
Luxury Market Shifts in 2025: Discounting, Mergers, and Consumer Changes
The article discusses the rise in luxury discounting as a response to prolonged price increases, indicating a shift in consumer behavior and retail strategies.
All articles tagged with #price increases

The article discusses the rise in luxury discounting as a response to prolonged price increases, indicating a shift in consumer behavior and retail strategies.

US inflation eased to 2.7% in November, with price increases slowing for items like hotels, milk, and clothing, potentially supporting further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, despite some uncertainties due to recent data disruptions and mixed signals in housing costs and tariffs.

In 2025, Xbox faced a challenging year marked by increased prices, layoffs, and a focus on profit over innovation, despite launching numerous new games and expanding its presence across multiple devices. The company's strategy to maximize profits has led to higher costs for consumers and developers, a shift towards broader platform availability, and a bleak outlook for the brand's future as it becomes more integrated with Microsoft's broader corporate goals, potentially at the expense of traditional console gaming.
The U.S. Justice Department has initiated an investigation into the foreign meatpacking industry following President Trump’s call for a probe into suspicious beef price hikes, amid industry consolidation with few large players controlling the market.

Microsoft has officially debunked rumors about Xbox abandoning hardware, reaffirming its commitment to next-generation consoles despite recent price hikes and retailer changes. The company also clarified that Xbox remains available at major retailers like Target and Walmart, countering speculation about Xbox products being pulled from shelves. Additionally, Microsoft has increased prices for Xbox consoles and Game Pass, which has sparked some criticism and speculation about future services, including potential ad-supported options.

Disney is facing a challenging week with declining public trust following political controversies, while also implementing significant price hikes at its parks and services, including ticket prices and annual passes, amidst ongoing safety concerns and new attractions.

Since President Trump's announcement of import tariffs in April, prices for popular goods like toys, TVs, jewelry, coffee, and bananas have increased significantly, contributing to a 2.9% rise in consumer prices by August, with tariffs on imports from China, Switzerland, Brazil, and other countries driving these costs up.

The end of the de minimis exemption for imports valued at $800 or less into the US, effective Friday, is causing shipping delays and potential price increases as many international carriers pause or restrict shipments, impacting consumers and businesses.

UK inflation rose to 3.8% in July, the highest in 18 months, driven by service sector inflation and rising utility and transport costs, making it the fastest among G7 economies. The Bank of England signaled a cautious approach to interest rate cuts amid persistent inflation pressures, which are expected to remain above target until mid-2027.
Despite a sharp decline in inflation rates since 2022, many Anglophone countries continue to experience persistent inflationary pressures, making it difficult for them to fully shake off inflation despite improvements.

Small businesses are raising prices as tariffs imposed during Trump's administration impact their costs, affecting Main Street economies.

The article discusses how President Trump's tariffs are gradually impacting consumer prices, with companies beginning to pass higher costs onto consumers as profit margins shrink, leading to expected increases in prices for goods like appliances, toys, and clothing in the coming months.

Procter & Gamble plans to raise prices on 25% of its products in the US starting August to offset $1 billion in tariff-related costs, amid economic uncertainty and slowing growth, while also restructuring and appointing a new CEO. Despite these challenges, the company reported solid earnings, though growth is expected to slow in fiscal 2026.

Economists from Harvard Business School found that Trump's tariffs have led to modest but quick price increases in imported goods, with a cumulative rise of about 3% since March, challenging claims from the Trump administration that tariffs do not significantly impact consumer prices.

U.S. inflation is showing signs of rising due to the impact of higher tariffs, with consumer goods prices increasing across categories. While temporary factors like bargain hunting and falling vehicle prices are currently holding inflation in check, the underlying trend suggests a broader inflation resurgence, potentially accelerating to 3% before 2025, as tariffs continue to influence prices.