US: inflation-weary consumers stock up on discount stores

As in France and Italy, inflation due to Covid – 19 in the US has left deep traces that have favoured the development of discount formulas, albeit with very different approaches and sales methods. US consumers are also experiencing the political uncertainty sown by the tariffs wanted by Donald Trump. Box stores (wholesale discounters) are depopulating in the US, driven by concerns about the high cost of living. Chris Nichols , CEO of Sam’s Club (Walmart’s box store chain) predicts ‘difficult times’ for the US economy

Quick Take — Senatorial commission on Perrier: the Presidency of the Republic knew, at least since 2022, that Nestlé had been cheating for years

was aware that this created a distortion of competition with other mineral water producers and was aware of bacteriological and even virological contamination on some wells.

Among the many things Nestlé did to conceal the fraud: removing “the list of pesticides (herbicides, fungicides) that have been banned for some of them for 20 years, such as atrazine. No more PFAS, chlorates and other perchlorates. Above all, the table quoting the frequency of detection of E.Coli bacteria and intestinal enterococci for the period 2020-2023 is out.

Quick Take — Despite galloping inflation, high-end chocolate holds up well

“Customers have mostly remained loyal to the luxury chocolate manufacturers who have largely refused to reduce cocoa content and instead increased prices“…

… Consumer brands also held up well: Nestlé said the KitKat recipe had not changed, adding that the popularity of the chocolate bar demonstrated “the continued appeal of established brands offering tasty products.”

Below: a Swiss luxury brand