Autor: Nelson Pereira

Press Release HRCOC | The Hispanic Retail Chamber of Commerce, Inc. U.S. Retail Closes 2025 Amid Caution, Consolidation, and Transformation: HRCOC’s Outlook for 2026 Washington, D.C., December 30, 2025 — The year 2025 marks a turning point for the U.S. retail sector. In an environment shaped by persistent inflation, more rational consumer behavior, and an active wave of consolidation, food and grocery retail has demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a clear redefinition of strategic priorities. From the perspective of The Hispanic Retail Chamber of Commerce (HRCOC), 2025 leaves behind key lessons that will shape the industry’s agenda in 2026. Consumer Behavior:…

The way consumers shop for fresh produce is changing, making merchandising in the grocery retail sector increasingly complex. Shoppers are no longer loyal to a single channel; instead, they compare, rotate, and choose stores based on each specific shopping mission. According to The Power of Produce 2025 report published by FMI — The Food Industry Association, 22% of consumers said they purchased fresh fruits and vegetables across more channels during a typical month in 2024 compared to the previous year. This shift contributed to a decline in dollar sales for traditional supermarkets, while growth was recorded in mass merchants and…

The physical retail landscape at the close of 2025 has ceased to be a separate entity from the digital world, becoming a high-frequency data environment. The industry has reached a point of no return where the traditional «analog» store is seen as an operational disadvantage compared to the new global infrastructures led by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL).The Boom of Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL)The mass adoption of digital labels is perhaps the most visible change. Walmart, the sector giant, has led this transition with plans to equip 2,300 stores in the United States by 2026, representing a…

The California retail sector is approaching a regulatory deadline that demands immediate operational changes: January 1, 2026. Under the sweeping mandates of Senate Bill 1053 (SB 1053), California is escalating its efforts to combat plastic pollution by implementing a total prohibition on the distribution and sale of all plastic carryout bags at the point of sale. This legislation, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024, directly impacts a broad range of establishments, including grocery stores, convenience stores, food marts, liquor stores, and any retail location that operates with a pharmacy.The End of the ‘Reusable’ Plastic LoopholeSB 1053 was specifically engineered…

The retail sector is facing a fundamental transformation driven by Generative Artificial Intelligence. The recent strategic integration between OpenAI and Instacart, announced in December 2025, is not a simple functionality enhancement; it’s a milestone that sets the standard for Agentic Commerce. This new paradigm transforms AI assistants, like ChatGPT, from mere informational assistants into executive agents capable of completing complex commercial transactions.From Inspiration to Wallet: Agentic Commerce in ActionThe alliance between OpenAI and Instacart allows users to manage complete grocery orders without leaving the chat interface. The main novelty lies in the Instant Checkout feature, which makes Instacart the first…

Operational Trends and Consumer Behavior Analysis (2025)The packaged consumer goods (CPG) retail sector is undergoing a market restructuring that goes far beyond traditional cyclical adjustments. Private Label (PL) has solidified its position as a structural megatrend—evolving from a mere low-cost alternative into a fundamental strategic growth engine.Global and U.S. data confirm this ascendancy. Private label sales in the United States reached a record volume of $271 billion in 2024, with total revenues projected to approach $280 billion in 2025, marking an all-time high. During the first eleven months of 2025, PL dollar sales grew by 3.6%, significantly outpacing national brands,…

The Post-Pandemic Logistics Landscape: Critical Challenges and TransformationThe logistics industry has undergone a structural transformation since COVID-19. The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) reports that North-American freight volumes rose 12 % in 2021 versus 2019, driven by booming food e-commerce (CSCMP, 2023). Logistics became a strategic pillar for food security during lock-downs. External shocks—such as the war in Ukraine—pushed U.S. diesel prices to an all-time high of USD 5.81 gal⁻¹ in June 2022 (U.S. EIA, 2022), underscoring the urgency for resilient, tech-enabled networks. Third-Party Logistics (3PL): A Strategic Necessity?Outsourcing is no longer optional: 72 % of Fortune 500 companies…

The 2025 Thanksgiving celebration has become an economic battleground for retailers—creating historic savings opportunities for consumers. Despite persistently rising food prices over recent years, fierce competition among major discount chains has led to the strategic subsidization of the traditional holiday meal, enabling families to celebrate without straining their budgets. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) November 2025 annual survey, the average cost of a classic 10-item Thanksgiving dinner for ten people is estimated at $55.18. This represents a 5% decrease from the previous year, though the overall basket cost remains higher than it was four years ago. The key…

The German-born supermarket chain ALDI continues its robust U.S. expansion, targeting market share in dense urban environments. The latest milestone in this strategy is the opening of a new store in Chicago’s dynamic and sought-after River North neighborhood.This new location joins more than 30 ALDI stores already operating across the Chicago metropolitan area.Strategic Location and Store DetailsThe new ALDI is located at 30 W. Huron Street, near Dearborn Street—a prime retail address in River North. The site previously housed a Whole Foods Market, which closed in 2022. Plans to repurpose the space as a Dom’s Kitchen and Market outlet were…

The multinational retailer Walmart finds itself in the midst of a major restructuring in 2025, balancing the need to optimize profitability in a challenging U.S. market with a visible cultural shift in its holiday policies. This strategic duality sets the tone for the future of the retail industry, where operational efficiency and adaptation to digital commerce are just as crucial as corporate reputation and employee well-being.Store Closures and the Impact of E-CommerceDespite Walmart’s efforts to align with online shopping trends, the company has confirmed the closure of several U.S. locations deemed “unprofitable.” This move responds to underperforming financial results, rising…