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Perspectives on Retail Number 8
Issue 8, August 2020

Perspectives on retail and consumer goods, Number 8

The eighth edition contains our latest thinking on the topics that matter most to retail and Consumer Goods leaders.

Perspectives from our leaders around the world

In this short video series our leaders share perspectives from around the world on the biggest challenges and what companies must do now to prepare for The Next Normal.

Consumer insights

Article - Updated with September data

Consumer sentiment and behavior continue to reflect the uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis
– As consumers around the globe adjust to the next normal, there is significant variance in consumer sentiment and behaviors across... countries.
Article

How COVID-19 is changing consumer behavior—now and forever
– Consumers are shifting behaviors across eight areas of life.
Article

The great consumer shift: Ten charts that show how US shopping behavior is changing
– Our research indicates what consumers will continue to value as the coronavirus crisis evolves.
Article

What makes Asia−Pacific’s Generation Z different?
– Gen Zers in the Asia–Pacific region aren’t like their older siblings. Here is what you need to know.

CEO perspectives

Interview

Connectivity with the consumer: The Honest Company’s formula for growth
– In his third year as the CEO of Honest, consumer-goods veteran Nick Vlahos has big plans for the fast-growing maker of baby and... beauty products.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

Leading with purpose and humanity: A conversation with Hubert Joly
– Best Buy’s former chairman and CEO reflects on a business’s reason for being by defining it around purpose and humanity, the link... to competitive advantage, and managing shareholders and stakeholders during a crisis and beyond.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

Speak softly, make tough decisions: An interview with Alibaba Group chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang
– The chairman and CEO of China’s e-commerce giant describes Alibaba’s approach to innovation and how he balances analytics... and instinct to push himself to spot hidden opportunities.

Consumer goods industry

Article

What got us here won’t get us there: A new model for the consumer goods industry
– COVID-19 is amplifying 12 trends that have been disrupting consumer goods for the last decade. Leaders will adopt a new model... for ‘where to play’ and ‘how to win’ that gets their evergreen brands on the right side of the trends and helps their small brands scale up more quickly. Together these changes will fuel the next generation of industry growth.
Article

Consumer organization and operating models for the next normal
– Many consumer-goods companies and retailers have risen to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Seven core practices can help... them keep what has worked and prepare for what lies ahead.
Article

The next normal in consumer: Implications for consumer goods M&A
– Lessons from the global financial crisis teach us that consumer goods companies should consider an active approach to M&A,... adapted to the current context, to emerge stronger in the next normal.
Article

The SG&A imperative in times of crisis
– A crisis presents unique challenges in making wise spending decisions. Zero-based principles can help leaders move SG&A investments... where they should be—rather than where they have always been.
Article

How CPG companies can sustain profitable growth in the next normal
– After safeguarding their employees and businesses from COVID-19, consumer companies must develop new strategies to find micropockets... of growth amid changing consumer preferences and market dynamics.
Article

Revenue growth management in the COVID-19 crisis
– The fundamentals of revenue growth management remain, but CPG companies will need to pivot fast to respond to the crisis and lay... the groundwork for the next phase.

Retail industry

Article

The next normal in retail: Charting a path forward
– To succeed after COVID-19, retailers must assess their revenue management practices, operating models, digital capabilities, capital... investments, and M&A strategies—then make bold moves to transform themselves.
Article

Redefining value and affordability in retail’s next normal
– Most US consumers are worried about the economy. Grocers, mass retailers, convenience stores, and drugstore chains will need to... carefully refine their value strategies.
Article

The next normal: Retail M&A and partnerships after COVID-19
– Now is the time to think about retail M&A after the coronavirus crisis. Five trends could unlock opportunities for retailers,... brands, and investors to shape the next normal.
Article

Adapting to the next normal in retail: The customer experience imperative
– The COVID-19 crisis has led to dramatic shifts in consumer behavior. Retailers will have to work hard to meet ever-evolving customer... experience requirements in order to win and remain relevant.
Article

Automation in retail: An executive overview for getting ready
– Automation will reshape retail business models and the broader value chain, creating organizations with fewer layers and a better... trained and trusted workforce empowered by real-time data and analytics. The winners in the sector will be those who understand these implications and act quickly to address them.
Article

The end of IT in retail?
– Retailers who want to stay ahead of the pack and drive business results through technology innovation are rethinking the setup... of their IT departments.
Article

Fashion’s digital transformation: Now or never
– Some apparel, fashion, and luxury companies won’t survive the current crisis; others will emerge better positioned for the future.... Much will depend on their digital and analytics capabilities.
Article

How restaurants can thrive in the next normal
– We lay out potential timelines for the US restaurant industry’s recovery—and actions that restaurants should take... to cater to consumers’ new dining needs and preferences.

Archive

Download past issues of Perspectives on retail and consumer goods and read related articles.
Issue

Perspectives on retail and consumer goods, Number 7
– The seventh edition offers some of our latest thinking on the trends and disruptions reshaping the consumer sector.
Issue

Perspectives on retail and consumer goods, Number 6
– The sixth edition of our consumer journal is a special edition focused on potential opportunities in our EEMA region—Eastern... Europe, Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Africa.
Issue

Perspectives on retail and consumer goods, Number 5
– The fifth edition of our consumer journal helps readers turn today’s industry challenges into opportunities.
Issue

Perspectives on retail and consumer goods, Number 4
– The fourth edition of our journal focuses on emerging markets and operational excellence.