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Food companies look to profit from consumers鈥� protein fixation: Demand for healthier products鈥攁nd pressure from the MAHA movement鈥攊s pushing manufacturers to embrace 鈥渂etter for you鈥� options.

The situation: The escalating US-Iran conflict threatens to unleash fresh headwinds for the retail industry, which is already under pressure from the Trump administration鈥檚 shifting trade policies. Our take: Uncertainty has loomed over the industry all year, making it increasingly difficult for retailers to plan ahead with the Trump administration鈥檚 shifting trade policies. Case in point: The 90-day reciprocal tariff pause is set to expire on July 9, and there鈥檚 little clarity as to whether it will be extended or if the sweeping levies will take effect. The escalating US鈥揑ran conflict only adds to the volatility, compounding the pressure on retailers. Together, these factors make it increasingly likely that the operating environment will remain murky for the remainder of the year.

Despite new safeguards, Meta faces backlash after chatbots discussed sexual topics with teens, threatening trust among parents, regulators, brands, and the celebrities lending their voices.

Hershey sees LesserEvil as the greater good in healthier snacking: The consumer packaged goods giant is buying the snack brand as part of its push to diversify its offerings.

Short-form video offerings signal the platform鈥檚 push to become more than just a job-hunting site as it aims to compete for screen time with TikTok and Instagram.

TV time spent has declined over the past decade, but not as steeply as other traditional formats like newspapers and magazines. CTV time spent is making gains every year. It accounted for just 21.7% of total TV (linear plus CTV) time spent five years ago. By 2026, it will make up 38.0%.

Retailers aren鈥檛 likely to get certainty any time soon: The Trump administration is considering slashing China tariffs down to a still-astronomical 50% or 65%, leaving merchants to stay cautious on merchandising.

Brands are staying quiet this Pride Month: Retailers that once loudly proclaimed their LGBTQ+ initiatives are keeping mum to avoid government attention.

Agentic AI gains momentum: As Amazon, Walmart, eBay and others experiment with AI agents, retailers need to to figure out how to market to bots in addition to humans.

The effects of new tariffs are starting to hit home: Retailers that rely on discretionary spending are struggling, signaling rising anxiety among businesses and consumers鈥攁nd likely slower growth ahead.

LinkedIn rebrands its Wire Program as BrandLink: The move reemphasizes its pivot toward creator-led B2B video.

Temu pulls its Google Shopping ads: The escalating US-China trade war puts the company鈥檚 business model at risk and threatens ad giants like Meta and Google.

Wealthier consumers are trading down: This could favor retailers that blend value and premium offerings with tailored merchandising and pricing.

JD plans $27.9 billion investment in Chinese manufacturers to ease tariff impact: Ecommerce peers Alibaba and Meituan will join to help export-oriented companies attract domestic customers.

Market instability as well as concerns over an economic slowdown as a result of President Trump鈥檚 tariffs are making the BNPL player pause its plans