McKinsey on Consumer and Retail

Pacsun’s Gen Z playbook: Listen, learn, and let go

Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson talks to McKinsey partner Pamela Brown about community co-creation, leadership lessons, and what’s next for Gen Z and for Pacsun. See www.mckins

From dashboards to decisions: Empowering merchants with agentic AI

Agentic AI can automate routine work and improve merchandising decisions at scale. What does it take to translate potential into performance? See www.mckinsey.com/privac

Rethinking restaurant success

Union Square Hospitality Group’s Chip Wade and John Ragan share their perspectives on customer experience, restaurant technology, and the future of dining. See www.mckin

How today’s consumers are spending their time and money

What are the trends shaping consumer sentiment and behavior in 2025—and what are the implications for brands and retailers? See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for priva

Holiday shopping 2025: US consumers hunt for early deals

They’re concerned about inflation and looking for value, so US consumers are changing their shopping habits this holiday season. Here’s what that means for retailers and

A close look at the global beauty industry in 2025

We asked 15,000 consumers and 100-plus executives for their perspectives on today’s beauty market. In this episode, we highlight the themes that emerged from our research

How the sporting goods industry can turn uncertainty into opportunity

The authors of a new report, Sporting Goods 2025, explore key themes that will shape the market and highlight consumer trends that could represent paths to growth. See w

Portfolio and performance: Priorities for CPG leaders

The consumer goods industry, once an investor darling, has underperformed in recent years. Companies can prioritize six actions to simultaneously revive revenue growth an

Luxury retail is about ‘emotions, not transactions’

The physical shopping experience matters more than ever, says Value Retail founder Scott Malkin, whose company owns some of the world’s best-performing luxury shopping de

How product design can yield ‘triple wins’: Growth, margin, and sustainability

Some consumer companies have simultaneously increased sales, cut costs, and reduced carbon emissions. Their secret? Paying closer attention to the design of their product

The art and science of reducing retail shrink

Retailers need a data-informed, collaborative, store-by-store approach to combat shrink. The payoff: higher profits and better customer experience. See www.mckinsey.com/

Holiday shopping in 2023: ‘It started early and will end late’

In search of the best deals, US consumers are spreading out their spending across several months this holiday season. Here’s what that means for retailers. See www.mckin

How to do a ‘retail reset’: Priorities for retail leaders

The most successful retailers will be those that undergo a full reset—by harnessing new technology, creating ecosystems, engaging their workforce, and investing in privat

Consumers are spending on sustainable consumer goods: Highlights from new research

Which sustainability attributes matter most at the point of sale? Do consumers pay attention to sustainability claims? A new report from McKinsey and NielsenIQ provides a

Purposeful growth in retail: Perspectives from two former Nike execs

What does purposeful growth look like in the retail sector? Christiana Shi and Stuart Hogue, former senior leaders at Nike, speak with McKinsey’s Brian Gregg about the co

‘Let’s not just rely on data’: Holt Renfrew’s Anne Pitcher on the future of retail

The department-store veteran explains how retailers can become more consumer-centric, experiential, sustainable, and diverse than they’ve ever been. See www.mckinsey.com

The state of grocery retail around the world

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:07) >  A survey of 30,000+ consumers and 100+ grocery CEOs reveals the challenges—and opportunities—that grocery retai

How Europe’s CPG leaders can navigate inflation

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:07) >  With inflation persisting, consumer-packaged-goods manufacturers can’t rely on the strategies that got them thr

The ‘Great Attrition’ in frontline retail—and what retailers can do about it

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:52) >  New research reveals which aspects of the employee experience matter most to US frontline retail workers. Retai

Black beauty brands and consumers: Where do we go from here?

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:32) >  Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell and two McKinsey senior partners discuss how to better support Black brands and se