Amazon’s Prime Day this year topped $11.9 billion in sales, breaking records. Prime members purchased more than 300 million items worldwide, the most in Amazon’s history. Amazon did not release an official total sales amount, but said Prime members saved over $1.7 billion, more than any previous Prime Day event. The 2022 event was also the biggest-ever Prime Day event for Amazon's third-party selling partners, most of whom are small and medium-sized businesses. 

LeBron James has signed a a multi-year partnership with PepsiCo’s premium bottled water brand LifeWtr. James, who signed on withPepsiCo in March 2021 after nearly two decades with Coca-Cola, has already been used in efforts for Mtn. Dew and Ruffles. LifeWtr said the collaboration will include the debut of multimedia marketing and dedicated programming that will be unveiled later this year.

Jane Goodall, an English anthropologist best known for her study of chimpanzees, now has her own Mattel Barbie doll made from recycled, ocean-bound plastic. “In partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute, Goodall's Barbie was introduced alongside Barbie's ‘2022 Barbie Career of The Year Eco-Leadership Team’ – a doll set that includes a conservation scientist, a renewable energy engineer, a chief sustainability officer and an environmental advocate,” per USA Today.

One of the first big vaping companies, Juul, used regulatory loopholes and marketing to make nicotine cool. But now it is now on the brink of being shut down by the FDA. “In late June, the US Food and Drug Administration denied Juul’s application to continue marketing its products, and ordered the company to immediately stop selling and distributing in the U.S.,” per Wired. "After Juul appealed, the FDA suspended the order pending further review; a federal court has also blocked the FDA’s ban temporarily."

Uber is suffering a popularity problem, according to a consumer-sentiment study by MBLM. Of the 435 brands in the study, Uber ranked 421st (just ahead of Kylie Jenner’s makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics). Uber ranked 23rd out of the 26 companies in the tech/telecom group. The study rates consumers’ emotional connection with brands. “Why might consumers’ relationship with the ride-hailing brand be so troubled?” Fast Company wrote. “There are plenty of reasons. While the company’s history of scandals and privacy fouls probably doesn’t help, the main reason is likely that Uber’s entire business is built on a bait-and-switch.”

While older generations might be more likely to have the means to acquire luxury goods, they are looking to Gen Z shoppers to inform them of what is trendy. Gen Z frequently seeks out innovation. “That’s driving some legacy fashion houses to rethink streetwear and versatility,” with some premium legacy labels now dropping product more frequently and collaborating with “up-and-coming” brands, per Sourcing Journal.

Gap CEO and President Sonia Syngal is stepping down, effective immediately, per a company announcement. Bob Martin, the company’s current executive chairman of the board, will serve as interim president and CEO. "In tandem with the C-suite shake-up, Gap updated its fiscal second-quarter guidance, saying it still expects sales to decline in the 'approximately high single-digit range,'" per CNBC. "But Gap added that higher promotional activity had a negative impact on its gross margin; it now forecasts its adjusted operating margin percentage in the second quarter at zero to slightly negative."

CVS Health has left the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Some reports noted the departure comes at a time when there is a broader push in the pharma ecosystem to blame rising drug costs on pharmacy benefit managers, which health insurers, employers and the government hire to manage prescription benefits for their health plans.

Starbucks issued a stop-sale order on its Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich on June 26 and some employees say the new menu item made them sick. A barista at a New England Starbucks told Restaurant Dive she and at least four other coworkers became sick after trying the sandwich, which debuted June 21. The chicken sandwich launch was part of Starbucks’ larger push to improve food sales, per Restaurant Dive. 

Amazon could capture more than 20% share of consumer packaged goods dollars during its annual two-day Prime Day event July 12 and 13, consumer market data specialist Numerator predicts. Within eight days of the June 30 announcement of when the event would occur, nearly half of U.S. consumers were aware of Prime Day, Numerator reported. More than half (53%) of U.S. households are Prime members and almost two-thirds of shoppers polled plan to shop the sale.