In late January, Visa and MasterCard announced that as a result of a November 2012 federal district court settlement ruling, merchants in the U.S. and U.S. territories were able to add a surcharge to cover their cost of acceptance for certain credit card transactions. Debit and prepaid cards are not eligible for surcharging. The ability…
DetailsOrganic milk sales were up 15% last year, Supermarket News reports. While representing just 3.8% of total milk volume, organic milk continues to gain momentum with consumers, according to Prime Consulting Group. More than half (52%) of organic milk was purchased at natural food stores, while club stores also sold a significant portion (10%). Supermarkets…
DetailsMore than 42% of women who redeem grocery and consumer coupons prefer receiving SMS-based coupons via their mobile phones, according to RadiumOne’s mobile coupon research study, “Improving the Performance of Mobile Coupons.” The survey, which targeted women between the ages of 35 and 54, found that 61.9% redeem grocery and consumer goods retail coupons. Just…
DetailsSnack brands like Dreyer’s/Edy’s ice cream, Hershey’s chocolate, and Lay’s potato chips are trying to solve the dieter’s dilemma by rolling out mid-calorie goodies that have more fat and calories than the snacks of earlier diet crazes, but less than the original versions, reported the Associated Press. They are following the lead of soda companies…
DetailsConsumers are increasingly pessimistic about the economy and gas prices are a growing reason why, according to the results from the monthly NACS Consumer Fuels Survey. Nearly one quarter (23%) of consumers surveyed in a national poll of gasoline purchasers are “very pessimistic” about the economy, a significant increase from the 18% who said that…
DetailsAccording to new Technomic research, foodservice beverage sales rose sharply last year, with 71% of consumers now purchasing beverages away from home twice a week or more, up from 66% in 2010, Marketing Daily reports. As reported in Technomic’s Beverage Consumer Trend Report, more than two-thirds of consumers surveyed said they drank hot coffee (68%)…
DetailsVisits to convenience stores increased by 4.6% during the fourth quarter of 2012 compared to same quarter year ago, according to The NPD Group. NPD’s convenience store research reports that the increase in traffic was attributed to an increase in average monthly visits, which grew 3.7% over last year as c-store shoppers made an average…
DetailsA change in federal tax law that decreased the take-home pay of many working Americans is impacting household budgets. According to NRF’s 2013 Tax Returns Survey conducted by BIGinsight, nearly three-quarters (73.3%) of those polled say their spending plans are taking a hit. When asked how the new federal tax laws have affected spending, saving,…
DetailsAs a consumer group, African-Americans continue to experience population growth, have unique generational behavioral trends and characteristics, and are projected to reach $1.1 trillion in buying power by 2015. This makes them a viable market segment full of business opportunities, according to the “African-American Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing 2012 Report,” released by Nielsen and…
DetailsMany people have transferred a home to the child and then discovered it wasn’t the prudent thing to do for a variety of reasons. If you’re considering giving your home to your children, talk to your estate planning advisor first to make sure you do it right for your situation. Many people mistakenly believe they…
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