January 1, 2026
Here are our picks for top news impacting retailers today:
- Sprinkles Cupcakes abruptly closed all of its locations, with founder and former owner Candace Nelson confirming the chain’s exit from the market. “A few days ago, I learned that Sprinkles Cupcakes, the company I started in 2005 and then sold to private equity in 2012, will be closing its bakery doors today. Just to say that out loud is completely surreal,” Nelson said on Instagram (via FOX Business).
- Mattel has named Natalia Premovic its chief consumer products and experiences officer, with Premovic set to take her post on Jan. 5. “We welcome Natalia to Mattel at an exciting time for the company, as we continue to expand our entertainment offering and capture more value from our IP,” CEO Ynon Kreiz said (via Retail Dive).
- Amazon return kiosks will begin appearing in stores operated by The Save Mart Companies, including Save Mart, Lucky, and FoodMaxx banners spanning California and Western Nevada. “The reality is, returning an item has become a routine part of the online shopping experience, especially after the busy holiday season,” said Tamara Pattison, Chief Digital Officer of The Save Mart Companies (via Retail Touchpoints).
- U.S. restaurants heavily focused on the value proposition in 2025, and the promise for 2026 appears to be much the same. “I think sometimes there’s this idea that value only matters to low-income [consumers]. But value matters to everybody, whether you’re upper income, middle income, lower income, feeling like you’re getting good value for your dollar is important,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said on a recent earnings call (via CNBC).