Episode 573

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Published on:

14th Apr 2026

Retail Daily Minute | Consumer Sentiment Craters, 7-Eleven Plans to Close 645 Stores & Dollar General Rolls Out AI Audio Ads

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Duvo and Mirakl.

In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:

  • Inflation surged to its highest level since 2022 in March, driven by a 21.2% spike in gasoline prices tied to the Iran war, while consumer sentiment plunged to its lowest recorded level since data collection began in 1952.
  • 7-Eleven plans to close 645 North American convenience stores in fiscal 2026, marking the fifth consecutive year of net store closures as the company eyes a 2027 IPO.
  • Dollar General is partnering with Qsic to deploy an AI-enabled in-store audio network across approximately 6,000 stores, doubling its audio footprint to 12,000 locations and expanding its DG Media Network with targeted, POS-integrated audio ads.

The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.



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About the Podcast

Omni Talk Retail
Omni Talk Retail provides news, analysis, and commentary on the latest trends and issues in the retail industry
Omni Talk Retail provides news, analysis, and commentary on the latest trends and issues in the retail industry. It covers a wide range of topics related to retail, including e-commerce, technology, marketing, and consumer behavior. The podcast regularly features industry experts, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, as well as retail thought leaders who all share their insights and perspectives on the latest developments in retail.

About your hosts

Anne Mezzenga

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Anne Mezzenga is an entrepreneurial Marketing Executive with nearly 20 years in the retail, experience design, and technology industries.

Currently, she is one of the founders and Co-CEOs of Omni Talk.

Prior to her latest ventures, Anne was most recently the Head of Marketing and Partnerships for Target’s Store of the Future project. Early in her career, Anne worked as a producer for advertising agencies, Martin Williams and Fallon, and as a producer and reporter for news affiliates NBC New York and KMSP Minneapolis.

Anne holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

When Anne is not busy blogging, podcasting, or sharing her expertise with clients, she loves spending time with her husband and two boys and partaking in all the Minneapolis food scene has to offer.

Chris Walton

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