Modern Retail Podcast: Prime Day takeaways, the end of Rite Aid, and Gen Z’s changing drinking habits
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts • Spotify
On this week’s episode of The Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels discuss the main themes of this past week’s Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and associated sales events across the e-commerce ecosystem. While sales are up for some companies, the discounts may not be as deep as consumers are used to. And household essentials continue to play a bigger role in the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.
Then, they analyze the downfall of Rite Aid, which has officially closed all its locations after 63 years in business, and get into the challenges and opportunities facing the pharmacy business.
Then, on this week’s featured segment, Barkho and Daniels lead a conversation about the changes facing the alcohol industry, with 50% of Gen Zers above legal drinking age. They’re joined by Alex Tomlin, svp of marketing at Bacardi North America, and Zach Poelma, svp of commercial intelligence at distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. They unpack the changing drinking habits of health- and budget-conscious younger customers, and the ways brands and companies are responding to trends like:
- The rise of the spritz as an Insta-worthy category
- Sports and entertainment events like the U.S. Open influencing drink trends
- “Healthier” drinking and what it really looks like, whether that’s more whiskey neats or “zebra striping” with water between drinks