August 10, 2026

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It’s a new week. There’s precious little we can control in this world, but Heinz at least wants customers to have a say in the amount of ketchup on their burgers. The brand introduced a new ketchup bottle with an adjustable lid with three settings: Like, Love, and Crazy Love. Snag some extra napkins.

In today’s edition:

—Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo, Courtney Vinopal

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

Generation map

3 shopping bags with three arms holding smartphones coming out of the top bag

Marcello Bevilacqua

It’s easy to reduce Gen Z’s shopping behavior to TikTok trends or viral “cores.” But that overlooks the bigger picture. While this generation has grown up with infinite choice and constant access to products and services, they’ve also dealt with persistent periods of inflation, economic uncertainty, and rapidly changing technology.

The result? A generation that can sometimes impulsively spend $200 while late-night shopping and, at the same time, spend weeks researching a $30 skin care product.

For retailers, this has translated to mixed signals. But here at Retail Brew, we have kept a close watch on the always-online younger cohort. From their willingness to pay for convenience and ease to their growing appetite for protein-packed foods and changing attitudes toward value, a few consistent themes emerge.

We broke down Gen Z’s shopping behavior into three categories that are reshaping the retail landscape.

Keep reading here.—JS

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RETAIL

Shipping up to Boston

Denistangneyjr/Getty Images

One of the biggest retail conferences of the year, eTail Boston, is kicking off today, and Retail Brew is on the scene. Reporter Vidhi Choudhary is moderating two panels, including a chat with David’s Bridal President and Chief Business Officer Elina Vilk on leadership strategies to drive AI adoption among employees, and another with Boll & Branch Chief Commercial Officer Katia Unlu on best practice for using AI in service-oriented retail.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In conferences: Also coming to Boston later this week is the NACDS Total Store Expo. The event unites mass merchants, supermarkets, and stand-alone drug stores that have pharmacy operations with pharmacy suppliers and other partners to discuss trends, survey the latest products and technologies, and explore potential collaborations. Product categories making an appearance in the exhibit hall include consumer package goods, over-the-counter, and beauty.

Keep reading here.—AV

STORES

Well and good

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Albertsons Companies, the grocery chain that owns stores including Safeway, Shaws, and Jewel-Osco, recently announced its rolling out financial wellness benefits to its 280,000-person workforce.

The new suite of benefits, offered through a partnership with the financial well-being vendor Stream, includes earned-wage access (EWA). Though other employers in the grocery sector already offer benefits that allow employees to access their paychecks early, this is the first time Albertsons is doing so.

In addition to EWA, Stream’s platform also includes tools to track and budget earnings, build emergency savings, and gain insight into both short- and long-term financial planning.

Keep reading here on HR Brew.—CV

Sponsored By Operators Network

Insights aplenty. DTC’s fastest-growing brands tell all on the Operators podcasts. That knowledge now lives in one place: the Operators Portal, built in partnership with Fulfil. Its centerpiece is Ask the Operators, an AI research tool that answers any question with real receipts from over 366 episodes. Try it today for free.

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Pairing digital strategies with tangible print marketing assets can be crucial in these industries

Guard your margins: How retailers + supply chain leaders can protect margins in a volatile market

Pay over time and get paid in full: Why buy now, pay later is a two-way resource for both businesses and customers

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

Table for none: Reservation apps and other middlemen have put a strain on the restaurant industry. (the Wall Street Journal)

Apart at the seams: Shein is scaling back its presence in Vietnam after an attempt to diversify its supply chain. (Reuters)

The new black: Spirit Halloween’s parent company acquires Hot Topic. (Retail Dive)

Find your fit: Finding the right creator for your brand can be one of the biggest time drains. Get some time back with Insense. Book a free strategy call today + get $200 toward your first campaign.*

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✤ A Note From Intuit

Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

Subject to eligibility. See lending terms at affirm.com/disclosures.

Written by Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo, and Courtney Vinopal

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