RETAIL NEWS

ST. LOUIS — Anheuser-Busch recently launched Best Damn Cherry Cola, the second national offering from Best Damn Brewing Co. According to the company, Best Damn Cherry Cola is aged on whole cherries after brewing for a harder take on the timeless taste of cherry cola. “Best Damn Cherry Cola continues to build our portfolio of bold, approachable and down-to-earth beers,” said Rash-mi Patel, VP share of throat, Anheuser-Busch.

In 2017, how people shop, why people shop and what they’re shopping for will all be shaped by two overarching themes — access to digitized health information and wearables, as well as other Bluetooth-enabled, diagnostic-style self-care offerings.

(To view the full OTC Trend Report, click here.)

With the advent of complimentary health screenings available through a growing number of retail health fairs — such as CVS Health, Walmart and Sam’s Club and ShopRite, to name a few — more and more consumers are learning for the first time that they may be diabetic or prediabetic from their neighborhood pharmacist as opposed to their primary care doctors.

(To view the full Diabetes Report, click here.)

NASHVILLE — Earlier this year, Omnis Health created a dedicated diabetes-management solution for some 375,000 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes who are extremely passionate, both about managing their condition and the health of their newborns. It’s certainly a niche category, but the retailer who provides a direct solution to gestational diabetes may capture that family’s entire health spend moving forward.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target CEO Brian Cornell says stronger-than-expected back-to-school sales lifted the retailer in the third quarter, prompting the company to raise its fourth-quarter sales and full-year earnings forecast. 

CROMWELL, Conn. — I-Health launched a new product women can use to fight urinary tract infections. AZO Urinary Tract Defense features the only antibacterial UTI ingredient available without a prescription to help defend against the progression of an infection until a doctor can be consulted. The tablets also offer general pain relief to alleviate discomfort, the company noted. The new offering could be a boost to a slightly declining category. Sales of vaginal treatments were down 0.8% to $288.4 million for the 52 weeks ended Oct. 2 across total U.S. multi-outlets, IRI reported.

Frustrated watching specialty stores, online merchants and department stores siphon off a market they once controlled more than 50% of, mass marketers are firing back.

(To view the full Category Review, click here.)

To regain their dominance of the $16 billion U.S. beauty market, chains such as Walgreens, Target, CVS and Walmart are burnishing their images. Among the moves they are taking are: