In this Issue

Whether it’s baby boomers looking to boost their health profiles heading into their golden years or millennials attempting to fortify themselves against the rising cost of health care, interest in dietary supplements, sports nutrition, diet aids, meal-replacement solutions and even energy shots has never been higher, according to a Kline consumer survey released last year.

(Click here to view the full VMS Report.)

The one truth a new Trump Administration and a Republican Congress represents is change, and for some, that spells opportunity.

(Click here to view the full VMS Report.)

VR. AR. AI… Oh my.

There is no question how much technology is changing not only the way retailers and brands engage consumers during the pre, during and post phases of the shopping experience, and reshaping the path to purchase, but also how brands bring new innovation to the market and rethink how products are merchandised online and in store.

Below, DSN outlines the big trends, predictions and critical issues that will make the news in 2017 and beyond.

1. VR takes over

From the hot color segments to new product launches, here is what you need to know about the beauty business in 2017.

(To view the full Beauty Trends Report, click here.)

Mass market color cosmetics sales continue to climb, driven primarily by adventurous millennials.

When a company has been around as long as Plymouth, Minn.-based Thrifty White Pharmacy — which traces its roots to the 1884 opening of White Drug in what was then the Dakota Territory — there is an expectation that to stick around, it has to adapt to changes in the industry to stay in business. But rather than be content following its competitors’ leads in an effort to simply keep the lights on, Thrifty White has been on the front lines of adapting early to the biggest changes impacting the pharmacy business.

The competitive landscape throughout the OTC arena has changed significantly over the past five years, with the Top 10 rankings shifting in the past year thanks to a slew of acquisitions and joint ventures. Bayer’s bolt-on acquisition of Merck’s Consumer Health business in 2014 helped solidify its spot as the second-largest OTC marketer. And GSK Consumer Healthcare claimed the No. 3 spot after forming a joint venture with Novartis Consumer Health.

There is a paradigm shift under way in the men’s grooming category, and electric shavers, as well as the retailers that sell them, are feeling the effects of this revolution.

(Click here to read the full Category Review.)

MCLEAN, Va. — The biggest launch in M&M’s brand history, M&M’s Caramel Chocolate Candies features a creamy, caramel center covered in milk chocolate, enclosed in a candy shell. Caramel is the fastest-growing flavor segment in food, growing 15% in 2015, according to Mars. Hank Izzo, VP of research and development of parent company Mars Chocolate, said the brand regularly plays around with size, shape, color and texture. But, caramel has been especially of interest to the company in recent years. “Caramel is extremely trendy,” he said.