, and are moving to value items,” said Krishnakumar (KK) Davey, president of Thought Leadership for CPG and Retail, IRI and NPD. “With the holidays approaching, shoppers are being mindful of their budgets and are looking for value. Yet, we do see some segments of consumers continuing to pay a premium for differentiated or new products. Some shoppers buy larger packs, despite higher prices, in order to get good value for money.” IRI is closely monitoring consumer behavior and will provide continual updates to ensure retailers and manufacturers have the most up-to-date insights they need to prepare for large gatherings. Key insights from the October 2022 inflation report include the following: Inflation varies across the store. Within the store, the perimeter, including produce and deli, has seen inflation moderate to 8.4% compared to the year-ago period, while center store inflation, including snacks, frozen meals and other frozen foods, has risen every month in 2022 and is now at 14.9% compared to the year-ago period. Fresh meat and seafood and alcohol segments are only up 4.5% and 5.5% compared to the year-ago period, while other categories, such as dairy (+21.3%) and frozen meals and other frozen foods (+18.4%), are up significantly. Halloween candy prices spooked consumers. Seasonal Halloween candy prices increased 13.5% compared to the year-ago period, while volumes are down 2.0% compared to the year-ago period due to more significant declines in the more expensive chocolate segment (-7.9% volume compared to the year-ago period). Thanksgiving will be expensive. Price inflation for the Thanksgiving meal is up 13.7% compared to the year-ago period, driven by pies and side dishes, up 19.6% and 18.8%, respectively, while protein is up 9.7% compared to the year-ago period. Consumers are reducing their consumption in some food and beverage segments due to rising prices. Volumes are down more than 10% in categories such as frozen poultry (-15.5%), deli service lunchmeat (-11.4%), frozen dinners (-10.9%) and shelf-stable dinners (-10.8%), due to significant price increases. About IRI IRI unifies technology, analytics and data to reinvent how people and companies make decisions, take action and optimize performance. With the largest repository of purchase, media, social, causal and loyalty data, all integrated into an on-demand, cloud-based technology platform, IRI helps to guide its more than 5,000 clients around the world in their quests to capture market share, connect with consumers, collaborate with key constituents and deliver market-leading growth. For more information, visit www.iriworldwide.com . IRI Media Contact: Katie Jewett Email: IRI@upraisepr.com Phone: (503) 442-8805

New data highlights the impact of inflation and insights into grocery trends in the categories that drive sales leading up to Thanksgiving CHICAGO – Nov. 2, 2022 – IRI®, which recently merged with The NPD Group to create a leading global technology, analytics and data provider, today released its 2022 Thanksgiving Tracker , a new report revealing insights on Thanksgiving-related grocery sales trends. As the holiday approaches and inflation issues continue to impact many industries, IRI has tracked a variety of holiday-related items to determine their price, availability and demand leading up to Thanksgiving. These key insights will enable retailers and manufacturers to make more informed decisions about merchandising and promotions to drive growth and profitability, and to deliver for shoppers during one of the largest food holidays of the year. "Despite the significant impact of inflation, consumers are excited to return to pre-pandemic holiday celebrations, and many will be participating in the Thanksgiving holiday by purchasing the same amount of groceries as they typically do," said Alastair Steel, executive, IRI Client Engagement. "This year, consumers are planning further ahead for Thanksgiving than ever before, picking up staple items as they see promotions that fit within their budgets. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving will be a tremendous opportunity for CPG brands and grocery retailers, and recent data will empower optimization on promotions and advertising strategies for key products." IRI tracked the top Thanksgiving-related grocery categories based on data for the week ending Oct. 16, 2022, resulting in these key findings: Thanksgiving is back, but it will cost more. Big celebrations are back, and 76% of respondents to an IRI survey report they’ll celebrate Thanksgiving in the way they typically celebrated it before COVID-19. However, the traditional Thanksgiving meal items are estimated to cost 13.5% more than they did a year ago. More young people are participating in the holiday meal. The pandemic empowered a new generation of cooks, and more young people will be preparing a holiday meal or hosting a celebration among family or friends. There will be an average of 7.4 people at the Thanksgiving table this year, but that number jumps to 9.8 for Gen Z and younger Millennials (under the age of 32). Thanksgiving shopping will take place earlier this year. In 2021, shoppers purchased their Thanksgiving staples much earlier than they did in previous years, including the highest rates of whole-bird turkey volume in October ever seen. Many consumers expect to pay more for Thanksgiving-related items this year, and with concerns surrounding inflation, shoppers are already looking for deals and will be picking up items as they see them promoted. Thanksgiving is one of the largest food holidays in the United States. Historically, many categories see a significant lift in sales leading up to Thanksgiving. This year will be no different; categories including baking, beverages, meat (both turkey and ham), sides and pies are expected to see a significant volume lift. About IRI IRI unifies technology, analytics and data to reinvent how people and companies make decisions, take action and optimize performance. With the largest repository of purchase, media, social, causal and loyalty data, all integrated into an on-demand, cloud-based technology platform, IRI helps to guide its more than 5,000 clients around the world in their quests to capture market share, connect with consumers, collaborate with key constituents and deliver market-leading growth. For more information, visit www.iriworldwide.com . IRI Media Contact: Katie Jewett Email: IRI@upraisepr.com Phone: (503) 442-8805

More than one-third of consumers expect to purchase a CE product, reports NPD Port Washington, NY, October 31, 2022 – The NPD Group, which recently merged with Information Resources, Inc. (IRI®), announced its annual Holiday Purchase Intentions report findings and among consumer electronics (CE) categories purchase intent was highest for smartphones, headphones, tablets/e-readers, and smartwatches this holiday shopping season. More than one-third (36%) of consumers expect to purchase a consumer technology product this holiday, which is slightly down from last year (37%) and up from 2020 (33%). “After two years of strong growth supported by at-home pandemic-era needs, consumers expect to spend fewer dollars this holiday season on CE,” said Paul Gagnon , vice president, industry advisor for NPD. “Categories like smartphones and smartwatches are benefitting from consumers planning to spend more time away from home.” Of the CE categories, consumer intent to purchase smartphones is highest and compared to holiday 2020, 27% more consumers are interested in buying a smartphone this holiday. Consumers with high discretionary income are the main driver of this demand. In fact, 27% of respondents with an annual household income over $150,000 noted interest in purchasing a smartphone this holiday while only 13% showed interest in the $75,000 – $150,000 income group and 12% of those with an income below $75,000. Following smartphones, consumers reported interest in purchasing headphones and tablets/e-readers this holiday, with smartwatches rounding out the top four. Notably, interest in purchasing a smartwatch hit a three-year high and had the strongest year over year interest gain of any CE category. “Excitement around newly released devices and a longer stretch of holiday promotions will help determine what consumers purchase this holiday season,” said Ben Arnold , executive director and technology industry analyst for NPD. “In addition to these high interest categories, TVs and smart home products remain CE staples during the holiday timeframe. We can expect promotions to drive unit sales in these categories for the fourth quarter.”

Six macro trends currently shaping food and beverage consumption behaviors. CHICAGO – Oct. 31, 2022 – Historically, there has been a rhythm to eating patterns in America; somewhat predictable habits formed by daily routines and needs. The early stages of the pandemic disrupted this rhythm, and just as eating patterns were returning to pre-pandemic normalcy, food inflation set them on end again, reports The NPD Group* , in its recently released 2022 edition of Eating Patterns in America . “The rate of change in U.S. consumers’ eating behaviors continues at a dizzying pace,” says David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America . “Anyone hoping to return to normal must understand that there is no normal, only an ongoing evolution as we respond to new realities.” Portalatin points to six macro themes currently shaping the new realities of food and beverage consumption behaviors: economic transition, inflation, income bifurcation, sticky behaviors, total wellness, and the return to convenience. Economic transition: Consumer spending in 2020 and 2021 experienced a stimulus-fueled surge that extended into the first quarter of 2022. But, the spending spree ended by the second quarter when stimulus money dried up, and inflation and economic uncertainty took hold. The positive and negative disruptions of the past few years may mean year-over-year economic metrics aren’t as straightforward as they’d ordinarily be in explaining the consumer’s health. Inflation: Consumers are unlikely to reduce food and beverage consumption in the face of inflationary pressure. But, they will find ways to manage and allocate their food dollars. While inflation is more moderate for food away from home than food at home, the typical restaurant meal costs 3.4 times more than in-home food sourced from retail. To offset rising food costs, consumers are bargain-hunting when grocery shopping, eating more meals at home, and cutting back on restaurant visits. Income bifurcation: One of the key themes currently shaping the food and beverage landscape is the difference in behaviors among income groups. Trends of upper- and lower-income consumers are starkly divergent. In the food and beverage industry, income bifurcation has profound implications for the total share of stomach trends, retailer and restaurant choice, dealing and promotions, and brands vs. private labels. Sticky behaviors: Many eating behaviors adopted during the pandemic reflect a rapid acceleration of behaviors established long before the pandemic, like consumers eating most meals at home. Food and beverage behaviors may continue to “normalize,” but the consumer landscape has been transformed as consumers created new capacities and restaurant operators expanded capabilities to serve a more home-centric consumer. Total wellness: Due to the pandemic, consumers are finding a balance between foods that contribute to physical well-being and those that serve more emotional needs. They’re increasingly in tune with the functional attributes of various foods and beverages that can contribute to both sides of this equation. Return to convenience: Back to school and work create time pressures for home cooks and foodservice customers. And while home-centricity remains more prevalent, the return of mobility reintroduced the need for speed and convenience. For some occasions, this means a trip to a quick service restaurant, but for others, we want to retain our new at-home capacity, just with some shortcuts or time-saving techniques. “America’s eating patterns are shifting to adjust to new realities, and food manufacturers, foodservice operators, and retailers will need to adjust their offerings and services accordingly,” says Portalatin. “Although the one constant is change, there is a constant to count on, the U.S. consumer will always need to eat, and then it’s a matter of figuring out what, how, when, and where.”