In the news

The Super Bowl of Social Media
3 February 2012 — CMO.com
With a record viewership of 111 million people during the 2010 Super Bowl, and even more projected for this year, advertisers are fighting to pay an estimated $3.5 million for a 30-second spot. Desperate to reach viewers in a fragmented media environment, advertisers will try to capture consumers’ attentions and wallets, and, for the first time, social media will have some serious skin in the game.

The Consumer Goods Forum Launches Glossary for Sustainability
24 January 2012 — Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) announces today the publication of a glossary of commonly used terms that describes their environmental sustainability efforts and achievements. The Glossary provides a common way for companies across the industry to communicate between each other and with consumers using commonly defined and understood terms such as “Life Cycle Assessment,” “Sustainable Sourcing,” “Natural Refrigerants,” and “Recyclable.”

A Day of Returns

27 December 2011 — CNBC
Sherif Mityas, A.T. Kearney Partner with the Global Consumer & retail practice comments on the “second season” for holiday shopping as consumers flock to stores to return and exchange holiday gifts.

Buying Less Frozen Food?
6 January 2012 — NPR News
David Donnan, A.T. Kearney Partner in the Consumer and Retail Industries Practice, is interviewed about shopping trends in frozen food affected by consumers' changing eating habits and fast-food take-out.

Countdown to Black Friday
21 November 2011 — CNBC
Laura Gurski, A.T. Kearney Partner and Lead of the Global Consumer & Retail practice, comments on the holiday shopping season and how retailers are strategizing to make shopping an event.

Aligning the Org for S.M.
October 2011 — Shopper Marketing
Are shopper marketers being home grown, transferring in from customer teams, or just rotating through from sales and brand? The answer to this and other staff alignment questions were pursued in A.T. Kearney's "2011 Shopper Marketing Organization" survey.

Uniqlo Opens in New York
14 October 2011 — CNBC
Sherif Mityas, A.T. Kearney Partner in the Consumer Products & Retail Practice, comments on the store opening and the appeal to consumers with its fresh merchandise that turns over every 6 to 8 weeks.

Older and Wiser: Mature Consumers' Needs
12 October 2011 — MediaPost Blogs
According to A.T. Kearney's Global Maturing Consumer study, falling birthrates and increasing longevity means that, for the rest of this century, the fastest-growing consumer group will be over the age of 60. Manufacturers and retailers will need to adapt their products and sales channels, because mature consumers will represent not only a significant part of their future clientele, but also of their human resources, as retirement ages worldwide start to creep up.

Uruguay, Chile Join Brazil as World-Best for Expanding Retailers
27 July — Bloomberg
South America is the next retail frontier as Brazil, Uruguay and Chile top China and India for new expansion opportunities.

Developing Countries Offer Retailers Something They Can't Find Elsewhere: Growth
17 July 2011 — Forbes
Over the 10-year history of A. T. Kearney's Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), an annual research project designed to help global retailers prioritize which countries to enter, the population of developing markets increased 11%, while retail sales per capita has almost doubled, retail space has more than tripled and Internet access grew by nearly 500%.

Where Others Have Gone without Success, J.C. Penney Goes Again
15 June 2011 — New York Times
“Penney’s is in the same boat as a lot of midtier department stores, which is, you’re not really differentiating yourself in the luxury space, and you’re not a value dollar store, a low-income driven retailer,” said Sherif Mityas, of the consulting firm A. T. Kearney. “So you need to create basically a reason for people to come into your store. Department stores in general are really almost too generic at this point, and you’re seeing it in their results.”

A.T. Kearney’s 2011 Retail Apparel Index Finds China is Most Attractive Emerging Market, Followed by U.A. E and Kuwait
12 June 2011 — atkearney.com China ranks as the most attractive emerging market for apparel retailers according to a study by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. Its first place ranking was driven by the country’s large population and the growing disposable income of the middle class.

Best Places for Retail Expansion: South America Surges to Top
9 June 2011 — CNBC
Getting it right in developing markets is a challenge, but it is an essential task for retailers if they want to give their sales growth a boost.

Retail's Hottest Emerging Markets 2011
6 June 2011 — CNBC slideshow
Global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney takes an annual look at which emerging markets are ripe for retail expansion. With the growth of consumer spending sluggish at best in many developed markets, retailers have little choice but to expand their businesses to new markets if they want to compete. See details of the top 10.

U.K. Retailers Missing South American Opportunity, Kearney Says
6 June 2011 — Bloomberg
U.K. retailers Marks & Spencer Group Plc (MKS), Tesco Plc (TSCO) and J Sainsbury Plc (SBRY) are missing an opportunity by excluding South America from their expansion plans, according to a report by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Brazil Jumps to First Place in Ranking of Top Developing Economies for Global Retail Expansion
6 June 2011 — atkearney.com
A.T. Kearney today released its 2011 Index of top ranked developing countries for global retail expansion. In the 10th annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), Brazil jumped to first place from #5 in last year’s study.

Food Inflation
4 March 2011 — Bloomberg
David Donnan, a partner at A.T. Kearney, talks about rising food prices and the impact on food manufacturers and consumers. Food manufacturers are worried about consumer budgets – and are getting innovative with products.

Business Without Borders
16 December 2010 — Business Day
How can North American companies build their brands overseas? BNN talks to David Donnan, vice-president and partner of international management consultants A.T. Kearney.

Cyber Monday Breakdown
29 November 2010 — CNBC
Laura Gurski, A.T. Kearney Partner and Lead of the Global Consumer & Retail practice, talks about the fundamental shift toward online shopping and this year's holiday shopping outlook.

Retail Sales Rise but Consumers Still Holding Back
14 September 2010 — DailyFinance
Sherif Mityas, A.T. Kearney partner in the retail practice, comments on August sales for retail and food, the cautionary spending of Middle America, and the potential for holiday shopping with the right promotional efforts.

A.T. Kearney Index Places Eight Mena Countries among Top 21 Retail Growth Opportunities Globally
22 June 2010 — AMEinfo.com
According to the 9th annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) study from management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region exhibits the most exciting retail growth opportunities today for international retailers.

Retailers' New Frontier Goes Beyond 'BRIC' Countries
21 June 2010 — MarketWatch
Alongside the promise of the so-called 'BRIC' countries to the U.S. and other global retailers, smaller emerging markets, including Kuwait and Dubai, are rising as the new crop of global expansion opportunities.

Global Retailers: Expansion Opportunities in 2010
July 2010 — Global Retail Newsletter
Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), annual survey of 30 emerging markets conducted by A.T.Kearney, helps retailers to fix the strategies of their global expansion while ranking the commercial attraction of these countries.

World's Best Retail Markets
21 June 2010 — CNBC
Michael Moriarty, A.T. Kearney partner, explains the firm's annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) and the significance of the just released 2010 findings.

Global Expansion a Must for Retailers: A.T. Kearney Study
21 June 2010
Slow growth, heavy discounting and more fickle shoppers in recession-weary developed markets mean retailers should be increasingly focused on international expansion, according to the 9th annual Global Retail Development Index study.

Retail Sales - June
11 June 2010 — NPR News
Laura Gurski, A.T. Kearney Partner and Global Lead for the Retail Industries & Consumer Practice, comments on current consumer shopping reluctance or pausing.

New A.T. Kearney Global Retail Study Finds Increased Management Presence in Stores Increases Performance
14 June 2010
A new study by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, the Achieving Excellence in Retail Operations (AERO) Study, shows that when field and regional managers spend more than 75 percent of their time in the stores employee turnover falls by 10 percent and stores are more likely to conform to initiatives.

Retailers Prep for Consumer Spending
7 April 2010 — Markeetplace
Sherif Mityas, A.T. Kearney Partner, describes how retailers can position themselves to jump in when consumer spending starts to turn around, and what happens if they jump the gun.

Retail Sector Outlook
8 April 2010 — Business News Network
Sherif Mityas, A.T. Kearney Partner, is interviewed about the retail outlook, especially for niche retailers, as we come out of the recession.

Companies should collaborate to fight food fraud: Report
8 February 2010 — Food Navigator
Greater collaboration and information sharing could help the food industry tackle food fraud, according to a new report from the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Market Watch: Vietnam
Feb 2, 2010 — The licensing landscape loosens up in the land of the Blue Dragon
With a surging middle class, steady population growth and a GDP in the neighborhood of US$90 billion, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has started to garner attention as a viable and dynamic market for licensed goods.

A.T. Kearney Forecasts Unprecedented Global Store Brand Growth
2 December 2009 — Store Brands Decisions
Global market share of private label products is forecasted to reach 65 percent by 2025, up from the current 20 percent, according to research conducted by A.T. Kearney, a management consulting company.

Cyber Monday S2
30 November 2009 — National Public Radio
Laura Gurski, A.T. Kearney Partner, discusses the impact of online sales for the holiday shopping season.

Black Friday: Shoppers treat selves this season
28 November 2009 — Chicago Tribune
"Market share is the name of the game," said Mike Moriarty, vice president at A.T. Kearney's retail practice. "This year, the big business is to convert you to come back again."

Best Firms to Work For 2009
September/October 2009 — Consulting Magazine
For the second year in a row, A.T. Kearney has been named to Consulting Magazine's list of Best Firms to Work For. The article includes a practice spotlight on consumer products and retail.

Emerging Markets
10 August 2009 - Mass Market Retailers
Global expansion to emerging markets has become more important as a growth strategy for retailers, plus the recession is making it more attractive.

New Concept of Scenario Planning Emphasizes Operating Business with a Discontinuous Vision of the Future
17 June 2009 - www.atkearney.com
During a special session of the CIES World Food Business Summit, A.T. Kearney Partner Jim Singer outlined an approach for readying a business for potential sources of discontinuity, understanding their impact, and finding opportunities for competitive advantage.

Downturn Has Increased Emerging Market Opportunities for Global Retailers, Says A.T. Kearney Study
15 June 2009 - www.atkearney.com
Emerging markets continue to represent attractive investment opportunities for global retailers and the economic downturn has made entry to many of these markets more critical and relevant, according to global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s eighth annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), a study of retail investment attractiveness among 30 emerging markets.

Emerging Markets Offer Growth Opportunities for Apparel Retailers Battling Declines in Domestic Consumer Spending
15 June 2009 - www.atkearney.com
Brazil finished ahead of Romania and China in the 2009 A.T. Kearney Retail Apparel Index, which analyzes market growth and consumer indicators for 30 emerging market countries. Brazil is ranked as the most attractive emerging market for apparel retailers for the second year in a row, according to a study by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. The ranking was driven by Brazil’s large total clothing sales, young population and its high annual clothing sales per capita.

Will China food law cut out bad stuff?
1 June 2009 - Marketplace
Bing Zhang comments on China'snew food safety law and food-related exports.

CPG Companies Need to Broaden Sales Skill Set to Meet the Needs of Modern Retailers
6 May 2009 - GMA
Groundbreaking research study by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), the Network of Executive Women (NEW), and A.T. Kearney shows that sales force talent management has top- and bottom-line implications.

Investors shop for good deals on stores
11 February 2009 - CNNMoney.com
Mike Moriarty, A.T. Kearney partner and Americas Consumer & Retail Practice Lead, explains the three factors that make retailing attractive for private investors.

Stores need to excite, execute, entertain
4 February 2009 - CNNMoney.com
Survival means different things to different people, said Joel Alden, principal with the retail practice of AT Kearney, a global management consulting firm.

ECONOMY: Companies Warned to Go Green or Go Under
3 December 2008 - ipsnews.com
If companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector do not implement sustainable environmental strategies, their earnings could be cut in half by 2018.

Go Green Or Else!
2 December 2008 - Brandweek
A.T. Kearney Partner Daniel Mahler discusses how environmental legislation and climate changes could eat up as much as 47 percent of packaged goods companies' profits by 2018 if they don't adopt long-term sustainability measures.

Tainted milk renews safety concerns
25 September 2008 - American Public Media — Marketplace
Jim Morehouse, A.T. Kearney partner, comments on the safety of diary product imports from China.

Experts: Unilever Right to Make a Clean Break From Laundry
29 July 2008 - BrandWeek.com
Dean Hillier, A.T. Kearney partner, comments on Unilever's decision to sell its North American laundry care business and focus instead on growing its core brands.

Report calls Vietnam best emerging market for retailers
2 June 2008 - Reuters
The most attractive region for retailers looking to open stores abroad is the Middle East and North Africa, according to a study released on Monday, but the single hottest market at the moment is Vietnam.

India ousted from top spot on A.T. Kearney's global retail development index
2 June 2008 - Forbes.com
India's three-year reign as the most attractive emerging market destination for retail investment has ended with Vietnam vaulting to the number one position in the seventh annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI).

Nation tops list for most attractive retail investment
2 June 2008 - Viet Nam News
Viet Nam leapt over India, Russia and China as the most attractive emerging market destination for retail investment this year.

Black Friday Retail Sales Trends
23 November 2007 - Bloomberg Radio (WBBR)
Sherif Mityas discusses retail trends for the 2007 holiday season.

Retailers' Thanksgiving Offers Won't Avert Web Sales Slowdown
22 November 2007 - Bloomberg
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Best Buy Co. will mark Thanksgiving today with online promotions aimed at jumpstarting the holiday sales season. The Web sites are unlikely to provide the boost they did last year.

Chinese Consumers Fear Tainted Food
29 June 2007 - NPR - Morning Edition
Chinese shoppers at an international supermarket admit they're worried about food safety. Problems dog every stage of the food production process such as unsafe substances added to food, delivery trucks that aren't refrigerated and goods stored and sold in an unhygienic environment.

Technology: A Look Ahead
13 April 2007 - foodlogistics.com
After 10 years of what has sometimes felt like unrelenting hype, the time may have come for many companies to take a deep breath, clear their heads and set some clear objectives before proceeding further.

Researchers See Big Savings Potential in Supply Chains
February 19, 2007 - Supermarket News
Retailers who support efficient supply chain processes stand to share in a $12 billion to $16 billion opportunity along with suppliers who create pricing programs that more accurately reflect the true costs of service.