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Welcome to FMCG Weekly, your go-to podcast for the most insightful trends and innovations in the fast-moving consumer goods and retail industries across the UK and Europe.
Each week, we scan the latest news from the UK, France, Germany, the Benelux, Scandinavia, the US, and beyond, cutting through the noise to deliver the most relevant stories for industry experts and senior managers. A note about our voices: We use AI narration technology to bring you this content.
Subscribe to FMCG Weekly today and never miss the trends driving the future of FMCG and retail!
45 Episodes
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This week’s episode analyzes three distinct strategies in the FMCG sector amidst high cocoa prices and inflation. We examine Lindt & Sprüngli’s robust financial results, where a 19% price increase drove 12.4% organic growth despite a significant drop in volume, highlighting the risks of premium pricing power. We contrast this with Hershey’s aggressive 20% marketing budget increase aimed at revitalizing its flagship brand and reducing reliance on seasonal sales. Finally, we discuss Lidl Fr...
Victoria’s Secret’s announced today a successful pivot to fewer discounts (+9% sales, improved margins). At the same time the grocery sector in the UK descended into a promotional price war to combat inflation. We analyze the "Post-Promotional Paradox" facing FMCG executives: as the post-COVID pricing power fades, the traditional reflex to buy volume with trade spend is losing steam. Citing data from Accuris and Circana, we explore how 94% of promotions fail to grow category value, often resu...
The retail media landscape is facing a reality check, with optimism dropping due to difficulties in proving incremental sales. While retailers from Morrisons to Walmart rush to implement digital screens and AI-driven ad formats to boost commercial income, fatigue is setting in. In contrast, Costco succeeds by ignoring the hype, prioritizing membership value over monetization, and integrating media directly with merchandising. Meanwhile, FMCG manufacturers face a "jungle" of inconsistent metri...
With CEO Doug McMillon stepping down, we analyze the sophisticated RGM machine he built at Walmart. The "people-led, tech-powered" model, funded by its ad business, uses an EDLP strategy to build trust and create demand stability. This structurally avoids the "hidden costs" of "Subsidised Base" and "Stockpiling" that plague "Hi-Lo" rivals. Walmart's tiered private label portfolio—from "Great Value" to "Bettergoods"—is a masterclass in managing "Downgrading" and driving "Upgrading." New CEO Jo...
This week, UK grocery promotions surged 9.4% , a desperate move in a market where 94% of promos fail to add category value. This masks a "hidden cost" , as retailers like Asda see sales collapse 3.9% while shoppers flock to premium own-label. We also cover the EU antitrust probe into Red Bull, alleging it "misused its role as a category manager" to block rivals. Finally, we analyse the 107% "trade-killing" tariff on Italian pasta , and the explosive allegation that a competitor with Italian t...
In this ghoulishly good Halloween special of FMCG Weekly, we dig up five bone-chilling promo disasters that left profits six feet under — from Heinz’s saucy domain debacle to supermarket schemes that fed on their own categories like retail cannibals. But fear not, brave marketer! After the screams come the schemes: we share eight exorcism-level strategies to banish cannibalisation and raise your ROI from the dead. Armed with Accuris' monstrously massive benchmark database, this episode gives ...
Nestlé is shedding 16,000 jobs to pivot from a pricing-led growth strategy to a data-driven, mix-optimized revenue model—abandoning brute-force RGM in favor of AI-powered capabilities and premium portfolio management. This transformation reflects a broader FMCG trend toward intelligent, leaner growth engines. Meanwhile, L’Oréal has acquired Kering’s beauty division, including the luxury fragrance brand Creed, in a €4 billion deal. Kering, facing mounting debt and Gucci underperformance, exits...
This week's episode looks at how P&G is redefining brand relevance with a focus on the critical seven seconds at the shelf. Amazon is reshaping the grocery category with its expansive new private label, Amazon Grocery, targeting affordability without sacrificing quality. Meanwhile, Constellation Brands is responding to falling beer consumption with a sharp focus on price pack architecture and logistics optimization. FMCG Weekly - News and trends curated by Accuris, the leading indep...
This week, the Cola Wars return as PepsiCo launches a prebiotic Pepsi and Coca-Cola unveils a cane sugar variant. Tesco celebrates five transformative years under Ken Murphy, achieving record market share, digital reinvention, and retail media leadership. Meanwhile, McDonald’s grapples with declining value perceptions and franchisee tensions amid inflation. Its $5 meal deal has revived traffic, but profitability concerns remain. FMCG Weekly - News and trends curated by Accuris, the lead...
Tpoday, the Wall Street Journal broke the news that Kraft Heinz potentially considers a demerger into two independent companies, a decade after its ill-fated merger. The condiments and sauces business, aligned with modern trends, would focus on growth and global expansion, while the grocery staples spin-off would manage mature brands for cash flow. This reflects the broader FMCG shift toward focus and agility over scale. European markets favor the Heinz-led condiments business, which could in...
This week’s FMCG Weekly covers Del Monte’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sale process, amid a wave of CPG M&A activity. We examine how July is emerging as a major promotional season with Amazon, Walmart, and Target vying for shopper dollars. Unilever’s premiumization strategy also comes under the spotlight, with its $1.5 billion acquisition of Dr. Squatch. Finally, we discuss how data-driven, segment-based strategies turn premiumization into a measurable, profitable reality — defending standa...
UK inflation slowed in May, yet food prices surged by 4.4%, intensifying pressure on low-income households and retailers. The Bank of England is expected to hold rates steady, but ongoing wage pressures and geopolitical risks keep the outlook uncertain. Value-seeking behaviour dominates, with 73% of shoppers trading down. Meanwhile, Kraft Heinz announced plans to remove artificial dyes from its US products by 2027, responding to regulatory and consumer health concerns. Marks & Spencer lau...
This episode explores a new approach for FMCG leaders preparing their 2026 commercial plans: stress testing. Inspired by financial risk models, stress testing helps you challenge assumptions, quantify vulnerabilities, and build contingency strategies before the year begins. We will show how to simulate downside scenarios—such as weak NPD performance, retailer pushback on pricing, or promo ROI shortfalls—and use the results to strengthen your plan. Whether you are in sales, marketing, or reven...
This episode explores the shifting economic mood in Germany and other countries and its effects on consumer behavior. With rising pessimism and price sensitivity, brand loyalty is eroding while private labels gain ground. Lidl’s failed price war highlights the limits of discounting alone. Instead, brands must differentiate, communicate clearly, and understand shopper psychology. We also share strategic approaches to negotiating cost price increases with retailers, as discussed in our special ...
In this special edition, we explore how FMCG suppliers can navigate one of the industry’s toughest challenges: getting retailers to accept price increases. With input costs soaring and retailers pushing back, fewer than one in four suppliers recover their full requested increase. We present advanced, data-driven strategies—such as shopper segmentation, category value framing, and switching models—alongside five bold, experimental tactics including inflation-linked promo guarantees and failure...
This week on FMCG Weekly, we explore the sharp rise in coffee prices in Germany, driven by climate-induced crop failures and surging import costs. Despite this, demand remains high. This puts the focus back on inflation and price elasticity. We spotlight the use of conjoint analysis in designing profitable pack-price architectures. Further this episode examines how ChatGPT is transforming online grocery shopping with real-time product recommendations and purchases. FMCG Weekly - News an...
This week on FMCG Weekly, we explore Amazon’s strategic launch of its first FMCG-focused promotion week in Germany, signaling a major push into everyday essentials and retail media. We also dive into Kraft Heinz’s ongoing strategic overhaul amid declining revenues and Berkshire Hathaway’s board exit. In the UK, inflation surges to 3.5% are reshaping consumer behavior and pressuring margins. Finally, we introduce the idea of a “Promo Reset”—a radical rethinking of FMCG promotional strategy tha...
This week’s FMCG Weekly explores three pivotal stories. San Miguel’s UK retail prices soar after a production handover to AB InBev, driven by new duties and packaging taxes. Asda launches a standalone George store in Leeds, aiming to revamp non-food retail with expanded fashion and home ranges. Meanwhile, Pringles pioneers cultural marketing by embedding its brand within the gaming community, leveraging long-term credibility over short-term stunts. And finally the first part of our 3-part ser...
Last week, Walmart opened its “Store of the Future” in Texas. The Supercenter showcases bold store redesigns, expanded departments, and app-enhanced shopping. Walmart is also expanding omnichannel delivery and leveraging ad revenue to offset margin pressures, with ad sales up 27% to $4.4 billion. Private labels like Bettergoods attract value-conscious and premium shoppers alike. Technology investments in AI and robotics optimize inventory and delivery. Personalized shopping experiences and he...
This week’s FMCG Weekly examines Procter & Gamble’s tariff-induced pricing strategy shifts, the retail industry’s resilience during a massive Iberian blackout, and compelling evidence from a Dutch study revealing the dangers of eliminating printed flyers. P&G’s $1.5 billion tariff burden has forced revised forecasts and aggressive mitigation plans. Meanwhile, backup generators proved vital for retailers like Lidl and Mercadona during Spain's power outage. Finally, the flyer study show...
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