AGP Executive Report
Last update: 6 hours agoU.S. Spending: Retail sales rose 0.8% in September, beating forecasts, but gasoline purchases jumped 6.4%. Excluding fuel, sales gained just 0.2%, while the core control group rose 0.1%, pointing to pressure on discretionary spending. Holiday Outlook: NRF forecasts November–December sales will grow 4.2% to $1.013 trillion, the fastest pace since 2021, though inflation and tight budgets remain concerns. Grocery Demand: U.S. grocery unit sales slipped 0.1% year over year in September even as dollar sales rose 2.1% to $73.7 billion; frozen foods and meat gained. UK Retail: Halloween spending is forecast to reach £705 million, up 6%, with treats, costumes and home décor among the expected beneficiaries. Retail Strategy: Beauty retailer Justmylook added structured ingredient data for 15 brands, aiming to make products easier for AI shopping assistants to find and recommend. Retail Deals: Poundland sale talks are intensifying, with Lidl reportedly interested and billionaire Chris Dawson also joining the race.
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