Market research and analytics company Circana reported U.S. retail sales revenue rose 2% and unit volume was flat year over year across discretionary general merchandise, retail food and beverage and non-edible consumer packaged goods (CPG) during the four weeks ending August 30, 2025.
Dollar sales gains for the month came from retail food and beverage and non-edible CPG, and unit sales were flat or down across all retail segments, according to Circana.
“Retail spending is holding steady, as the consumer continues to demonstrate their resilience, but the ways in which they are making purchases are changing rapidly,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for Circana. “When core retail shopping periods become altered, it becomes clear that things are out of sync between retail and the consumer.”
Back-to-school-relevant product sales came up short of the comparable previous-year period for the eight weeks ending August 30, 2025, with dollar sales declining 1% from last year and unit sales dropping 3%, Circana reported.
Perceived shopping deadlines and seasonal needs related to a new school year have gotten more relaxed and therefore the shopping period has elongated for the consumer, but the general focus from retail and media remains rooted in the traditional season, Cohen noted.
“Consumers are charting their own spending path and changing the way retail seasons are measured,” Cohen said. “There is a new cadence to shopping that goes beyond traditional retail calendars or seasons. Instead, shifts in consumer lifestyle, shopping behavior and media influence are behind today’s retail performance — a dynamic that marketers need to prepare for through the 2025 holiday shopping season and beyond.”
