STORES

CVS

They say good things come in small packages—and lately, that’s been particularly true for CVS, where mini beauty products have meant big business.

While the drugstore chain has long offered travel-sized products, last October, it elevated its mini experience across 2,700 stores. It created a dedicated beauty mini section that spans 55 brands, from mass to prestige, with more than 125 SKUs across categories like skin care, hair care, fragrance, and sun care. Since then, its beauty mini category sales have climbed 140% YoY, and this summer, it’s expanding its beauty mini assortment to 1,200 more stores.

The minis strategy shift comes as consumers turn to the smaller sizes as a cheaper way to try out new beauty products without committing to the full-sized price tag, establishing a “best-in-class discovery funnel” in stores, Michelle LeBlanc, VP of beauty and personal care, and Hispanic Center of Excellence at CVS, told Retail Brew.

“Shoppers are having to stretch their dollar in today’s environment,” she said. “But they don’t want to have to sacrifice or give up on discovery or self-expression and wanting to trial all the newness in the market, and they shouldn’t have to.”

Keep reading here.—EC

      

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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

Getty Images

Too soon to think about the holidays? Not if you’re a retailer trying to stay ahead of shifting consumer preferences.

Per Alchemer’s recent 2026 holiday shopper report, in-store shopping is likely to top online purchases this holiday season—35.8% of customers plan on going to physical stores to make a purchase while 31.1% are likely to head online to shop. Meanwhile, 19.2% said they foresee “an even mix” of online and in-store shopping.

Inflation pressure is also likely to impact holiday shopping this year, with 38.2% of those surveyed saying a limited budget will be the biggest factor influencing their spending decisions. In fact, many shoppers (42.7%) would go as far as abandoning a brand they like if there were price hikes.

Keep reading here.—JS

      

MARKETING

Screenshot via @NikeFootball

The World Cup wrapped recently, with Spain beating Argentina in a nailbiter of a final that scored 62.8 million viewers in the US.

For some soccer fans, the final whistle marked the end of a whirlwind few weeks. For Nike, the tournament was just the beginning.

“The actual, most exciting challenge starts today,” Camilo Andrade, global VP and GM football/soccer at Nike, told Marketing Brew the week after the tournament. “It’s the post-tournament excitement. All the billions of people that are now inspired, that are excited, that actually want to play. Our job is to actually give them the tools to play.”

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—KM

      

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Today’s top retail reads.

New things: Kimberly-Clark is experimenting with a cheaper plant alternative to wood pulp to make items like paper towels softer and stronger. (the Wall Street Journal)

Top shelf: Whole Foods is working behind the scenes to make its private label products more affordable. (Bloomberg)

Long way from the grill: Tyson Foods cut its annual profit outlook as a cattle shortage keeps prices high. (Reuters)

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