Domino’s Pizza last week said its research shows, to avoid delivery costs, more customers prepare meals during inflationary times rather than order pizza. Will high inflation, including grocery, contribute more to increasing or decreasing the appeal of home cooking?

Grocery delivery workers were hailed as heroes during the pandemic. However, Instacart’s experience shows how the sudden moralization of work, which is often used to control workers, can backfire, according to a university study. What effect did the moralization of grocery delivery and other retail jobs during the pandemic have on employee morale?

In early 2021, reports of mass numbers of employees leaving jobs in search of greener, more lucrative pastures led to the phenomenon known as The Great Resignation. A new survey suggests that the resignations may just be getting started. Do you see The Great Resignation continuing or switching gears in 2023?

A global trend dubbed “quiet quitting” has replaced “The Great Resignation” as the latest development among disgruntled workers arising from the pandemic. Has the quiet quitting movement been caused by employees or employers?

Apple has ordered its employees back to the office, and many are not happy about it. Will companies with either full-time remote or hybrid work schedules have an advantage in recruiting and retaining white collar staff versus those with office-only policies?

The latest “Saks Luxury Pulse” survey finds higher-income consumers continuing to spend on luxury despite record inflation and a plunging stock market. What do you think is driving the apparent strength in the luxury market and do you expect it to continue?

On July 19, Canada will celebrate its third annual Grocery Heroes Day, an industry-backed holiday meant to honor frontline grocery workers. Should the U.S. grocery industry adopt its own version of a heroes day for frontline workers?

An FMI study finds that, while Americans are still cooking at home more than ever before, enthusiasm for doing so has waned to pre-pandemic levels. What are the most effective methods for grocers to inspire home cooks and help them overcome cooking fatigue?

A new study finds consumers are seeking humor from brands as they emerge from the pandemic era. Yet only 16 percent of brands surveyed use humor to sell, with 95 percent fearing using humor in customer interactions. Do you think the surveys are accurate in finding consumers want more humor at this time?

the United Food and Commercial Workers union made sure to include the right of self defense for workers if they are attacked on the job. Should retail industry employers give frontline associates the right to defend themselves and customers inside stores or should they continue to ban physical interactions with thieves and aggressive people?

Congress approved legislation that retailers believe will help reign in ocean carriers who have used the coronavirus pandemic as a rationale to jack up rates to transport goods to the U.S.  What do you see as the greatest challenges for U.S. retailers when it comes to efficiently moving goods through the supply chain and keeping costs down?

Retailers are trying to negotiate terms like rent abatement or rent deferral in case of a new forced closure, according to a new report. How important is it that retailers negotiate clauses pertaining to potential future government shutdowns into their leases?

“It’s slow progress, but retailers’ interest in urban corridors is returning and deal volume is inching up, while shoppers, workers, travelers and diners return to city life,” according to a new report from real estate services firm JLL. How confident are you that urban retail will soon return close to pre-pandemic levels?

Surveys show that trust in scientists took a hit during the pandemic and it may be impacting science-based marketing claims. Do you agree that consumers have “mixed feelings about science in product development” partly due to their experience during the pandemic?

Without the typical in-person social interaction, virtually selling tends to be transactional and lonely, not only impacting morale, but sales effectiveness, according to a new article. What’s your take on the pros, cons and hurdles around virtual selling?

The Pedigree brand has launched a program designed to keep pandemic puppies and other dogs in their forever homes even at a time when many pet parents are finding it more difficult to make ends meet. Are programs designed to alleviate pet homelessness essential for retailers in the pet products business?

Amazon is holding its first Amazon Pet Day in celebration of National Pet Month, focusing on a rare category where the company is facing an equally formidable online player in Chewy.  Does Amazon have a bigger opportunity in the pet category post-pandemic?

UBS has forecast that 40,000 to 50,000 stores will close in the U.S. by the end of 2026, downwardly revising research from April 2021. Part of the reason is because physical stores have shown their value over the course of the pandemic. Do you agree that “stores have proven their critical role” over the pandemic and, if so, in what ways?

A new study indicates that retailers are taking a hit in foot traffic across the board due to fuel cost inflation. Do you think that foot traffic to stores will continue to slow due to fuel costs and other inflationary pressures?

Contact-free retail became a priority at the beginning of the pandemic. Some efforts to cut down contact with customers, however, is raising questions about the threat of compromising the customer experience.  Do you think Starbucks and other QSRs should provide pickup-only locations that offer customers contact-free service?

More than two years into the novel coronavirus pandemic and retailers are still searching for answers. What can retailers do to competitively fund the initiatives captured in Deloitte’s survey?

The pandemic has allowed a new demographic to go professional with their hobbies, according to a new UK study. How likely is the demand for makers’ goods to remain strong as cases of COVID-19 ebb?

To meet the shift toward remote working coming out of the pandemic, Staples launched the Work From Home Style Squad, a group of experts sharing design advice, product picks and tips to help customers reimagine their home workspaces. Which retail channel do you see gaining from the WHF trend?

The need for vaccination against COVID-19 has driven a huge influx of foot traffic to retail pharmacies, but with demand for vaccines and pandemic-related services waning, retail pharmacies are anticipating taking a hit. What do retail pharmacies need to do to prepare for a future where COVID-19 vaccination is less of a traffic driver?

Neither the Omicron variant, bad weather nor inflation proved to be enough to slow consumer spending in January as retail sales increased 3.8 percent from the month prior, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. How much of a factor did inflation play in retail’s sales numbers for January?

Walmart in an internal memo Friday said it has ended mask mandates and its COVID-19 sick leave policy for employees, while phasing out daily health screenings. Is it the appropriate time to end mask mandates for in-store associates and warehouse workers?

Grocery stores are not the only food retailers experiencing significant stock-outs this year. Customers are more frequently finding shelves empty of the food they are looking for at convenience stores, according to CNN. Are convenience stores positioned to weather stock-outs better or worse than grocers?

Meijer has announced that its retail pharmacy will be the first to offer free, at-home COVID-19 PCR tests to customers. In partnership with a testing company called eTrueNorth, Meijer will be providing home PCR tests for pickup at the store. What will Meijer get out of its free PCR test offer?

Companies with 100 or more employees have choices to make in the wake of last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court. Some are choosing to stick with their plans to require vaccinations or testing while others are not. Should retailers require employees to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing?

The U.S. The Supreme Court has ruled that OSHA can’t enforce a mandate that would require employers with at least 100 employees to require either vaccination or regular testing for COVID-19.  Do you think the SCOTUS decision will make it easier or harder on retailers trying to decide about COVID-19 mandates and regular testing for workers?

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is now, according to several accounts, the fastest spreading virus in history with over one million cases reported yesterday in the U.S.  How well do you think retailers are responding to the current operational challenges created by the spike in Omicron cases around the country?

With vaccination rates escalating, in-person trade shows were supposed to make a roaring comeback in 2022, but the fast-spreading variant is threatening to ruin the party. Are you or your team planning on attending, exhibiting or speaking at trade shows in the coming months?

While employers have made strides in offering worker protections against COVID, it appears that the rapid spread of the Omicron strain is shaping up to be the same kind of mess they’ve seen before. What unique challenges does the fast-spreading but apparently milder Omicron variant of the coronavirus present to grocers and other retailers?

In the first major post-holiday report, Mastercard has projected that U.S. retail sales grew 8.5 percent year-over-year and 10.7 percent against the pre-pandemic 2019 period. The gains were attributed in part to early holiday purchases incentivized by out-of-stock concerns. How would you sum up the 2021 holiday season?

Recent columns have charged that the “Great Resignation” is being misinterpreted. One attributed the high number of people quitting jobs to greater availability of job openings, giving workers confidence to try something more promising. What’s driving the Great Resignation and what does it mean for retail?

The largest grocery chain in the U.S. recently pulled its paid COVID-19 leave for employees not yet vaccinated against the coronavirus in a move designed to encourage inoculations. Is Kroger’s approach the right one for incentivizing vaccination at this point?

As we move further into the second holiday season during the pandemic, consumers are reevaluating priorities for the future amid both emerging and sustained stressors. That doesn’t mean that new habits are suddenly going to disappear at Christmas. Do you see consumer attitudes about group gatherings, high prices and health aligning with actual behavior in 2022?

The United Food and Commercial Workers union is calling on the largest retailers in the U.S. to step up and protect frontline workers as the novel coronavirus pandemic enters a new and potentially more challenging phase. Do you think all five actions recommended by the UFCW to protect workers are warranted at this time?

Over the last couple of years, major retailers have increasingly offered discounts to teachers during the back-to-school season. Now some retailers and brands are extending their promotions even further. Should other retailers that offer teacher discounts consider extending them beyond the back-to-school season as Meijer has done?

American Express said sales on the 12th Small Business Saturday, November 27, reached an all-time high, but other reports point to challenges facing local shops this holiday season. Are Small Business Saturday and overall buy-local movements losing or gaining momentum at this stage of the pandemic?

The Omicron virus is here and is probably more widespread than currently known. Beyond that there isn’t a lot known about the latest variant of COVID-19 other than by vaccine makers. Do you see signs that the Omicron variant has begun to affect consumer shopping behavior in the U.S.?

Much of the focus of retailers’ concerns about the upcoming holiday season has centered around being unable to meet customer demand for gifts, and losing out accordingly. Retailers, however, may be facing a different problem. Should retailers be concerned about shoppers skipping out on gift giving this year?

Trade associations representing retailers are calling on the federal government to recalculate the timeline for implementation of new temporary COVID-19 vaccination and testing protocols for companies with 100 or more employees.  Should the federal government carve out exceptions to the ETS for the retail industry?

Apple reportedly lifted mask requirements at more than 100 of its 270 U.S. stores starting last Friday due to declining COVID-19 cases and climbing vaccination rates. Is it appropriate or still too risky for Apple and other retailers to ease mask mandates for customers ahead of CDC guidance?

Grocery prices have been increasing steadily in the U.S. for a number of months, but at restaurants food is getting more expensive at an even faster rate than on grocery shelves.  How important are price considerations for consumers choosing whether to dine at home or at a restaurant?

Improving compensation may seem like the obvious place for retailers to start when they are attempting to retain employees. For the majority of workers who were on the way out the door in July and August, however, it was not about money, according to a new study. What can retailers do to address burnout among staff?

A new survey found that one-third of employees would prefer an informal dress code to an extra $5,000 in salary. Do you see the pandemic becoming a milestone event accelerating the casualization of wardrobes?

There was a time when it was not unheard of for lower-level retail employees to think about moving up in the company. Now, more often than not, they think of moving out and on to something different. What can the retail industry do to turn around the perception that working in retail is not a “real job”?

The Macy’s 2020 Thanksgiving Day Parade was scaled down significantly. This year New York City is preparing for the return of the event and a crowd of spectators to watch in person. Will the return of the full, live event have any impact on the public’s perception of Macy’s and its sales during this year’s Christmas selling season?

At the height of the COVID pandemic, retail profitability took a back seat to meeting customer demand by whatever means necessary. What will it take for retailers to return to pre-pandemic profit margins?