GCG’s Q2 2026 Consumer & Retail Industry Update provides an overview of the latest trends in the sector, including recent performance, valuation multiples, and the state of the middle-market M&A environment.

Key findings include the following:

• Consumer behavior in Q2 2026 continued to bifurcate. Higher-income households sustained premium spending while value-conscious consumers traded down, and capital concentrated around brands with category leadership, value-chain control, and repeat-use demand, particularly in consumer health.
• M&A activity moderated in Q2 2026, with 58 announced transactions (vs. 84 in Q1). Average deal value climbed to $183.9M (vs. $117.1M), and strategic buyers (86%) led activity through consolidation and capability additions.
• Consumer & Retail public equities closed Q2 2026 with broad underperformance versus market indices (NASDAQ +30.0%, S&P 500 +22.2% LTM). E-Commerce led the subsectors, while Pet Products and Juvenile Products posted the steepest declines.

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