While our economy is supposedly expanding and consumers have more money in our pockets thanks to lower gas prices, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that that we’re not spending that money in retail stores, online or in real life. If we’re not out hitting the malls, where’s all that money going? [More]
retail sales
Heinz, French’s Go After Each Other’s Flagship Condiment With New Mustard, Ketchup Offerings
By 4.16.15
Take a peek in many consumers’ refrigerators and you’ll likely find a bottle of ketchup from Heinz and a bottle of yellow mustard from French’s. That typical scenario could soon be turned on its head now that the two companies are encroaching on each other’s turf with Heinz finally jumping into the mustard market with both feet and French’s entering the tomato fray with its own take on ketchup. [More]
Americans Shopped Less In December, Bought More Furniture And Booze
By 1.14.15
If you tried to find a parking space at your local mall at any time last month, you might think that Americans were in a spectacular shopping frenzy. That may have been the case, but consumers’ total spending across the whole economy was down in December, falling further than government economists had expected it to. [More]
Stuff Is Cheaper Now Than It Was Last Year, Consumer Price Index Reveals
By 6.18.09
Even though gas prices keep rising, businesses haven’t been sticking customers with price hikes. In fact, the bear economy has staggered the Consumer Price Index once again, with the index rising only 0.1 percent in May. The miniscule, less-than-expected increase, following a flat April, means that prices were 1.3 percent lower in May than they were a year ago — the largest year-over-year drop since 1950.
Never Mind, People Still Aren't Buying Anything
By 4.14.09
Just when we thought we saw a light at the end of the tunnel, retail sales dropped “unexpectedly” in March after a three month period of growth. Why is this bad? Because it makes economists worry about deflation.
