By Chrissy Blasinsky

Last week at the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis, Jennie Bell, managing director, U.S. global clients, at NielsenIQ (NIQ), shared insights on how to navigate the shift to online shopping, and social media’s influence on the traditional path to purchase.

“When we think about the pace of change, it is adapting very quickly,” said Bell during “The Future of Retail” education session.

Retail was strictly brick-and-mortar 80 years ago. In the past decade the pace of change has gone from in-store and online only, to in-store, online, plus social commerce, quick commerce and omni channel.

“We’re in the space where we’ve really seen retailers adopt the digital transformation. Retailers are investing in technology platforms; they’re investing in supply chain … and social commerce and quick commerce are going to continue to transform the way consumers shop,” Bell said.

Emerging brands have become digital sales leaders, explained Bell. She said that many big brands have acquired emerging brands to integrate them into the digital environment for online shoppers. “The big brands are looking at the innovation that’s driving that growth” from emerging brands, Bell suggested.

Overall, sales growth for emerging brands outpaced in-store sales growth by 10.8% in 2024. Additionally, 21.1% of emerging brands saw over half of 2024 total sales come from online, and 48.9% of emerging brands saw online sales growth outpace in-store sales growth, according to NIQ data.

“When we think about why emerging brands win, it’s because they start small, develop the packaging, develop the ecosystem—this wins in the online space,” Bell said.

Social shopping, Bell explained, is challenging traditional retail. Social commerce is a competitive channel, with 55% of consumers making purchases via social media or livestream platforms, particularly TikTok. According to TikTok Shop data, candy is No. 1, followed by sports nutrition and dietary snacks, health and performance, gum, chocolate and meat snacks.

One shopping aspect that makes platforms like TikTok popular is the ease of impulse purchasing—a c-store attribute for center store items like candy and salty snacks.

Bell said that 68% of purchases on social selling platforms are made on impulse, noting that the livestream shopping environment gives immediate access for consumers to see a product, concept, and its claims.

“It is a very easy path to purchase. … Social selling will completely change the path to purchase that we’re all used to,” said Bell. “If you don’t have TikTok, download it—explore your categories and make sure you know how consumers are exploring your brand.”

Next, Krystal Dawson, vice president, North America, strategic analytics and insights at NielsenIQ talked about how retailers can earn “consumer share of mind” and stand out among a blurred and cluttered retail landscape.

Shoppers today are intentional, Dawson said, noting that they are finding ways to save or stretch their money in the face of economic uncertainty.

The NIQ Consumer Life Global 2024 report found that almost all (97%) of global respondents said they were “already figuring out ways to make their dollars work harder for them. It didn’t matter what their income level was,” Dawson said.

These consumers identified doing things like buying in bulk to get a discount, using coupons, shopping more at discount stores, and switching from name brands to less expensive brands.

When economic uncertainty comes into play, “now you have a total game changer,” Dawson said. NIQ data found that most Americans, when asked about tariffs specifically, expect a negative impact on the U.S. economy throughout this year and continuing for the next three years.

“Consumers knowing that that price is likely going to be fastened to them” means that it will be important for both manufacturers and retailers to ensure that they’re being transparent on pricing, suggested Dawson.

In closing, Dawson summarized several key takeaways:

• Recognize that consumers today are interacting with numerous touchpoints and channels. “You can’t rely on one avenue” to reach your best customers because they will purchase items from different areas. “You need to be easily findable across all platforms as efficiently as possible,” she suggested.
• Stay close to consumer sentiment. If a company’s strategy is focused on outdated concerns, it will quickly lose consumer share of mind. “Consumers will gravitate toward brands that address their current sentiments in the market,” she said.
• Leverage economic instability as an advantage. While it may be easy to consider issues like tariffs and labor issues as “doom and gloom,” successful retailers see it as an opportunity to develop more consumer-focused strategies. Dawson advised companies to proactively evolve their strategies to meet consumers where they are.

“This proactive approach is where success will thrive in the new retail landscape,” she said.

The 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 19-21.