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Consumers to spend nearly $90 per person for Super Bowl food, drinks, items

It might not be an actual holiday, but consumers are ready to spend like it is. Americans are expected to shell out $87.17 on average for Super Bowl Sunday related items in the days leading up to the big game on Feb. 4. According to a report from the National Retail Federation (NRF), this number is up 8.5 percent from last year, amounting to a total of $15.3 billion in sales surrounding the event. “Whether throwing their own party, heading to a friend’s house or gathering at their favorite bar or restaurant, consumers are ready to spend on the big game,” NRF President and CEO Matther Shay said in the report. ” An estimated 188.5 million people are expected to watch a the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis — about the same viewership as 2017. Justin Timberland will command the halftime show stage, becoming the first musician to…

Why you should be burning soy candles instead of your ordinary candles

At any holiday dinner gathering you can usually find smiling faces, delicious food, and a festive table glowing with gorgeous candlelight. But most people are in the dark about what those common paraffin wax candles are made of. Companies are not required to list candle ingredients (comparable to food and drink manufacturers), so most people never consider their contents. But by lighting that wick, you are letting the candle release waste products into your home environment, and ultimately into your body. Soy candles contain vegetable oil (soybeans) and essential oils, while paraffin wax is made with petroleum oil and chemical fragrances. According to a study at South Carolina State University, paraffin wax candles — the most popular kind of candles — emit toxic chemicals like toluene and benzene, while soybean candles did not. Here are 8 reasons why soy candles are a better choice for your holiday dinner party and every day after. Soy…

Consumer survey forecasts a busy holiday shopping season

Consumers expect to spend an average of $967.13 on holiday shopping this season, according to a survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation (NRF). That’s up from the $935.58 consumers said they would spend in 2016. The national survey found that shoppers are less concerned about the economy than they have been in the past. Only 27 percent reported that their spending would be affected compared to 32 percent last year. “With employment and incomes increasing, consumers are more confident this year, and that is reflected in their buying plans for the holidays,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “All signs are that this will be a busy holiday season.” Shoppers plan to spend these amounts in the three major categories: gifts ($608.06); foods, decor and cards ($218.08); and non-gift items ($140.99). For the first year ever consumers named online as their most likely shopping destination with 59 percent…

How to pick perfect produce: cucumber, zucchini, corn

We’re smack in the middle of summer, which means it’s prime produce season, but picking the best produce only comes with experience. Expert advice can certainly help. I visited a market to ask a local farmer how to choose the best pickles, cucumbers and corn. Watch as Becca gives us the pro tips. Zucchini Zucchini is a versatile summer staple. Pair it with pasta, fry it and serve with marinara, or make it in to a dish of trendy zoodles. When choosing zucchini remember these three things: Bigger isn’t better. Larger zucchini tend to have larger seeds and less flavor. Smaller is the way to go. Zucchini can be green, yellow or white in color, but always look for a rich saturation of color on top — the underside will be paler in color, and that’s okay. It’s just the side that didn’t face the sun. Stems are a good thing…

KFC knows you needed drumstick socks, launches online retail store

When you go to sleep at night, don’t you wish you could cuddle up with the Colonel? Now you can. KFC just launched a retail store of “finger lickin’ good” apparel and home décor. From  pillowcases printed with Sanders’ face to socks stamped with drumsticks, fast-food fans will find the items quite amusing. The fried-chicken swag starts at $8 for a pair of socks to $20 for an over-sized chicken sandwich lapel pin. A framed 11″x14″ print of KFC’s famous mashed potatoes is priced at $80. “Our fans were craving a way to embrace the fried chicken lifestyle, and KFC Ltd. gives them the opportunity to let their colonel flag fly,” said Steve Kelly, KFC U.S. director of media and digital, in a statement. Perhaps the most unusual item on the new site is a meteorite cut to look like the Zinger check sandwich. Retailing for $20,000, the item is said to be a…

Women No Longer Primary Grocery Store Shoppers

Tradition still leads us to believe women do more grocery shopping than men. But according to a recent study, the genders are now pretty much equal. The Grocery Shopper Impact MegaStudy conducted by VideoMining, a State College, Pennsylvania-based provider of store behavioral analytics, found that women account for 51 percent of in-store grocery shoppers and men 49 percent. Equal on-site presence has not meant equal spending power, however. On average, female grocery shoppers spend $2.73 more per trip. The study also found that shoppers of both genders are avoiding the center of the store in favor of shopping the perimeter — traditionally where the healthier items such as fruits, vegetables and dairy items are shelved. One in five shoppers avoid the center of the store altogether. Shoppers are also trading in their weekly packed carts for smaller, more frequent visits. About 68 percent of grocery store check-out carts include 10…