• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer, 6 hours ago

If the most-read CPG Insider stories of the year felt eclectic, that’s not an accident. They reflect a category operating under the steady pressure of cautious shoppers, private-label rivals and fewer obvious growth moves.

That pressure isn’t likely to let up anytime soon. In its revised 2026 outlook, Circana now projects U.S. food and beverage retail sales growth of just 2% to 4%, with volume expected to be flat or slightly negative. The market research company says consumer confidence remains weak, particularly among low- and middle-income shoppers. People’s appetite for premiumization, a reliable growth lever for several years, is slowing. Consumers want value and are looking for it everywhere.

“Our revised 2026 outlook reflects a market that is tightening and more challenging, but not without growth vectors,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor at Circana, in the report. “While pricing pressures and cautious consumer sentiment are shaping a more measured growth trajectory, the food and beverage sector continues to demonstrate resilience and adaptability.”

That flexibility took some zany turns in 2025, as brands tried new moves to stay visible. My most-read CPG Insider column? An ode to personal care brand Billie, which used scratch-and-sniff armpit billboards to sell deodorant. Others in the Top 10 include Cracker Barrel sending a cheese-wielding robot to wander through Super Bowl crowds in New Orleans, Chips Ahoy jumping from the cookie to the cake aisle and Kraft Mac & Cheese hiring comedian John Mulaney to turn its familiar boxes into a must-have “Mac Friday” item.

At the same time, more sober forces were shaping strategy. Coverage of inflation-driven trade-down behavior, how shifting protein demand is changing Danone, and growing concern about “Make America Healthy Again” resonated with readers tracking how economics and politics are reshaping the category. These stories underscored a reality many marketers are navigating: Creativity matters more than it did in years past, but it has to coexist with price sensitivity, health scrutiny, and changing consumption habits.

And in a year where CPG megamergers dwarfed the plans of any one brand, Pringles’ decision to return to the Super Bowl again got plenty of clicks.

Technology and culture also emerged as overlapping pressure points. Stories about CeraVe’s partnership with "Saturday Night Live" to introduce a dandruff shampoo, and the way Cleveland Kitchen, a tiny company, used AI to create a new campaign, drew strong readership.

The year’s most-read CPG Insider stories add up to brands willing to take more chances, acknowledging that market share in fast-moving goods depends on experimentation.