IRI Blog

And the candies that consumers are screaming for are…

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:18:00 GMT

Halloween is here and nothing says Halloween more than costumes, pumpkins, and candy! IRI research conducted after last Halloween (the eight-week period ending November 9, 2008) from supermarkets, drugstores, and mass merchandise outlets (excluding Walmart) revealed that out of the 20 different popular choices of chocolate candies we monitored, Hershey’s® and Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups® were the top sellers while Regular M&M’s® and Snickers® were extremely close for third place. At the same time, consumers aren’t putting all their chocolate eggs into the same basket as we have been noticing a growing popularity in variety bags as well.

IRI Thought Leadership Webinar: Times & Trends: Zero Moment of Truth

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:40:00 GMT

Today, Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. CT, IRI’s Times & Trends Editor, Susan Viamari, will spend one hour detailing the findings of IRI’s recent report, “Zero Moment of Truth,” providing insight into how today’s new frugal consumer researches, buys and uses CPG products.

IRI Speaks: National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:38:00 GMT

More than ever, convenience store retailers must stay on top of their consumers’ changing needs by quickly adopting available services in the industry to obtain critical shopper data that can be analyzed and converted into promotional and in-store strategies.

IRI Speaks: Brand Loyalty Congress ’09: Loyalty in Financially Challenging Times

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:02:00 GMT

Today’s retailers need to take advantage of the plethora of information and data available to better relate and improve their relationships with customers, ultimately increasing long-term shopper loyalty. This week, I’ll be presenting a keynote at the Brand Loyalty Congress ’09 Conference in Milan, Italy on the topic of “Getting the Most From Your Data: Analyzing Loyalty.”

Private Label Growth Continues to Remain Strong in US and EU

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:07:00 GMT

This week, IRI released a Times & Trends Special Report highlighting the continued success of private label programs in the United States and throughout Europe. We are tracking this spike in private label strategies to help retailers and manufacturers monitor the progress of their programs and to assist them in developing their private label programs and associated marketing campaigns.

Calling All Shoppers – Show IRI Your Savvy "Cents"

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:28:00 GMT

Finally, frugality is rewarded! Today, we launched a video contest on YouTube that recognizes and rewards thrifty consumers who know how to get creative and stretch their dollars. The contest, “Savvy Supermarket Cents™,” is hosted on http://www.youtube.com/savvycents and will identify consumers with the savviest shopping sense—those who know how to put their money to work in any market ranging from groceries to healthcare.

Beer, Wine, and Spirits: Opportunity is Knocking

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:30:00 GMT

The beer, wine, and spirits industry is another industry affected by the economic downturn. While we’ve explored CPG and retail in-depth, the beverage alcohol industry is a compelling study of how consumers are changing purchasing habits and where they seek out product information. Our new report, “Understanding the Beer, Wine and Spirits Shopper in Today’s Economy,” examines the upward trend of beer, wine and spirits in the past year as a result of the changing economy.

Ray of Conservative Optimism Seen by Consumers This Holiday Season

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:36:00 GMT

We recently conducted a 1,000-household survey to capture consumers’ thoughts on how they will budget for, shop, and celebrate the holidays this year. The results show Americans are growing weary of bad economic news and are ready to start spreading the holiday cheer. Results of the survey indicate a slight rise in consumer confidence compared to last year.

Channel Migration: Escalation of Deal-Seeking Drives Battle for Share to a New Level

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:00 GMT

IRI's Susan Viamari, Editor of Times and Trends, posted a guest blog on Google's CPG Blog titled, "Channel Migration: Escalation of Deal-Seeking Drives Battle for Share to a New Level."

IRI Speaks: GMA Executive Conference 2009

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:29:00 GMT

The changing shopper has been a challenge for CPG manufacturers and retailers alike. This week at the Grocery Manufacturers of America, I’ll be moderating the panel, “The New Value Consumer: Company Response to New Priorities and Changed Habits.” We will discuss how inherently the American consumer has changed, and what retail and CPG must do to stay attuned to their shopper and maintain their competitive edge.