STORES

Mars

Once a two-month period ushered in by cooling temperatures and the return of school, Halloween season has crept into summer, becoming the longest retail season of the year.

That’s thanks to Summerween, a Gen Z-driven warm-weather celebration that’s risen in popularity over the last few years.

A recent survey from candy giant Mars found 59% of the generation are aware of the holiday, and 30% participate in it. Beyond Gen Z, a survey from Hershey and Morning Consult found 67% of parents had already purchased Halloween candy as of early July. Most other confectionery companies are leaning in, too, with Nestlé rolling out Summerween cookie doughs in July and Brachs announcing the start of candy corn season in early August. This comes as Halloween candy has grown from $3.1 billion in 2022 to $3.9 billion last year, per NRF (with help from higher chocolate prices and inflation).

Tim LeBel, chief customer officer at Mars Snacking North America (who is also its chief Halloween officer), told Retail Brew the holiday has jumpstarted a “shrinking” six-week season into one that takes over nearly half the year, starting in June, which means the M&Ms and Snickers maker has had to shift its strategy to meet consumer and retail partners’ needs.

“It truly has become our largest season across any calendar year; it’s no longer a Halloween week or a Halloween night event,” LeBel said.

Keep reading here.—EC

      

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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

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There’s no debating that shoppers today love a good deal and are increasingly value conscious, but when it comes to their favorite brands, there are certain exceptions.

YouGov’s latest Profiles data found that while only 24% of consumers across the US said the label was important to them when purchasing clothes, they were a valuable audience because they spent more money and cared more about quality.

In fact, 30% of “brand-conscious” shoppers spent more than $200 on clothing in the last three months, compared to 15% of price-conscious shoppers.

Likewise, 28% of those identifying as brand-conscious ranked product quality as the biggest consideration, compared to 17% of price-conscious consumers. Meanwhile, price-conscious shoppers lean the other way, with 26% prioritizing price, compared to 15% of brand-conscious consumers.

Keep reading here.—JS

      

RETAIL

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It’s National Thrift Shop Day, and those who celebrate are closing out their online shopping carts and hitting their local secondhand retailer. To prepare shoppers for the event, Goodwill released these tips for getting the most out of the occasion. The nonprofit is using the holiday to make the case for thrift stores in general, appealing to “bargain hunters, fashion enthusiasts, and environmentally conscious individuals.”

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In earnings: It’s retail week for Q2 earnings, with big box, discount, wholesale and home improvement all reporting. Kicking off the lineup of heavy hitters is Home Depot on Tuesday. Then Lowe’s, Target, and TJX Companies on Wednesday, Walmart and Ross Stores on Thursday, and BJ’s Wholesale on Friday. In Q1, the retail sector overall beat expectations on the back of some hefty tax refunds. Now that the extra money is gone, we’ll see if headwinds such as higher gas prices impact consumer spending.

Keep reading here.—AV

      

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Today’s top retail reads.

Hot and cold: July retail sales in the US recorded their biggest drop in more than a year. (the New York Times)

Recipe balks: Why more shoppers are gravitating toward supermarkets’ prepared-food aisles. (NBC)

French toast: How the extreme heat in Europe is expected to take a toll on France’s Champagne producers. (CNBC)

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