Latest news with #FMI
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Argentina economic activity seen expanding in March
BUENOS AIRES, May 20 (Reuters) - Economic activity in Argentina likely grew in March year-over-year, a Reuters poll of market analysts showed on Tuesday, rebounding from a drop logged in the year-ago month. The median forecast from 16 analysts sees economic activity expanding 6.4% in March, the fifth-consecutive month of year-on-year growth. Estimates ranged from 3% to 7.8% growth. The uptick would reverse the 8.4% contraction in Argentina, Latin America's third-largest economy, in March 2024. "In March, the Argentine economy continued to grow," Eugenio Mari, chief economist at the Foundation for Liberty and Progress, said. "However, uncertainty in the month, particularly surrounding negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and doubts about a new monetary and exchange-rate structure had a negative impact." On a month-on-month basis, economic activity likely fell in March due to those factors, according to analysts. But in April, much of that uncertainty was cleared up, Mari said. In the month, Argentina sealed a $20 billion deal with the IMF, lifted capital controls and loosened its grip on trading of the peso currency. "Going forward, the situation looks much more orderly," said consultancy Orlando Ferreres & Asociados. "In the short term, we should see growth factors such as higher household incomes, increased productive investment and a slowdown in inflation, once again driving economic growth," the consulting firm added. Argentina's national statistics agency INDEC is set to release economic activity data on Wednesday afternoon (1900 GMT).
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Grocery industry fights for SNAP as program faces massive cuts
The top trade organizations representing supermarkets are urgently calling attention to the importance of SNAP as a proposal that would slash the government assistance program's funding moves forward in Congress as part of a tax-cut megabill. Last week, the House Agriculture Committee advanced legislation that would cut as much as $300 billion in nutrition spending as well as overhaul SNAP by requiring states to help fund the program's benefits, Politico reported. On Sunday, the House Budget Committee passed the tax cut bill, clearing the way for a House floor vote, which could happen this week, Reuters reported. SNAP cuts on the federal level would help fund the party's domestic policy plan and some farm bill programs, Politico noted. The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee has said that too many "work-ready" people are on SNAP, arguing for stricter work requirements for participants in the food assistance program. The proposed cuts come at a time when consumers continue to worry about their grocery spending and how trade policies could potentially increase the cost of goods, including food. Walmart is bringing back its $6.99 minimum basket fee for SNAP consumers who place online orders under $35, Reuters reported at the end of April. As of February, more than 42 million people participate in SNAP, up 2% from the same time last year, according to the USDA. SNAP accounts for around 5% of all supermarket purchases, the FMI - The Food Industry Association shared during a webinar last week, and retailers have shared with investors how reductions in SNAP funding can hurt their sales. SNAP is "very well received across the political spectrum," Jennifer Hatcher, FMI's chief public policy officer and senior vice president of government and member relations, said during the webinar. Fifty-nine percent of people are opposed to cutting or reducing SNAP funding, while one-third are in favor, Hatcher said, citing a survey of 1,000 people Fabrizio, Lee & Associates and FMI conducted in late April. The proposed SNAP cuts have struck a dissonant chord with the grocery industry, with the National Grocers Association saying it is "deeply concerned by the cuts and programmatic cost shift changes" in the proposed legislation. "SNAP is not only essential to fighting food insecurity, but [is] also a proven economic engine for thousands of local communities across the country," NGA President and CEO Greg Ferrara said in a statement on Tuesday. SNAP funding not only addresses food insecurity but also supports the economies of local communities, such as by generating over $4.5 billion in state and federal tax revenue annually, Ferrara noted. The trade association had previously cited data that every $1 invested in SNAP generates $1.79 of economic activity in communities. "[The] committee's proposal to shift costs to states is a concern given the challenging headwinds that states face," Ferrara said. Earlier in May, the NGA said it met with representatives of four Democratic members of Congress to urge Congress to limit SNAP funding cuts. "We urge Congress to pursue balanced reforms and solutions that strengthen the program, eliminate waste and fraud, and uphold the health and economic well-being of American families, while preserving American jobs in our food chain and grocery industry," Ferrara said last week. FMI is advocating for the continuation of federal governance of SNAP to ensure continuity. "We believe complex, differing SNAP restrictions sorted by states would cause delays, errors and disputes, further slowing the checkout speeds, frustrating customers and increasing operational costs," Hatcher said. By a 57%-to-39% margin, survey respondents want a single national standard on what SNAP can be used for, according to FMI. To help ensure stakeholders have up-to-date information as discussion of SNAP policy changes continues, FMI recently launched a new website to provide the survey data and serve as a resource for information about the current discussions around SNAP. Along with the federal proposal, approximately 25 states this year have considered restricting SNAP participants from buying specific items like candy and soda, and those state policy changes would require getting a waiver from the USDA, Hatcher said, noting that Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska and Iowa have already submitted waiver requests. FMI has pushed back on efforts to limit how SNAP participants use their benefits, noting that "the best results" are those that make resources available like dietitian-supported recipes or curated shopping experiences, Hatcher said. FMI has said that different state policies could confuse shoppers and retailers. "The future strength of this program isn't just a policy issue-it's a moral imperative and an economic necessity," Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI president and CEO, said in a statement. Peyton Bigora contributed reporting. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Business Journals
16-05-2025
- Health
- Business Journals
Speed to care: How industrialized construction is accelerating healthcare access
Healthcare is evolving, propelled by advancements like artificial intelligence on the clinical front and an ever-increasing demand for accessible care. According to FMI's Design-Build Utilization Study, the U.S. is projected to invest $119 billion in healthcare construction by 2028. In our current landscape, we cannot afford to build the way we always have. The future demands that we build faster, smarter, and with uncompromising quality. As technology continues to transform healthcare and the pace of clinical innovation accelerates, the construction of the spaces where care is delivered has not kept pace. What if the way we build could advance as rapidly as the care itself? Imagine a world where building designs are no longer static, but dynamic and adjustable in real time within a virtual environment. Where stakeholders can collaborate with the design and construction teams to optimize layouts before a single wall is framed. expand Consider this, a clinician walks onto a job site mid-installation only to find the sink, monitor, and cabinetry positioned in a way that disrupts patient care. Work grinds to a halt as teams scramble to implement field modifications, a common scenario, with cases of up to 30% of design changes occurring after construction begins on-site. Now, imagine a smarter approach, that same clinician explores the space virtually, months before construction begins. They quickly spot that the monitor is on the wrong wall and reposition it with a few clicks. The system instantly updates not just the layout, but also the necessary in-wall supports and electrical routing automatically. This eliminates the need for a detailer to manually revise drawings, issue revisions, and other associated complexities. No RFIs. No red lines. No downstream delays. Simply put, end-users have the power to control design and layout with a few simple clicks. And that means they also have buildings that truly work for the people who use them and their patients, delivered faster and smarter than ever before. M3 Components (M3C) is rewriting the playbook for how healthcare facilities are planned and delivered. Through strategic partnerships with visionary owners and builders, M3C is delivering on the promise of helping healthcare providers open their doors to patients sooner. expand Notably, M3C recently partnered with Swinerton at a Northern California-based Cancer Center, where the early integration of prefabricated wall panels during the design and planning phase led to significant time and cost savings. Fully finished exterior panels enabled the team to enclose the building an average of 35% faster than a traditional stick-built facility. This approach not only accelerates speed to market but also provides greater schedule certainty, an essential advantage when navigating unpredictable winter months, where weatherization is critical. At the heart of M3 Components' innovation is their ability to deliver fully finished HCAI-compliant patient exam room and bathroom modules. These pods and mods are manufactured off-site in a controlled environment and delivered to site for installation. Complementing these are M3's multi-trade prefabricated rack assemblies, which integrate mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems into a single coordinated unit. These solutions not only reduce field labor and trade stacking, but also accelerate installation while improving cleanliness and safety on-site. The results speak for themselves, in a recent proof-of-concept initiative with S+B James, M3C built the same medical exam room three different ways. Traditional framing took seven hours. A pre-cut kit-of-parts (KOP) system cut that time in half to 3.5 hours. But the manufactured wall panel system? Just 27 minutes. It's a powerful testament to the efficiency of industrialized construction and a clear sign of where the industry is headed. Another standout example is Sutter Health's Folsom Care Center at Broadstone Crossing, where construction is set to break ground this summer. Prefabricated solutions will be used to compress the construction schedule by moving labor offsite and shifting work earlier in the project timeline. As the need for faster, more flexible healthcare infrastructure grows, approaches to construction are beginning to shift. Industrialized construction methods and prefabrication are helping streamline delivery, reduce uncertainty, and improve quality. From significantly shortening installation times to enclosing buildings well ahead of traditional schedules, these strategies are showing real results in the field. As healthcare continues to evolve, it's clear that construction practices must also adapt to meet the demands of a faster, more connected world.
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
How Gen Z's power over the grocery industry is growing
It's time for grocers to pay more attention to Generation Z. That generation, which includes consumers as young as 13 and as old as 28, is projected to be the most connected, influential and populous generation to date, with an estimated buying power of $12 trillion by 2030, per a recent report by FMI - The Food Industry Association and NielsenIQ. Catering to Gen Z allows grocers to keep up with ever-changing food trends as well as create impactful and memorable omnichannel shopping experiences. Look for grocers to continue building out e-commerce offerings while simultaneously updating in-store experiences. With Gen Z's influence rising, it would serve grocers well to download TikTok and get to know these teens and twenty-somethings. To that end, here's a collection of our recent coverage on this rising generation of shoppers. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
FMI Unveils Key Trends Shaping the Future of Food Shopping: Consumer Tradeoffs, Grocery Sentiment and the Future of SNAP
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American consumers continue to enjoy grocery shopping and have kept their shopping habits remarkably consistent despite persistent economic challenges, according to the latest annual survey by FMI – The Food Industry Association, conducted by The Hartman Group. The analysis, which kicks off FMI's 2025 series, U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: The Logic of Food Shopping, offers timely insights into consumer grocery shopping behaviors and shoppers' logic behind food budgets and shopping decisions. Our U.S. Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index is currently holding steady at 72 out of 100. FMI found that despite several years of economic uncertainty, shoppers' attitudes and habits around grocery shopping have remained stable. To better understand this dynamic, FMI explored shopper aspirations to 'eat well,' an outlook that forms the foundation for how shoppers think about value and shapes their choices about what food to buy, how to cook and where to shop. 'Despite the economic pressures they face, consumers overwhelmingly tell us they enjoy grocery shopping and that they are willing and able to budget in order to 'eat well' based on their specific values and needs,' said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI. 'In fact, our U.S. Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index is currently holding steady at 72 out of 100. While individual needs vary, by and large, most shoppers prioritize four things when shopping for food: health, entertainment, exploration and convenience. Satisfying these key needs are important to shoppers, and they tailor their overall budgets and food spending behaviors to ensure they 'eat well'.' Still, several factors are weighing on consumers. Most Americans (70%) say they are extremely or very worried about rising grocery prices, and 78% said they are at least somewhat concerned about the impact of tariffs on the cost of imported food and ingredients. The analysis revealed a silver lining: most consumers (75%) report feeling in control over their grocery spending. However, that confidence has declined in recent months; 85% of consumers expressed confidence in control over food spending in September 2024. In response, shoppers report using various strategies to stretch their food budget further. Traditional methods like list-making (83%), taking household inventory (79%), meal planning (69%), and seeking out coupons or discounts (60%) remain the most common. Sarasin emphasized, 'Our latest grocery shopper research underscores a critical opportunity for the industry to meet their customers where they are—navigating rising costs and economic uncertainty—while reinforcing the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, a vital anti-hunger program that provides just $6 a day to those most in need.' 'The American public is clear on this: 70% support SNAP, and a majority oppose any effort to reduce its funding, according to an FMI national survey by leading pollster, Fabrizio, Lee & Associates. The future strength of this program isn't just a policy issue—it's a moral imperative and an economic necessity.' For Media: Members of the media may contact FMI for a gratis copy of the U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2025: The Logic of Food Shopping report. Learn more and find related resources at Access the Fabrizio, Lee & Associates survey commissioned by FMI via Methodologies: FMI's U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends 2025 study consists of qualitative and quantitative research among a representative mix of 2,019 shoppers across the country. The research is designed to provide insights into the who, what, where, how, and most importantly, the why of grocery shopper behavior. With a representative sample of shoppers, we are able to look at these behaviors and attitudes by a range of demographics, household structures, income levels, orientations to food and cooking, shopping habits, and geographic areas across the U.S. The findings further FMI's 51 years of year-over-year shopper research. On behalf of FMI, Fabrizio, Lee & Associates conducted a national survey of 1,000 registered voters from April 21-23, 2025. The interviews were split 35% live-operator cell phone/25% live-operator landline/40% SMS to web. Gender, age, race/ethnicity, party registration/affiliation, and education were matched to demographic profiles of registered voters based on voter file data and census data on registered voters. Respondents were randomly selected from lists of registered voters. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence interval is ±3.1%. About FMI As The Food Industry Association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier, and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers to producers to companies supplying critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry.
