Direct-to-consumer Retailing - US  

“The lines between direct-to-consumer and traditional retailing are becoming even more blurred in an omnichannel landscape where brands must be anywhere and everywhere. What becomes clearer is that direct is just one channel, as DTC brands continue to pivot to wholesale partnerships and physical stores to meet consumers wherever they are.”

- Brittany Steiger, Senior Analyst – Retail & eCommerce



This Report looks at the following areas:

• Consumers’ awareness of and shopping history with DTC brands

Luxury Retailing - International  

“The luxury sector is in a key position to benefit from growing environmental awareness and consumers adopting more conscientious shopping behaviours, such as buying fewer but better quality items and investment pieces. Amid a raft of proposed legislation on sustainability and supply chain transparency in Europe, luxury companies can benefit from taking early action and prioritising investment in transparency and circularity.”

– Tamara Sender Ceron, Associate Director – Fashion Retail

• Ethical Retailing - France  
  Ethical Retailing - France

  

  "Businesses have a lot to think about when it comes to the broad concept of ethical retailing, with issues ranging from sustainability and efforts to counter climate change to social aspects such as equality and diversity. The current cost-of-living crisis has moved these issues down the priority list for many consumers, but increasing legislation and regulation are compelling companies to act. As and when the economic squeeze relents, and the effects of climate change continue to increase, consumers’ consideration of ethical and sustainability issues is going to rise.
• Ethical Retailing - Italy  
  Ethical Retailing - Italy

  

  "While there is certainly the potential for the retailing of ethical product to be adversely affected by the ongoing cost of living crisis, the onus is on retailers to demonstrate to their customers that, by purchasing ethical products, they can still find ways of saving money, whether through products lasting longer, or by buying second-hand or reconditioned/refurbished items or even opting for rental rather than outright ownership. Our research for this report also highlights the need for retailers to improve their transparency when it comes to making product claims and labelling products and that this could help to improve uptake of ethical products. Similarly, there is demand for retailers to be more overt in signposting more sustainable choices for customers in-store, but of course this also applies to their digital platforms as well. Italian consumers show themselves to be generally very receptive to ethical products so it is up to retailers to argue the case for why people cannot afford not to buy them in the future."
• Ethical Retailing - Spain  
  Ethical Retailing - Spain

  

  "Concern for the environment and the cost-of-living squeeze are coming together to boost ethical retailing in Spain although consumers are not keen on paying more for ethical products, challenging brands to provide concrete, quantifiable certification to justify the higher price. There are opportunities for retailers in budget-focused sustainably-driven services like second-hand shopping, repair and refurbishment."
• Ethical Retailing - Europe  
  Ethical Retailing - Europe

  

  "With growing sustainability awareness ethical retailing has emerged as one of the most dynamic areas of the European retail landscape in recent years. Fuelled by shifting consumer priorities, we are seeing ethical and sustainability credentials and initiatives becoming ever more important. To leverage the opportunities presented retailers need to invest in the latest innovations/partnerships, and make ethical choices easy for consumers, as well as being transparent in their efforts."
• Ethical Retailing - UK  
  Ethical Retailing - UK

  

  "Shopping for ethical products has become less of a priority for consumers due to the cost-of-living crisis and in a climate where the price of a product is more important than how ethical it is, retailers need to work hard at convincing the value of ethically produced products over standard ones. An emphasis should be on the financial benefits of shopping ethically which are not always apparent to consumers. Retailers also have some way to go in eliminating confusion about ethical claims and consumers are calling on more legislation to hold companies accountable and for retailers to take a lead on transparency."
• Furniture Retailing - UK  
  Furniture Retailing - UK

  

  “Already impacted by a natural rebalancing of demand post-pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis has further hit consumer spending, especially on big-ticket items like furniture. However, it’s not always about trading down. 67% of consumers would prefer to trade up to high-quality items with longevity and 42% bought new furniture to treat themselves. While uncertainty remains ahead, the newfound appreciation towards the home as a legacy of the pandemic will continue to fuel new demand, with furniture extending beyond its practical functionality to serve as a form of self-indulgence.”
• Winter Holiday Shopping - US  
  Winter Holiday Shopping - US

  

  “A budget-focused mindset will again dominate in 2023 as consumers rebound from economic pressures. Savvy shoppers will shift more effortlessly across channels and formats to seek the best deals and get their shopping done as efficiently and affordably as possible. There is light at the end of the tunnel after years of disruption, but consumers may need a little help to recapture the holiday spirit.”
• 便利店 - 中国  
  便利店 - 中国

  

  “便利店是即使在疫情期间也表现良好的少数线下渠道之一。过去5年里，便利店数量增加了一倍以上，尤其是在低线城市。主要的国内品牌以及日系便利店品牌之间的差距正在缩小。除了差异化选品以外，自有品牌和会员策略在实现差异化和提高客户忠诚度方面也发挥着重要作用。在大多数中国消费者的认知中，便利店不再局限于应急购物，它们也能提供实用的社区服务以及有趣的购物体验。增加本土特色和IP（知识产权）联名也有助于通过店内互动和社交媒体宣传提高品牌知名度。”– 张泽龙，高级研究分析师
• Euro Retail Trends - Summer - Europe  
  Euro Retail Trends - Summer - Europe

  

  "Across Europe, while each market has experienced the pressures of 2022 and early 2023 differently, the common factor has been a decline in consumer confidence taking its toll on demand. Consequently, in 2023, the European retail landscape has been defined by increasing value growth against a backdrop of decreasing volume sales. The overall inflationary pressures have eased slightly into Q2 2023. However, in many countries, inflation remains significantly and persistently high hindering optimism while adding further pressure to households and retail spending."
• UK Retail Trends - Summer - UK  
  UK Retail Trends - Summer - UK

  

  "The first four months of 2023 have told much the same story as 2022, that being significant volume decline and pressure on retailers and consumers alike. Fashion and beauty are currently the bright spots, and the successes in these areas show that there is still opportunity for low-ticket mood boosters to draw demand from shoppers. The second half should see inflation ease further, and this will ease some pressure on retailers. For those who are bold, cut prices early and communicate this clearly there will be building opportunity to encourage demand, or claim back shoppers which may have elected to trade down as a precautionary measure."
• Easter - UK  
  Easter - UK

  

  "While the cost of living crisis did affect behaviour for Easter 2023, spending for the event held up better than other seasonal events. With value still likely to be high on the agenda for 2024, but pressure on finances to have eased a little, retailers will have further opportunities to frame Easter as an excuse to bring family and friends together and highlight premium in-home dining offers to continue to gain from out-of-home."