AB Inbev, Amazon, McDonald’s and the Battle for the "Shaky Consumer"

AB InBev has broken an 11-quarter volume slide by pivoting from brewery acquisitions to an "organic growth algorithm," concentrating 70% of its marketing on a few "megabrands." In Europe, retail sales have dipped 0.1% as energy shocks from the Iran conflict suppress consumer confidence. Meanwhile, Amazon has launched a massive price offensive in the UK, undercutting the "Big Four" on 65% of comparable grocery SKUs. Finally, McDonald’s and Burger King are leveraging value-based menu strategies...