Forbes | June 30, 2021 Today, shoppers are paying more and more attention to what ingredients are in beauty products to ensure they are safe. The clean beauty market has become a fast-growing category and demand is expected to continue to grow. “The declaration of a climate emergency has increased consumer awareness and grown demand for ethical and environmentally-friendly products. Infiltration of these products alongside wellness and self-care trends has increased the deman

Retail Dive | June 11, 2021 With the level of uncertainty the pandemic brought on, consumers turned to pets as a source of comfort and the pet sector of retail has by and large thrived. Chewy has seen this continue reporting first quarter net sales growth 31.7% to $2.1 billion, driven by its growing customer base and "strength in purchasing behavior," CEO Sumit Singh said. Even as the economy begins to open up, the pet retailer added nearly 560,000 new customers from the prev

Business Insider | May 22, 2021 Some of the country's biggest retailers, including Walmart, Macy's, Target, and Home Depot, said sales are strong and shoppers are returning to stores as pandemic restrictions ease and the country reopens. Some experts predict that after more than a year of staying at home because of the lockdowns, people will again embrace shopping in person. Walmart reported over $138 billion in first quarter sales as people return to normal, pre-pandemic sho

Walmart News | May 3, 2021 This National Pet Month, Walmart is excited to celebrate all the pets and all fellow pet parents. A positive outcome from the pandemic has been a surge in pet adoptions and fostering, with more than 11 million U.S. households getting a new pet. Melody Richard, Vice President, Pets, Walmart shares "With a family that includes four members with four legs, I know the importance of giving your pets the very best. And Walmart does, too." From healthy tre

A Bullseye View | April 27, 2021 Something big is about to bloom: Hilton Carter for Target, a new, Spring collection from plant enthusiast and interior stylist Hilton Carter. Highlighting Hilton’s modern and approachable style, the collection includes a variety of plants, pots, terrariums and tools that make plant parenthood stylish and easy, bringing the outdoors in. “Our guests are increasingly looking for ways to add more comfort and personality to their surroundings. Sear

Retail Dive | April 27, 2021 Last year, for the first time in a decade, sales growth of national brands outpaced the growth of private labels, according to NielsenIQ data. Store brand manufacturers like TreeHouse Foods struggled to shift their supply chains amid demand spikes, while major brands were able to narrow assortments and focus on best-sellers. Private label outpacing national brand growth is set to resume this year, as retailers and suppliers face a more normalized

Forbes | April 20, 2021 The toy business, like many industries, has changed dramatically since the pandemic started. James Zahn, Deputy Editor of The Toy Book, Senior Editor of The Toy Insider, shared a number of insights about the industry. As the pandemic took hold and parents realized they’d be spending more time at home, sales spiked. Toy sales in 2020 were up 16% and the big categories were games and puzzles, dolls and action figures and outdoor play. Licensed toys were

Business Insider | April 13, 2021 If you splurged on a matching pajama set in the last year, you're not alone. Those fortunate enough to maintain an income shifted "scheduled spend" from normal routines to indulgences. Last April, PJ sales spiked 143% compared to March. In 2020, NPD Group shared, pajamas priced at $50 or more grew at triple the rate of the total pajama market. In 2019, the global industry was worth more than $10 million, and it's projected to reach more than

Business Insider | October 22, 2020 The home improvement giant is lavishing attention on a future generation of consumers with minimal spending power: children, with the goal of instilling a love of building, renovating and repairing that will carry through to adulthood. More than 20 years after offering its first workshop for kids, The Home Depot is launching a new educational video series, Virtual Field Trips, with accompanying DIY projects, for the millions of students acr