It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From two new board members at Hasbro to a cheesy collaboration with Timbaland, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Reebok teams with Karol G
Reebok on Wednesday announced a multiyear partnership with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Karol G, who is now a global brand ambassador for the company. The move comes as Reebok plans to reintroduce its line of Classics footwear through a garment leather collection launching next month.
The Colombian artist will star in Reebok’s new campaign, “Born Classic. Worn for Life.” and will be central to brand storytelling, content and global activations. The two will co-design a collection of apparel and footwear offerings in the seasons ahead, “inspired by her style, story, and global influence,” per the press release.
“I’ve been wearing Reeboks for as long as I can remember, so becoming a Global Brand Ambassador feels like a full-circle moment,” Karol G said in a statement. “Reebok Classics have a rich foundation and heritage in style, which is really important to me when it comes to fashion, and I love that I’ll get to be part of the brand’s story.”
Nintendo vet joins Hasbro’s board
Toy company Hasbro announced that retired president and COO of Nintendo of America, Doug Bowser, has joined the company’s board of directors. Bowser oversaw the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the Americas, expanded the company’s licensed merchandise business and accelerated the company’s video game footprint in Latin America, according to a Hasbro press release.
Hasbro also appointed Carla Vernón, CEO of The Honest Company, to its board. Before joining the DTC company, Vernón was vice president of consumables categories at Amazon.
“Doug and Carla bring deep expertise in building iconic brands, creating meaningful consumer experiences, and driving innovation and transformation across their respective industries,” Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said in a statement.
Retail therapy
Baybel cheese brand collabs with musician Timbaland
That’s correct — the snack cheese brand Babybel has teamed up with musical artist Timbaland to revamp the brand’s song "I'm Your Baby,” per a Wednesday press release.
The theme song has been reworked into pop and EDM remixes, available on streaming platforms starting Friday. Additionally, the songs are available on limited-edition 3-inch mini vinyl records inspired by Babybel's well-known red wax packaging.
Customers can also win the mini vinyls in a giveaway that includes a red turntable to play them on.
"Working with Babybel on Mini Wax Tracks was just pure fun," Timbaland said in a statement. "I wanted to keep the playful energy of 'I'm Your Baby' while adding my own sound. It's creative, unexpected and all about bringing good energy to something small but mighty."
What we’re still thinking about
18%
That’s how much tax refunds could increase by this year, according to a Bank of America Institute note from this month.
That could boost spending on discretionary purchases — an area consumers pulled back on last year, particularly big-ticket purchases like electronics, furniture, hotels and air travel.
Much of the retail industry last year was defined by a cautious consumer, which is expected to continue into 2026 as the job market remains weak, according to a separate report from Moody’s.
And analysts warned that any benefit tax refunds provide to discretionary spending could be temporary.
“Bottom line: refunds might briefly narrow the ‘K-shape’ and give discretionary spending a lift, but the long game still depends on the labor market,” said Liz Everett Krisberg, head of the Bank of America Institute, and David Michael Tinsley, senior economist.
What we’re watching
Retail in January, under the weather
January is usually a fairly tepid month for retailers selling discretionary goods, and the weather events expected over the next few days could slow things down further.
Beginning Friday, a “significant, long-duration winter storm” is expected to dump heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, from the Southern Rockies and Plains to the Mid-South, according to the National Weather Service. That’s set to head east to the Mid-Atlantic and New England over the weekend. Meanwhile, an Arctic front threatens to bring gusts and low temperatures, leading to “dangerously cold wind chills from the Southern Plains to the Northeast.”
Grocery stores tend to do well when the weather is this bad, but it hampers other retailers, according to Wells Fargo analysts led by Edward Kelly. The storm’s timing is “less than ideal, with weekend shopping likely to be disrupted and potential for lingering impacts in the days to follow (given snow totals, ice, power loss),” Kelly said in a Wednesday client note.
If people do shop, they’ll likely be online, which could hurt retailers like Five Below and Dollar Tree that don’t have robust e-commerce.
“It's just weather, but the upcoming winter storm could be temporarily impactful,” Kelly said.
