McKinsey on Consumer and Retail
Episodes
From dashboards to decisions: Empowering merchants with agentic AI
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Agentic AI can automate routine work and improve merchandising decisions at scale. What does it take to translate potential into performance?See www.m...
Rethinking restaurant success
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Union Square Hospitality Group’s Chip Wade and John Ragan share their perspectives on customer experience, restaurant technology, and the future...
How today’s consumers are spending their time and money
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the trends shaping consumer sentiment and behavior in 2025—and what are the implications for brands and retailers?See www.mckinsey.com/...
Holiday shopping 2025: US consumers hunt for early deals
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
They’re concerned about inflation and looking for value, so US consumers are changing their shopping habits this holiday season. Here’s wh...
A close look at the global beauty industry in 2025
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How the sporting goods industry can turn uncertainty into opportunity
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The authors of a new report, Sporting Goods 2025, explore key themes that will shape the market and highlight consumer trends that could represent pat...
Portfolio and performance: Priorities for CPG leaders
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The consumer goods industry, once an investor darling, has underperformed in recent years. Companies can prioritize six actions to simultaneously revi...
Luxury retail is about ‘emotions, not transactions’
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The physical shopping experience matters more than ever, says Value Retail founder Scott Malkin, whose company owns some of the world’s best-perform...
How product design can yield ‘triple wins’: Growth, margin, and sustainability
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some consumer companies have simultaneously increased sales, cut costs, and reduced carbon emissions. Their secret? Paying closer attention to the des...
The art and science of reducing retail shrink
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Retailers need a data-informed, collaborative, store-by-store approach to combat shrink. The payoff: higher profits and better customer experience.See...
Holiday shopping in 2023: ‘It started early and will end late’
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ret...
How to do a ‘retail reset’: Priorities for retail leaders
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The most successful retailers will be those that undergo a full reset—by harnessing new technology, creating ecosystems, engaging their workforce, a...
Consumers are spending on sustainable consumer goods: Highlights from new research
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Which sustainability attributes matter most at the point of sale? Do consumers pay attention to sustainability claims? A new report from McKinsey and ...
Purposeful growth in retail: Perspectives from two former Nike execs
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does purposeful growth look like in the retail sector? Christiana Shi and Stuart Hogue, former senior leaders at Nike, speak with McKinsey’s Br...
‘Let’s not just rely on data’: Holt Renfrew’s Anne Pitcher on the future of retail
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The department-store veteran explains how retailers can become more consumer-centric, experiential, sustainable, and diverse than they’ve ever been....
The state of grocery retail around the world
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:07) > A survey of 30,000+ consumers and 100+ grocery CEOs reveals the cha...
How Europe’s CPG leaders can navigate inflation
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:07) > With inflation persisting, consumer-packaged-goods manufacturers ca...
The ‘Great Attrition’ in frontline retail—and what retailers can do about it
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:52) > New research reveals which aspects of the employee experience matte...
Black beauty brands and consumers: Where do we go from here?
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:32) > Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell and two McKinsey senior partners discu...
Are personalized vitamins the future of wellness?
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:59) > The CEOs of two vitamin companies, HUM Nutrition and Vous Vitamin, ...
Taking the pulse of the US consumer
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 26:40) > The latest Consumer Pulse survey shows that people across America a...
Forecasting the future of stores
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 26:10) > Shoppers’ behaviors and expectations have changed dramatically—...
Creating good packaging for packaged goods
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:00) > The e-commerce boom, widespread concerns about sustainability, and ...
How to thrive in the global wellness market
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 23:12) > Consumers everywhere plan to spend more on products and services th...
In fine jewelry and watches, sustainability shines through
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:17) > Consumers shopping for high-end jewelry and watches are increasingl...
Retail supply-chain strategies for the holidays and beyond
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:22) > How can retailers ensure strong sales this holiday shopping season ...
‘Everyone snacks’: How Mars Wrigley is pursuing growth in emerging markets
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:32) > Mars Wrigley’s president of global emerging markets, Blas Maquiva...
How CPG companies can sell online profitably
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:40) > Profitability online has been an ongoing challenge for CPG companie...
Understanding the ever-evolving, always-surprising consumer
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:22) > Consumer behaviors have changed over the past 18 months, but which ...
Prioritizing sustainability in the consumer sector
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:22) > Consumers and companies alike are becoming more interested in makin...
Taking a good look at the beauty industry
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:49) > How can the beauty industry meet the increasing demands for sustain...
Shaping the workforce of the future in retail and consumer goods
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:22) > How do forward-thinking companies create thoughtful guidelines for ...
How tech will revolutionize retail
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:35) > The retailer of the future will harness the power of data, business...
Gen Z and the Latin American consumer today
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:42) > What sets Gen Z apart from other consumer cohorts? How have the att...
Holiday Shopping in 2020
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:33) > This holiday season, the customer is up for grabs. Here’s what re...
What’s ahead for US restaurants
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:57) > What will the future of dining out look like? Two McKinsey experts ...
The path forward for the US retail industry
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:59) > In this podcast episode, McKinsey partners discuss how the US retai...
Meet Generation Z: Shaping the future of shopping (US)
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:34) > In this podcast, two McKinsey partners talk about the insights from...
The Chinese consumer: Resilient and confident
03 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:02) > In this podcast, two China-based McKinsey partners impart advice on...
Reinvigorating growth in the consumer-goods industry
20 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 23:01) > In this episode of the McKinsey on Consumer and Retail podcast, thr...
Consumer and Retail industry: what matters right now
23 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:06) > The head of McKinsey’s Global Retail and Consumer Goods practices...