North America

Canadian Tire, the second largest player in the home products specialists channel in Canada in 2023, behind Home Depot, launched several initiatives towards the end of the review period. Triangle Select is a new annual fee-based subscription…

In 2023, the hypermarkets channel in Canada faced increased competition from online platforms, discounters, and convenience stores, which are offering more convenience, value, and variety to consumers. Online platforms, such as Amazon, Shopify, and…

Following the high inflation in 2022, Canada experienced a slight alleviation in 2023, with inflation subsiding to more usual levels. However, residual effects of increased living costs persisted, restraining consumer spending. Despite these…

Canada experienced significant inflation in 2022, impacting consumer purchasing power and leading to reduced spending, particularly on essential items like nappies/diapers/pants. However, 2023 saw a marginal increase in volume consumption as…

Educational efforts from brands and retailers, coupled with the ageing Canadian population, have significantly contributed to a positive outlook for retail adult incontinence in 2023 and beyond. As demographics shift and the population ages, there is…

The growth of retail e-commerce slowed down in Canada in 2023. However, the channel saw sales continue to rise in both current and constant value terms, with retail e-commerce having become a regular feature in the shopping patterns of a broad range…

The retail market in Canada showed remarkable resilience and growth in 2023, despite the challenges posed by the enduring impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the high rate of inflation, and supply chain disruptions. Canadian consumers continued to spend…

In 2023, value sales of retail tissue in Canada recorded steady growth. The country’s annual inflation rate settled around 3.1%, a much steadier adjustment than the 40-year high of 6.8% that it witnessed in 2022, according to the Consumer Price…

Small local grocers were becoming more popular in Canada in 2023, as they offered convenience, variety, and fresh products to urban consumers leading ever more hectic lifestyles. Small format stores allow retailers to adapt to changing consumer…

Supermarkets players in Canada faced some notable challenges in 2023, such as rising prices, a potential recession, high levels of uncertainty, and supply chain disruptions. These factors continue to test the loyalty of Canadian consumers, many of…

Despite the easing inflationary environment in 2023, certain product areas within the Canadian tissue and hygiene market continue to witness price boosts. On average, lower price increases are observed in Canada compared to the US. The inflation rate…

KioSoft launched KioVend vending machines in Canada in 2023, offering a wide range of ready-to-use snacks and drinks. While most vending machines are sold by aggregators who rely on third parties for payments, KioVend controls all aspects of its…

In 2023, baby wipes in Canada emerged as a resilient category within personal wipes, experiencing robust growth driven by multiple factors. Heightened awareness of hygiene, coupled with increased product accessibility and versatility, contributed to…

In 2023, current value growth in apparel and footwear specialists slowed for a second year in a row in the US, as demand continued to normalise relative to 2021, and consumers managed through another year of high inflation. This is a bit misleading,…

In 2023, sales of appliances and electronics specialists in the US declined for a second year running in both current value terms and in value terms at constant 2023 prices. The inflationary environment led consumers to postpone discretionary…

As it did for many industries, the pandemic distorted the growth curve for convenience retailers. Following historically high current value growth rates in 2021 and 2022, sales slowed for convenience retailers (which encompasses convenience stores…

Direct selling continued its declining trend in both value terms at constant 2023 prices and in current value terms for the second year running in the US in 2023. The impressive growth posted by direct selling in 2020 has not been sustained. As a…

Sales growth slowed for discounters in the US in current value terms in 2023, reflecting a general trend in the grocery retailers space, as inflation led consumers to volume buys and cheaper meal planning. Nonetheless, discounters recorded one of the…

In 2023, although general merchandise stores in the US saw slight growth in current value terms, sales continued to decline at constant 2023 prices, driven by department stores. In December 2023, Arkhouse Management, and Brigade Capital Management…

Health and beauty specialists in the US saw low current value growth in 2023, but maintained a similar decline to the previous year at constant 2023 prices. Current value growth for the pharmacies channel was almost flat in 2023. This marked the…

In 2023, home products specialists (which encompasses homewares and home furnishing stores, home improvement and gardening stores, and pet shops and superstores) in the US saw value declines in both current terms and constant terms at 2023 prices.…

Hypermarkets experienced slower current value growth in the US in 2023 than in the previous year. This was largely a response to the still difficult inflationary environment in the country. Many US consumers continued to put off purchases of…

In 2022, as the rate of inflation in the US hit the highest level seen in decades, consumers were forced to look for ways to ration their spending. This had a significant impact on the retail industry, as US residents cut back on purchases of…

In 2022, the annual rate of inflation in the US rose to the highest level recorded in 40 years. As a result, rising costs firmly supplanted the COVID-19 pandemic as US consumers’ foremost concern. With the prices of groceries and petrol rising…

Small local grocers experienced positive growth in current value terms in the US in 2023, although it was one of the lower growth channels within grocery retailers, and decline continued in value terms at constant 2023 prices. Small local grocers in…

Although supermarkets recorded positive growth in the US in current value terms in 2023, it posted near flat growth at constant 2023 prices. As such, inflation, rather than a higher number of units sold, was behind much of the value gain. In current…

The vending channel experienced healthy growth in current value terms in the US in 2023, and also maintained solid growth in value terms at constant 2023 prices. The continued normalisation of work and mobility routines post-pandemic benefited…

Despite the prevailing high inflation rates that strained family budgets and escalated the costs of essential commodities such as groceries, the sales of baby and child-specific products remained resilient in 2023. Value growth was primarily…

Bath and shower exhibited robust growth in 2023, primarily driven by price escalations as volumes lagged due to consumer retrenchment amidst inflationary pressures and premiumisation. Categories such as liquid soap, considered household staples,…

In 2023, beauty and personal care continued its growth trajectory following a robust recovery in the previous year. Fragrances, colour cosmetics, and skin care led in terms of value sales as Canadians sought out "affordable luxuries" to boost their…

Colour cosmetics witnessed exceptional growth in 2023, fuelled by consumers seeking to indulge in affordable luxuries amidst challenging economic conditions marked by high inflation and interest rates. As the cost of daily essentials such as rents,…

Deodorants experienced robust growth in 2023, primarily propelled by inflationary price increases, contributing to the expansion of retail value. Despite this, volumes decreased across categories as demand normalised following the economic reopening…

Depilatories witnessed gains in value growth in 2023, primarily fuelled by price increases as consumers shifted towards self-care and at-home treatments in lieu of spa and salon visits. This trend was spurred by increases in the cost of living,…

Fragrances witnessed remarkable growth in 2023 across all categories, with value outpacing volume due to inflation-driven price increases and the premiumisation trend. While both mass and premium fragrances experienced an uptick, premium fragrances…

Hair care experienced robust value growth in 2023, primarily propelled by price increases attributed to inflation and premiumisation trends. Despite declining unit volumes in most categories due to consumers washing their hair less frequently and…

In 2023, mass beauty and personal care in Canada witnessed robust growth fuelled by a consumer focus on self-care, health, and wellbeing. In the face of stress induced by the lingering effects of the pandemic and economic turbulence stemming from…

Men’s grooming experienced healthy value growth in 2023, primarily propelled by the men’s toiletries segment, encompassing bath and shower, skin care, and hair care products. While volumes remained subdued across most categories, there was a marginal…

In 2023, oral care experienced robust growth fuelled by sustained consumer interest in self-care and heightened awareness of hygiene's crucial role in overall wellbeing. While volumes lagged behind value in most categories due to inflation-induced…

Premium beauty and personal care in Canada witnessed robust growth in 2023, driven by consumers' heightened focus on self-care, health, and wellbeing. Despite the lingering stress and economic turbulence induced by the pandemic and high inflation,…

Skin care experienced robust growth in 2023, following a strong performance in 2022. This growth was primarily led by value, as price increases and premiumisation prompted consumers to be more selective in their purchases, seeking out products that…

Sunscreen experienced robust growth in 2023, following a surge in demand driven by travel in the previous year. While volume growth normalised after the travel-driven spike in 2022, sunscreen sales continued to soar, primarily led by value due to…

Single-serve fresh ground coffee pods that are compostable are gaining significant traction in the US hot drinks market, championed by brands like Bugle Call Coffee and San Francisco Bay Coffee. Bugle Call Coffee offers convenient and compostable…

PepsiCo Beverages North America recently made another significant step on its sustainability journey by replacing plastic rings with paperboard packaging for carbonates multipacks in North America, starting from 29 August 2023. This was for both…

Thin wall plastic containers were the leading pack type in coffee packaging in 2023, and are expected to record growth in this category over the forecast period. This trend is attributed to the prevalence of fresh ground coffee pods in Canada, with…

There has been an increasing shift towards smaller formats in the packaging of soft drinks among Canadian consumers. This shift can be primarily attributed to the convenience offered by smaller packaging, like fitting easily into bags or cup holders…

As in dog food, the trend towards premium and natural offerings continued in cat food in Canada at the end of the review period. Owners increasingly look for high-quality, whole-food ingredients and specialised diets for their cats. Importantly, they…

In 2024, maintaining the trend seen over the previous two years, cat food is set to see solid retail volume growth and more dynamic current value growth in the US. Over the past year, the cat food category has received growing attention from…

Dog food in Canada, as in many developed markets, is informed by strong pet humanisation trends. With more and more owners treating their dogs as members of the family, rather than as domestic animals, the category is seeing a widening range of food…

Dog food is set to maintain slow and stable retail volume growth and more dynamic current value growth in the US in 2024. Despite strong unit price growth across 2022 and 2023, which has continued, although at a slower rate, in 2024, volume…

Other pet food in Canada mirrors key trends in dog and cat food towards the end of the review period. In this vein, Canadian pet owners are increasingly seeking premium options through the use of natural ingredients. This has translated into a rise…