AGP Executive Report

Food Prices: Soybean and palm oil wholesale prices fell in Chattogram, but retail prices stayed unchanged, leaving consumers paying more despite lower supply costs. Appliances: Intex is targeting revenue of ₹800 crore in FY27 and ₹1,500 crore the following year, betting on festive demand; rising memory-chip costs have pushed some TV prices sharply higher. Dairy: Milma reported a 15% increase in first-half turnover to ₹2,559.71 crore, alongside higher milk procurement from its farmer network. Consumer Goods Investment: Reliance Consumer Products plans to invest more than ₹600 crore in a food-and-beverage park in West Bengal, while accessories brand DailyObjects raised ₹332 crore to support retail expansion and product development.

Retail Growth: DMart operator Avenue Supermarts lifted Q2 revenue 17.7% to ₹19,644 crore, while net profit rose 8.5% to ₹743 crore. Style Baazar opened its 285th store, and Umiya Mobile plans 14 new outlets across three Indian states. Shopping Trends: Festive e-commerce sales are drawing strong demand from smaller towns, with premium purchases gaining ground. Meanwhile, US consumer sentiment fell to a five-month low, and UK confidence weakened as households grew more worried about finances. Retail Strategy: BJ’s and Lululemon are among retailers trimming product ranges, betting that tighter assortments will improve performance. Product Safety: UK authorities issued an urgent egg recall after products from a Ukrainian supplier were linked to 36 salmonella cases; a baby product was also recalled over alcohol content.

Consumer Mood: US sentiment fell to a five-month low as living costs weighed on households. Holiday shoppers are expected to be more budget-conscious, while UK retail footfall dropped 2.9% in September. Beauty Growth: Kay Beauty says nearly 3 million consumers have chosen the brand; its annualised sales run rate reached ₹300 crore in Q1 FY27, with profitability since its first year. Beverage Shift: Carlsberg Britvic has proposed closing Marston’s Brewery in 2027, citing a steep, continuing decline in cask ale demand. It plans to retain some brands and seek new owners for others. Retail Reach: Electric scooter maker Ampere added more than 50 experience centers, bringing its network to over 600 and expanding access to sales and service. Local Branding: HPCL is rolling out a Rajasthan-inspired visual identity across outlets and other customer touchpoints, drawing on local landmarks and motifs.

Consumer Mood: U.S. sentiment fell to 46.3 in early October, its lowest since May, while views of current conditions hit a record low. Consumers expect prices to rise 4.7% over the next year. Product Safety: Thai police seized counterfeit cosmetics from two warehouses selling through online shopping apps and arrested six workers. Consumer Reports also found most prenatal vitamins it tested were inaccurately labeled. Grocery Prices: PepsiCo plans to raise prices on Doritos and sodas, reversing a recent push to ease costs as North American shoppers pull back. Holiday Shopping: Consumers are spending selectively, with traditions still a priority, while retailers anticipate a longer holiday season and more shoppers considering AI tools.

Retail Pulse: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail sales rose 10.5% year over year in August to RM173 billion, with retail up 6.5%. In the US, sales grew for a 12th straight month in September, up 4.05% year over year as shoppers focused on essentials and value; electronics led gains. Prices & Demand: PepsiCo plans to raise prices on Doritos and sodas as weak North American demand signals pressure on consumers. Holiday shoppers are still spending, but surveys point to selective budgets, especially for food, decorations and entertainment. Product Moves: Beverage makers are targeting at-home coffee drinkers with new formats, including Rude Health’s organic coconut barista drink, while spirits brands lean on heritage, provenance and moderation. Retail Expansion: Indian lifestyle-tech brand DailyObjects raised Rs 332 crore to develop products and expand, with plans for 150 exclusive stores over five years. Wine Deals: California’s surplus of premium wine is bringing steep discounts, with some bottles typically priced far higher now selling for under $30.

Pet Food Safety: A Clean Label Project analysis found heavy metals, glyphosate and plastic-related chemicals in nearly all 100 cat foods tested across 62 brands. The study did not establish whether detected levels pose health risks. Fashion Shift: Unseasonably hot weather is disrupting autumn clothing sales and runway expectations, pushing designers toward lighter fabrics and retailers to rethink when they stock coats. Holiday Spending: Circana expects U.S. shoppers to spend an average of $779 this season, down from $796 last year, as consumers seek value but remain committed to meaningful gifts and celebrations. Consumer Privacy: ASOS says hackers accessed some customers’ names and contact details through a compromised employee account; payment data and passwords were not exposed, the retailer said. Food and Beverage: PepsiCo reported North American soft-drink volumes down 2% in the third quarter and lowered its full-year earnings outlook, citing pressure on consumers. Consumer Protection: Oregon says state advocates have recovered more than $32.8 million for residents since 2023 through insurance, lending and other financial complaints.

Customer Data: ASOS says hackers used an employee’s stolen credentials to access customers’ names and contact details; payment details and passwords were not affected, but the retailer urges caution over suspicious messages. Food & Drink: PepsiCo cut its 2026 profit outlook as North American snack and beverage demand weakened and costs rose, and plans further cost cuts. Retail Costs: Tesco’s chief executive is pressing the government to reform business rates, warning that higher taxes on warehouses could raise prices for shoppers. Prices Ahead: Malaysian businesses are absorbing some higher fuel and raw-material costs for now, but economists warn persistent pressure could feed through to consumer prices in 2027. Food Production: Family-owned Eric Lyons has opened a new Redditch facility to expand production capacity and develop products for its shops and delivery service.

Lululemon Reset: The apparel maker named former Nike and Athleta executive Maggie Gauger as chief product officer, as new CEO Heidi O’Neill works to address product missteps and changing customer tastes. Grocery Shifts: NielsenIQ says smaller households, tighter budgets and lower food consumption are lifting demand for smaller, cheaper grocery packs. Food Prices: Onion prices are easing in India as fresh crops reach markets; 126 cities reported retail declines over the past two weeks. Household Budgets: U.S. consumer borrowing rose less than expected in August as revolving credit posted its sharpest drop in nearly two years, suggesting pressure on credit-card spending. Retail Costs: A Swarthmore bakery closed after rising ingredient costs, staffing shortages and uneven weekday business squeezed operations. Utility Bills: Malaysia’s Finance Ministry says TNB’s additional tax claim will not automatically be passed on to consumers through electricity tariffs.

E-commerce Consumer Protection: Malaysia’s regulator (MCMC) is meeting with online platform providers to tighten consumer safety and compliance, pushing stronger seller identity checks and faster takedowns of illegal or dangerous listings. Retail & Data Security: UK fashion giant ASOS says basic customer details may have been accessed after an unauthorised notification via third-party platforms, while it works with authorities and advises customers to watch for suspicious messages. Food Trend Meets Policy: The Philippines’ ube boom is colliding with supply realities and IP fears, with the government announcing a ban on exporting raw yam to protect the crop as global demand grows. Hospitality Costs & Labor: Chicago restaurants say federal immigration enforcement is worsening staffing shortages and squeezing already-thin margins, with ripple effects felt across back-of-house teams. Payments & Consumer Access: South Africa’s FNB launches crypto trading for nearly 9 million retail customers via its existing share platform, starting from R10 and running 24/7. Brand & Product Marketing Tech: Printful rolls out AI Mockups to help online sellers generate lifestyle product images inside its publishing flow.

AI & Pricing Scrutiny: McDonald’s is hit with a federal antitrust lawsuit over an AI pricing tool that allegedly uses nonpublic store data to steer franchise prices. Cybersecurity in Retail: ASOS says customer details may be compromised after a hack and “unauthorised” app notifications, while hackers demand ransom. Beauty & Wellness Spending Shift: New research finds U.S. consumers are treating health and wellness as a top routine priority, not a luxury. Beauty Discovery on Pinterest: Pinterest’s first beauty trends report flags makeup, hair, fragrance and skincare ideas driving 2026 searches. Fashion Retail Trends: Paris Women’s Fashion Week spotlights mix-and-match “separates” and clashing patterns for spring/summer. Local Business Costs: Cebu cargo handlers seek a 25% fee jump, but business groups warn it could squeeze MSMEs and raise consumer prices. Small-Business Tech: HubSpot cuts ~660 jobs and reorganizes product teams around customer outcomes. SME Trade Facilitation: Kuwait proposes a “Gulf Product Industrial Passport” to reduce repeated paperwork across GCC markets. Sports & Consumer Timing: Idaho hunters are urged to plan for up to 10 business days delivery for online tags.

Cybersecurity & Retail: ASOS is investigating after thousands of app users received a “ASOS hacked” notification claiming hackers “fully compromised” a Snowflake instance, sending people to a Telegram link; the retailer’s site/app appeared to keep running as shares fell. Air Travel Upgrades: British Airways says retrofitted A380s will debut the “world’s largest” business class cabin with 106 Club Suite seats plus major multi-cabin refurbishment and onboard amenity upgrades. Consumer Tech & Payments: Malaysia’s AICB and compliance groups urged tighter intelligence sharing across banks, telecoms, and digital platforms at IFCTF 2026, highlighting AI use for fraud and AML. Beauty & Product Launches: Mary Kay rolled out a K-Beauty Texture Edit with Korea-made cleanser balm, snail gel patches, and collagen gel. Food Retail & Distribution: Tims secured listings for five Greek yogurt and kefir products in select Tesco stores, including a Ginger flavor exclusive. Business Operations & Risk: A legal brief warns Southern African firms to revisit contract risk allocation as El Niño raises drought and supply-chain disruption odds. Logistics Innovation: Evri began a UK trial of a two-legged autonomous delivery robot in Barnsley to test last-mile efficiency and obstacle handling.

Air Travel Upgrades: British Airways is refitting its Airbus A380s with a second-generation Club Suite, refreshed World Traveller Plus recliners, and new first-class suites aimed at a “modern luxury hotel” feel. Beauty & Consumer Trends: Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson mocked a viral plastic-wrap makeup “hack,” calling it confusing and questioning why it saves time. Home Services: A guide to furnace repair in Everett stresses diagnosis over “replace it,” especially when owners can’t be on site. Crypto Compliance: U.S. FinCEN withdrew its 2023 crypto-mixer rule and rescinded a 2020 unhosted-wallet identity-verification draft, while keeping existing anti-money-laundering duties in force. Food & Beverage Safety: PepsiCo initiated a major Gatorade recall over unlabeled food dyes, affecting multiple states. Retail & Local Business: Urban Threadz Boutique opened in Price, Utah, highlighting continued demand for local shopping. Payments & Health Tech: Utah’s Nolla Derm launches AI-assisted acne prescribing with physician oversight, while pharmacists report more cash-pay GLP-1 purchases. Consumer Goods Finance (India): Godrej Consumer Products expects high-teens revenue growth; Trent hit its 1,000th Zudio store milestone; and Relaxo signed agreements for captive renewable power.

Telecom Rescue: BT has agreed to buy TalkTalk’s consumer and wholesale operations out of administration, protecting service for 2.5m UK customers after the broadband provider’s insolvency. Consumer Costs: Royal Mail raised parcel prices effective Oct. 5, with some 1st Class medium parcels up to 20kg costing £1.45 more. Retail & Shopping: TFG is preparing a new multi-brand store (“Five Fold”) in Inverness’s Eastgate Shopping Centre, while Central Retail Vietnam will invest $23m to open a GO! hypermarket in Gia Lai. Business & Markets: Eurozone services PMI hit a 41-month high, and Schneider Electric agreed to buy PTC for $22.6bn to build an industrial software and AI push. Customer Experience: New research says UK shoppers are spreading loyalty across supermarkets, so retailers need smarter ways to win repeat spend. Food & Health: Malaysia’s water sector is urged to adopt zero-waste recovery from treatment residue, and South Korea’s baby market is shifting toward premium formulas and higher-function products.

Consumer Safety & Trust: A Nigerian actress, Ruth Kadiri, is sounding the alarm on fake and harmful food, medicine, cosmetics, and household products—urging parents to check expiry dates and NAFDAC numbers and calling on regulators to crack down. Dealmaking in Consumer Tech: ACCO Brands completed its acquisition of Dutch electronics accessories maker Trust, adding about $100M in annual revenue and expanding its peripherals lineup (keyboards, headsets, chargers, smart home and gaming gear). AI Infrastructure With Real-World Delays: Oracle’s 1.3 GW Wisconsin AI campus faces severe power-connection delays after regulators restarted the grid review, pushing customer delivery past 2027. Retail & Convenience Pressure: Reliance Retail and 7-Eleven are ending a five-year India franchise deal as convenience stores struggle against quick commerce. Health & Food Science: A long-running Swedish study links higher intake of full-fat cheese and cream with a modestly lower dementia risk, challenging low-fat assumptions. Business Growth Support: UK’s Enterprise Oxfordshire says its 2025/26 growth hub backed 1,700+ businesses, creating 211 jobs and safeguarding 878.

Retail Tech & Convenience: Morrisons pilots StrongPoint Click & Collect grocery lockers in Skipton, adding VoCoVo two-way support and extending collection hours by two daily hours to cut car-bay waiting. Payments & Fintech: Visa says stablecoin-linked card payment volume jumped nearly 200% year over year, with 160+ programs live and business/commercial cards contributing about 17% of fiscal 2026 volume. Consumer Finance & Markets: India’s stock-watch list this week centers on RBI’s rate decision, TCS earnings, crude above $100, and global bond yields as analysts flag cautious risk appetite. Business Growth in Retail: D-Mart (Avenue Supermarts) reports 18.4% YoY standalone revenue growth to ₹19,206.18 crore in Q2, with store count at 518. Automation in Manufacturing: Türkiye’s active industrial robot stock rose 7% to 30,990, with metal and automotive leading adoption. Policy & Compliance: Malaysia’s EY urges Budget 2027 SST reforms to reduce tax cascading and improve exemption access, stressing clear guidance and transition time. Customer Experience: A new report on Nigeria finds customer satisfaction hit a record 71% in 2025 despite service-quality declines.

Retail & Consumer Policy: New Zealand’s consumer watchdog backs Labour’s push for clearer pricing and easier cancellation, targeting “drip pricing” and subscription traps. Customer Experience: Qatar’s PHCC marks Customer Service Week 2026 with “Go the Extra Mile,” reporting 3,163 complaints handled in H1 2026 and fast closure rates. Retail Satisfaction: JD Power’s 2026 appliance study crowns Best Buy as top for customer satisfaction, nudging Home Depot down. Local Business Growth: UK’s Enterprise Oxfordshire says its growth hub backed 1,700+ businesses, creating 211 jobs and safeguarding 878. Cross-Border Expansion: Airwallex plans to double Malaysia headcount in 2026 as remittance volumes climb. Hemp Regulation Shock: A $28B hemp THC industry fights a looming US federal ban, warning some businesses could be wiped out. Hollywood & Media: Backlash persists over the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, with critics arguing it could hurt jobs and creativity. Community Markets: Berbice Expo opens with local products and business opportunities, featuring 180 booths and an AI-themed push.