Mid-market brands to benefit from consumers’ renewed focus on the basics

2024 was a rough year for retail in Canada, and 2025 doesn’t look much better, writes Charles de Brabant in Retail Insider. The Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management noted that the combination of high interest rates and high inflation has taken a toll on consumer pocketbooks, and they are expected to focus on the basics this year. That plays well for mid-market brands. Fashion brands like Aritzia, Garage and Uniqlo are all well-positioned for success in this environment, as are challenger brands in established market segments. In sportswear, challenger brands like Asics and Hoka are expected to create more than half of the category’s value, surpassing the sales of the big four -- Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Under Armor.