Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November are currently in limbo due to the government shutdown, which will likely impact both SNAP recipients and the grocery or big-box stores where they shop. It’s still unclear when SNAP recipients will receive their full SNAP payments for November, according to CNN, which reported that this depends on the approval of a short-term spending package to temporarily fund federal agencies, which will still need to go through Congress and President Trump. About 12% of U.S. residents received SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2024, according to the USDA. The maximum allotment for a single person in the contiguous U.S. is $298 per month for fiscal year 2026 (which began in October), according to the USDA. A good portion of SNAP funds go to Walmart, according to third-party data, so any cuts or delays to the program could show up in the retailer’s fourth-quarter results. This is on top of an already challenging consumer environment, with consumers worried about rising prices and inflation and the government shutdown leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers without paychecks. “One of the problems here has been the uncertainty — the on-again, off-again. Is [SNAP funding] going to be released? Is it not going to be released?” George Davis, professor of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, told Modern Retail. A USDA official said it could take weeks or months to release money to recipients. “People with lower income don’t have the resources to absorb that type of shock,” Davis said.

Retailers and restaurants alike made headlines in September with store expansions and new formats.  Here are the major stories as reported by Chain Store Age, starting with the most recent. Costco Q4 tops Street, to open 35 new warehouses; holiday mix to look ‘different’ As it continues its strong financial performance, the wholesale club chain opened 27 new warehouses, including three relocations, during its recently completed fiscal year. Jack & Jones to make U.S. debut at five shopping centers — here's where The Denmark-based apparel retailer, which operates more than 4,000 stores worldwide, will make its U.S. store debut at five Brookfield Properties-owned shopping centers, starting in November at The Mall in Columbia, Columbia, Md. The move into the U.S. market follows Jack & Jones’ recent expansion in Canada. Toys”R”Us to open 10 U.S. flagships by year-end; locations include… The toy retailer, in partnership with Go! Retail Group, said it is planning to open 10 new flagships and 20 seasonal holiday shops in the U.S. by year's end. Target opening seven stores in October — here are the locations The discounter will open seven stores in October, with six of the locations topping Target’s 125,000-sq.-ft. average as it continues to lean into its larger footprint. The openings are part of the 20 new locations that Target plans to open this year. Primark marks 10 years in U.S. with new leases, planned entry in new state The global value fashion retailer, which opened its first U.S. store in Boston in 2015, said it is dedicated to U.S. growth. It has 33 stores across 13 U.S. states.

Acquisitions in 2026 are proving to be all about health and wellness. Last week, Procter & Gamble announced its acquisition of supplement brand Thorne for $3.8 billion, part of a wave of high-profile acquisitions in the wellness space.  It’s another strong signal that large CPG conglomerates are increasingly seeking out science-backed, high-growth brands to add to their portfolios as consumer priorities shift toward longevity, functional health and the nutritional demands of the growing GLP-1 user base. The Thorne buyout is the latest high-profile supplement acquisition of 2026. Earlier this year, three-year-old gummy multivitamins startup Grüns was acquired by Unilever for an undisclosed figure.  The P&G deal comes after a series of ownership shifts for Thorne, including an IPO in 2021. Since then, the company, founded in 1984, was taken private by L Catterton in a deal valued at $680 million. According to Thorne, its annual revenue surpassed $500 million in 2025.