The number of drug stores in the U.S. has declined by more than 2,000 in the last 7 years (to 37,700 outlets), as independent pharmacies close.  And in the last decade, the percent of U.S. households shopping in drug stores has dropped from 89 percent to 81 percent.  But the drug store channel generates more than $43 billion in sales, excluding prescriptions, and the nation’s leading chains are continuing to innovate to grow their share of the consumer’s spend. 
So what are the top selling categories in the drug channel? Six …

RANK
NAME
BET
DAY
VIEWERS (P2+)

1
CLOSER, THE
TNT
MONDAY
7,455,000

2
BURN NOTICE
USA
THURSDAY
6,634,000

3
ROYAL PAINS
USA
THURSDAY
6,381,000

4
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)
USA
MONDAY
5,852,000

5
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)
USA
MONDAY
5,676,000

6
SP FN STAR 5(S)-08/02/2009
FOOD
SUNDAY
5,493,000

7
WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
DSNY
FRIDAY
4,843,000

8
TRUE BLOOD
HBOM
SUNDAY
4,272,000

9
NCIS
USA
THURSDAY
4,249,000

10
LAW & ORDER: CI (ORIG)
USA
SUNDAY
4,235,000

Source: The Nielsen Company (July 27, 2009 – August 2, 2009)

By: Jonathan Banks, Business Insights Director, The Nielsen Company
SUMMARY: While weight loss strategies vary by region, the world’s consumers will start the New Year looking for the right combination of alternatives to lose excess weight. Approaches range from changing their diet, to working out, consuming diet pills, bars or shakes, and taking prescription weight loss drugs.
Year after year, it leads the list of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions: lose weight. Close behind on the “most popular resolutions” list are promises to get fit (#5) and to eat right (#6). …

In October, as global financial markets plunged amid multiple bank bailouts, U.S. consumers showed marked caution at the cash register, focusing their purchases at food, drug, and mass merchandiser stores on basic necessities: food, medicines, and other household items.
Edible essentials, like bread, milk, cheese, and fresh produce, were among the top retail categories for October, according to Nielsen. 
Discretionary items like carbonated beverages, candy, and snacks were also among the top sellers in October — but most of these categories showed year-over-year unit and dollar sales declines.
Top Categories: October 2008 (Dollar Sales: Food/Drug/Mass Merchandiser Sales)

Rank
(by 2008 Dollar Sales)
Top Food/Drug/Mass Merchandiser Sales Categories
(October 2008)
Dollar Sales:
4 …

Oprah Winfrey’s influence — sometimes referred to as the “Oprah Effect” — has propelled countless individuals, products, and ideas into the public sphere.
That influence may even extend to her personal trainer, Bob Greene, whose “Best Life” program endorses consumer products that promote healthy living.
According to a recent Nielsen report, products featuring Greene’s “Best Life” seal of approval on their packaging easily outsold traditional food and beverage products. 
In 2008, brands endorsed by “Best Life” generated a 9.2% dollar sales increase, year-over-year, while all food and beverage products increased by just 4.6% …

It’s time for that lesser-known American holiday tradition: the holiday food advertising bonanza — when ads for Thanksgiving staples, like stuffing mixes, pie crusts, gravy mixes, and cranberry sauces, crowd onto the media landscape.
In 2007, ad spending for stuffing mixes increased 10,800% from the late summer months (Q3 2007: $45,180) to the fall (Q4 2007: $4.9 million).
During the same time frame, ad spending on products within the Pie Crust category grew from literally nothing (Q3 2007: $0) to $3.3 million.
Meanwhile, ad spending within the Gravy Mix category grew from nothing …

Ken Cassar
I found myself at our client meetings last week in San Francisco, Seattle and LA, repeatedly making the point that CPGs had been increasing their online ad spend. This was based upon conversations that I’d been having with folks in the CPG space and the intense interest that we’ve been seeing lately from CPGs in online advertising. As I had a few spare minutes today, I checked AdRelevance to make sure that I was right about this. I was relieved to see that online …

Growth (by value) of food sales at British supermarkets slowed to 5.4% during the 12 weeks ending October 4, compared with the same period in 2007, Nielsen reported Tuesday.
Flagging sales in September, when growth dipped to 4.5% — a full percentage point below August growth levels, drove the declines.
“Shoppers are still trading down,” Mike Watkins, senior manager, retailer services, Nielsen noted.  “Family shoppers in particular, are trying to save money, with 70% saying on they are looking to economize on grocery shopping — up from 63% in June.” 

Record high fuel prices, soaring commodities costs, and declining consumer confidence have changed the way U.S. consumers shop, according to a recent Nielsen consumer survey.  
Results from the survey indicate that 63% of U.S. consumers have reduced their household spending this year. 
The findings also suggest that consumers will continue to combine shopping trips, eat at home, and seek out at-home entertainment.

Rising gas and food prices have more and more consumers shopping at online grocers, according to Business Week. “One retail channel that is really winning now is online,” says Todd Hale, a senior vice-president at Nielsen. 
FreshDirect, the largest online grocer in the New York area, is experiencing growth in a variety of areas, including ready-to-eat meals. “People are traveling less and eating out less,” says Steve Druckman, chief marketing officer at FreshDirect.  The company reports that length of time between orders has shrunk by 20% in the last four months, …