Consumer-goods companies girding for an economic downturn are rolling out different package sizes, launching new affordable products and pushing lower priced items in some stores to woo increasingly cautious shoppers.
Official data released Thursday showed the U.S. economy shrank for a second quarter in a row—a common but unofficial definition of a recession—in part because consumer spending slowed amid rising inflation. Meanwhile, quarterly earnings from makers of everyday items from snacks to shampoo have shown some moderation or declines in sales volumes as companies raise prices to offset higher costs.
