CSP’s Center Store Forum kicked off Monday in Lombard, Illinois, with Arjun Chakravarti, managing partner at Cogknition Analytics, Chicago.
Despite an uncertain economy, consumers are still spending, Chakravarti said. He said consumers are fearful, but low layoffs and unemployment are helping to maintain spending.
“Inflation is painful, but households are adjusting and absorbing it, so long as they are employed,” Chakravarti said.
Unpacking other challenges of the current environment, Chakravarti said consumer confidence is near the all-time low. Chakravarti said 52% of consumers are feeling uncertain, citing University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index data as of May 2026.
In addition to Chakravarti, other expert speakers are at the forum, which runs through Wednesday at the Westin in Lombard. Retailers and suppliers also are attending.
The annual forum, powered by Informa, focuses on strategies for center store revenue potential in snacks, candy and packaged goods. This event brings together industry experts to share insights on center store optimization, including product assortment that aligns with consumer trends.
Other speakers at the event include:
- Richard Poye, founder of Nashville-based Food Trends Think Tank, will explore planogramming, inventory, product selection, merchandising and both the opportunities that abound and the common errors that continue to afflict convenience stores.
- Matt Van Gilder, vice president of omnichannel at NexChapter, Des Moines, Iowa, will share how to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), retail media networks and other transformative solutions to reshape and recharge an operator’s center store from a market basket add-on to a traffic driver.
- Jodi Riggs, category manager at WESCO, and Stephanie Reeder, category manager for center store at Refuel, will speak on Wednesday, sharing their experiences at their respective chains.
CSP and Informa Connect are both part of London-based Informa PLC. For more information and to register, click here.
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