HUL’s First Woman CEO, Prime Day Down 41%, and Gen Z Ditches Alcohol

 👋 Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get Retail Detail every Friday.

📰 India Retail Pulse

Priya Nair Becomes HUL’s First Woman CEO
Hindustan Unilever names Priya Nair as its first woman CEO and MD, succeeding Rohit Jawa.
🔗 Read more

Amazon Joins 10-Minute Race in Delhi
Amazon launches 10-minute grocery delivery in Delhi, ramping up the quick commerce wars.
🔗 Read more

Coca-Cola Bottler Grows Bigger
Kandhari Global Beverages acquires Wave Beverages’ Coca-Cola bottling business for ₹1,000 crore.
🔗 Read more

Tesla Plugs Into India
Tesla to open its first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15.
🔗 Read more

Swiggy Bolt & Subway Partner for 10-Minute Subs
Swiggy Bolt ties up with Subway for rapid deliveries in 125 cities.
🔗 Read more

Birkenstock Cracks Down on Fakes
Birkenstock intensifies its fight against counterfeits in India, prompting court-ordered factory visits.
🔗 Read more

Beauty Boom: Imports Surge
Global skincare and cosmetics brands ramp up exports to India as local demand soars.
🔗 Read more

Blinkit & Instamart Surge as Zepto Stalls
Zepto hits Q1 headwinds while Blinkit and Instamart gain ground in quick commerce.
🔗 Read more

Rebel Foods Mulls Smoor Stake Sale
Rebel Foods explores selling its stake in premium chocolate brand Smoor.
🔗 Read more

Textile Stocks Rally on US Tariffs
Indian textile stocks like Gokaldas Exports jump up to 8% as the US imposes 35% tariffs on Bangladesh goods.
🔗 Read more

Victoria’s Secret Expands in India
Apparel Group opens a new Victoria’s Secret store in Chennai, extending the brand’s India presence.
🔗 Read more

PIL Against Gutka Sales on E-Com
A PIL in Bombay HC alleges e-commerce platforms are illegally delivering banned tobacco-mixed products like gutka and pan masala in Maharashtra.
🔗 Read more

🌍 World Retail Headlines at a Glance

Amazon Prime Day Sales Plunge 41% on Day One
Amazon’s Prime Day sales dropped 41% on the first day of its expanded four-day event, signaling weaker consumer spending despite promotional efforts.
🔗 Read more

Ulta Beauty Enters UK
Ulta Beauty buys UK beauty retailer Space NK, marking its first major overseas expansion.
🔗 Read more

Ferrero Eyes Kellogg’s Cereals
Ferrero is in talks to acquire WK Kellogg for about $3 billion, expanding its US presence.
🔗 Read more

Shein Plays IPO Chess
Shein files for a Hong Kong IPO amid geopolitical tensions and UK attempts to keep it listed in London.
🔗 Read more

Royal-Favorite Brand Collapses
Seraphine, maternity brand worn by Kate Middleton, plunges into administration.
🔗 Read more

Secret Sales Scoops Up V&D
UK off-price platform Secret Sales acquires Dutch retailer V&D and webstore To Be Dressed.
🔗 Read more

Fashion Tops Prime Day Carts
30% of Prime Day shoppers browsed apparel or footwear, tying with household essentials for the top spot.
🔗 Read more

Samsung Warns of Profit Slump
Samsung expects a 56% drop in Q2 profits, blaming US curbs on AI chip exports to China.
🔗 Read more

Trump Threatens Brazil Tariff
Trump proposes a 50% tariff on Brazil, citing political developments tied to Bolsonaro’s trial.
🔗 Read more

K-Beauty Billionaire Emerges
The founder of Korea’s APR becomes a billionaire as its Medicube brand soars with TikTok-fueled growth.
🔗 Read more

🔥 Top Funding & IPO News in Indian Retail

Revolut Eyes $65B Valuation
Revolut is in talks for a $1 billion fundraise at a potential $65B valuation.
🔗 Read more

Captain Fresh Preps for $400M IPO
Seafood-to-grocery firm Captain Fresh converts into a public limited company ahead of its planned IPO.
🔗 Read more

👔 Key Retail Appointments

Bigbasket Names New CFO
Manish Bajoria joins Bigbasket as CFO, bringing experience from Vini Cosmetics, Amazon, and HUL.
🔗 Read more

New CEO for Eternal Food Delivery
Eternal appoints Aditya Mangla to helm its food delivery business.
🔗 Read more

Michael Burke Heads LVMH Americas
Burke takes on the challenge of leading LVMH’s Americas operations amid shifting geopolitics.
🔗 Read more

The Body Shop Taps New CEO
Mike Jatania becomes CEO at The Body Shop as the brand works on post-restructuring growth.
🔗 Read more

🤖 Deep Dive: Gen Z Cuts Back on Spending—and Alcohol

Gen Z around the world is pulling back on spending—and drinking less alcohol. In the U.S., India, and globally, younger consumers are shifting habits for both financial and health reasons. While overall drinking rates are not collapsing, moderation, premium choices, and alcohol-free alternatives are clearly on the rise.

Key Insights & Trends

Global Trend

• A 2025 IWSR report notes that while more Gen Z consumers globally are of legal drinking age, binge drinking is declining. Instead, moderation and occasional premium purchases define drinking behavior.

• In the UK, “zebra-striping” (alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks) is a growing trend, with 78% of Gen Z actively cutting back.

• Non-alcoholic spirits and beers are booming, as younger consumers embrace the “sober-curious” lifestyle.

• Globally, Gen Z prioritizes “comfort and versatility” in clothing purchases, reflecting more home-based and casual lifestyles.

United States Trend

• Gen Z’s alcohol spending dropped 15% between Jan 2023 and Jan 2025, per Bank of America card data.

• About 60% of Gen Z report going alcohol-free for a week or longer in the past six months—a higher rate than older generations.

• Many younger Americans cite health goals and tight budgets as reasons for cutting back, despite social pressure to drink.

• A 2025 McKinsey report shows Gen Z in the U.S. and Europe is reducing discretionary fashion spending because they’re going out less, with 40% citing “fewer social occasions” as a reason to shop less frequently.

India Trend

• Gen Z Indians are drinking less overall but shifting toward premium spirits, wines, and craft beverages.

• Surveys show rising interest in low-ABV or zero-alcohol products.

• Cultural shifts and a wellness-first mindset are reshaping how young consumers socialize and spend on alcohol.

• In India, a 2025 Bain & Co. report indicates Gen Z’s spending on partywear and occasion-specific fashion dropped 12% YoY, driven partly by lower frequency of nightlife and social outings.

What does it mean for Brands

• Develop alcohol-free or low-ABV products with the same aspirational branding as traditional options.

• Leverage influencer marketing around wellness, mental health, and mindful living.

• Emphasize premium positioning even in non-alcoholic lines to capture Gen Z’s quality-over-quantity mindset.

• For fashion brands, focus on versatile, casual, comfort-driven products rather than high-frequency partywear.

• Highlight experience-based marketing instead of purely product-driven messages.

Sources:

Wall Street Journal | Investopedia | Time | Mint | Business Standard | The Established | The Guardian | New York Post | Impossibrew | Forbes | Grappos | McKinsey & Company | Bain & Company

Let me know 💬

Got a tip? Looking to work with us? Any feedback? Email me.