January 5, 2026

Here are our picks for top news impacting retailers today:

• CES 2026 is set to kick off, at least officially, on Jan. 6, but announcements are already being made surrounding the Las Vegas consumer tech show. “Despite economic challenges, uncertainty, and tariff pressures, CTA [the Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES] projects U.S. consumer technology industry revenue to reach $565 billion in 2026,” Brian Comiskey, technology trends expert for the CTA, said (via IBD).
• Chick-fil-A is celebrating its 80th anniversary with an assortment of promotions. The “Newstalgia” campaign involves the sale of various plushies, the introduction of an assortment of new beverages, and a sweepstakes in which fans can win free food for a year. “This campaign is about celebrating our Guests in a bigger, more immersive way and creating moments that feel genuinely memorable and uniquely Chick-fil-A,” Khalilah Cooper, Chick-fil-A’s VP of brand strategy, advertising and media, said (via USA Today).
• Precious metals including gold and silver have continued their ongoing ascent as geopolitical tensions, and macroeconomic turbulence, persist. “Heightened geopolitical tensions like the ones we’ve seen over the weekend would normally spook investors, but global markets have avoided a sell-off,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell (via BBC).
• McDonald’s has responded to a class-action lawsuit filed against it, one which claims its McRib sandwich is deceptively marketed, as it “does not contain any actual pork rib meat at all.” In response, McDonald’s offered the following rebuttal: “This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu. Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them” (via NBC Chicago).
• Holiday spending resulted in more than one-third of U.S. consumers (37%) to accrue further debt in 2025. The LendingTree data suggested that debt total achieved an average of $1,223, more than the $1,181 recorded last year and the highest figure since 2022. “Even sticking to the same shopping list as last year can cost more now. That forces tough choices like whether to cut back on gifts or turn to credit to fill the gap. People adjust where they can throughout the year, but many just can’t bring themselves to scale back holiday traditions, so it’s easy to see how those higher costs can translate into rising debt,” said Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst (via Chain Store Age).