As Americans prepare to fire up their grills for July 4, increasing prices might have consumers choosing between hamburgers and hot dogs.

Bigger bite: For a group of 10, consumers will pay an average of $69.68 for “traditional cookout foods,” according to a survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation. That figure is a 17% increase from 2021, when it was ~$10 less.

• The retail price for two pounds of ground beef is up 36% YoY to $11.12.
• The price for two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts has climbed 33% to $8.99.
• And 32 ounces of pork and beans now cost $2.53, also a 33% bump.

“Despite higher food prices, the supply-chain disruptions and inflation have made farm supplies more expensive; like consumers, farmers are price-takers, not price-makers,” Roger Cryan, chief economist at AFBF, said in a statement.

A Wells Fargo analysis on July 4 spending noted that prices for national-brand soda are up 13% YoY, while beer costs nearly 25% more YTD.

• Sorry to remind mustard fans: There’s an impending global shortage of the condiment.
• But, in better news, the cost of strawberries, sliced cheese, and potato chips dropped 86, 48, and 22 cents YoY, respectively, per AFBF.

The holiday’s main source of entertainment also hasn’t escaped the blow of inflation: Firework prices are up 35% this year, per the American Pyrotechnics Association.

The show goes on: All that being the case, Americans are still expected to spend $7.7 billion on food items this July 4, up from $7.5 billion in 2021, according to the NRF.

• The average per-person spend is estimated to be $84.12, a nearly 5% increase from $80.54 in 2021.—KM

We’re officially halfway through the year, and while it might seem like everyone was on vacation this month (judging by the chaos at major airports), retail execs were making moves:

• In a surprise announcement in early June, Amazon said its CEO of worldwide consumer business, Dave Clark, would be stepping down. A few days later, we found out why: He’s headed to the startup world to lead supply-chain software company, Flexport.
• Back at Amazon…Doug Herrington, its SVP of North America consumer, will step into Clark’s vacated role, now called chief executive of worldwide Amazon stores. Herrington previously helped establish Amazon Fresh.
• With the departure of co-founder and CEO Ben Silbermann, everyone’s favorite vision-board platform decided it was time to bring in the big guns. Pinterest hired Bill Ready, Google’s head of commerce, to lead it into e-commerce and beyond.
• LVMH executive Chris de Lapuente is reportedly returning to Sephora as CEO, a role he previously held for a decade. He’s replacing Martin Brock, who left after just two years.
• Dollar Tree’s C-suite got a major overhaul this month with the departure of five executives: ​​COO Thomas O’Boyle, CFO Kevin Wampler, Chief Strategy Officer David Jacobs, CIO Andy Paisley, and Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary William Old—this just a few months after the company agreed to revamp its board in response to pressure from an activist investor.
• The founder of Atlanta-based fast-casual chain Slutty Vegan stepped into a role intended to bridge the gap between delivery giant DoorDash and the restaurant industry. Pinky Cole, who worked as a Dasher before opening Slutty Vegan, will be its chief restaurant advisor for a year.
• And struggling home retailer Bed Bath & Beyond just ousted CEO Mark Tritton this week amid sinking sales.

Join the family: Swarovski named a new CEO—Alexis Nasard—who is the first non-family member to hold the position in the company’s glittering history.—MA

Today’s top retail reads.

Uncertain ground: After the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, many companies rushed to respond by offering to cover costs for employees who need to travel for abortion access. But it’s not clear how far this latest benefit may stretch—and many retail workers may be left out. (Modern Retail)

Fast one: An investigation by Quartz revealed that environmental scorecards for products on H&M’s website misled consumers and, in some cases, were “outright deceptive.” The fashion retailer misrepresented data like water use, for example, reporting 20% less water use on an item that actually required 20% more water. (Quartz)

Homegrown: Some in Russia’s fashion industry are looking inward after Western designer labels and materials suppliers pulled out of the country in response to its invasion of Ukraine. “For Russia as a whole, it’s new possibilities,” said Russian designer Albina Akkulova. “We’ll create something of our own, develop our own fashion industry.” (Reuters)

Money moves: Money With Katie is our weekly newsletter that takes a fresh approach to spending habits, investing best practices, and tax strategies. Finance bros are out, accessible personal finance is in. Check it out.

Three of the stories below are real...and one is most definitely not. Can you spot the fake?

1. A woman’s Instacart order went awry when she mistakenly received 34 boxes of Hamburger Helper’s beef stroganoff.
2. Taco Bell’s latest menu item contains a Cheez-It that’s 16x bigger than the standard size.
3. California-based grocer Erewhon dropped a summer fruit-inspired Spotify playlist that features three Harry Styles songs. (Can you guess them?)
4. A PepsiCo-backed company that allows consumers to experience flavor with their nose made its US debut.

Keep reading for the answer.

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• Four experts on what excites them about the evolution of sustainable materials
• How shoppers plan to spend on Prime Day—and the rest of the summer
• Tequila-seltzer brand Onda lands $12.5 million in funding

Ahhhh, work travel, we’ve missed you. We love a conference, don’t you? Free food, smart people with inspiring ideas...aspirational breakfast meetings.

Which brings us to Retail Brew’s newest debut: The Sku: A Retail Brew Summit. Here’s what’s on the agenda:

• Meeting demand and maximizing profit
• Managing your organization across channels
• Creating omni-channel engagement with customer journeys
• Sustainability: Who is doing what and how?
• Using technology to drive sales

Early-bird pricing ends soon! Register now to save your seat (and some $$). Only $499 for a limited time!