IRI Point of View

9/1/2009
Beer, Wine & Spirits in a Downturn Economy: Affordable Indulgence or Sacrificed at Check-Out?

Retailers and manufacturers must now consider whether shoppers are trading up or down—are they trading down and buying less to save money or trading up and increasing consumption at home in lieu of cutbacks to onpremise consumption? They must anticipate if purchases will be reduced or eliminated and whether or not consumers consider alcohol an “affordable indulgence” on which they are willing to splurge.
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8/22/2009
New Trends Give Healthcare Manufacturers and Retailers New Headaches

Another major change underway is a transformation in how Americans research, purchase and use healthcare. Healthcare is costly, and people are rethinking how they take care of themselves in order to conserve funds. Instead of sticking with their tried-and-true healthcare options, consumers are aggressively seeking affordable solutions for health and wellness, both in terms of how they obtain care and in the healthcare products they choose.
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7/22/2009
A New Look at Old Summer Rituals: Analyzing Consumer Spending and Behavior Trends

As the summer 2009 season continues, many consumers are revisiting their budgets to determine what kind of excursions, vacations and other adventures will fit into their more frugal lifestyles, as well as take a new look at their summer meal rituals.
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4/20/2009
Dissecting the Downturn Generation: Recognizing and Leveraging Permanence in Today’s Transformational Economy

Experts have made so many prognostications about the recession’s duration that at least a few are bound to be correct. But the central question for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry focuses not on when the recession will end, but how shoppers will behave five, 10, and 20 years into the future. IRI forecasts that today’s shoppers will adopt many of the practices Depression-era shoppers implemented both to weather the recession as well as to keep a close eye on spending long after the recession ends. IRI has dubbed these shoppers the “Downturn Generation.”

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2/23/2009
Discovering and Leveraging the Real Truth on Shopper Behavior in the New Transformational Economy

Today’s economy and the profound transformation occurring are perhaps the most widely discussed topics in the last decade. Consumer packaged goods executives at all levels at both manufacturers and retailers feel first hand the effects of rising food commodity prices, the consumer’s shrinking wallet, spiking energy costs and the other symptoms of today’s economic malaise.

Also clear are shoppers’ behavioral changes as a result of the ongoing economic transformation. Consumers are turning to private label, substituting hamburger for steak, opting for smaller portions and following other budget-stretching strategies discussed in multiple IRI Times & Trends Reports issued throughout 2008. Less obvious, however, is when the economy will level off and start to grow again, as well as the time necessary for consumers to regain their shattered confidence.
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