In 2021, the global market for blood glucose test strips will be worth $12.93 billion, its highest ever level, a new report from the Business Research Company shows.

Update: As of January 16, Sears and ESL Investments appear to have reached an agreement to keep the company in business and stores open — for now. Be sure to subscribe to our blog for ongoing insights and analysis on new developments in this story.

Is this the end of the road for one of the oldest retailers in the US?

With so much going on in the news lately, it can be hard to keep up.  Take a moment to check out the latest headlines from The Freedonia Group, Freedonia Focus Reports, Simba Information, and Kalorama Information.  This week, hot topics included developments in activated carbon, a resurgence in polyethylene, beverage trends, the federal government shutdown and education funding, reports from the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, and more.

From financial services firms to car manufacturers, all types of companies can benefit from understanding their customers on a deeper level.

The US market for shoulder arthroplasty implants is worth over 40% of the entire global market for all types of minor orthopedic replacement implants and is growing at 6.6% year on year, according to a recent report by The Business Research Company.

In case you missed them, several industry articles were published over the holidays, covering a variety of topics, from health-related product claims to the use of artificial intelligence in supply chains.

We also rounded up our most-viewed articles from 2018. Find out more below.

The world is shifting rapidly, and market research is no exception. Scan through the headlines of some of the top industry analysis pieces published on the MarketResearch.com blog in 2018.

Lack of visibility and transparency are considered some of the biggest challenges in the supply chain industry, at times causing disruptions and inventory imbalance.  These issues largely stem from an inability to store and make sense of the overwhelming amount of data scattered across different processes, sources, and systems.

Catch up on all the latest headlines from The Freedonia Group, Packaged Facts, Simba Information, and Kalorama Information.  This week, analysts dove into topics related to alternative transportation, the rise of online grocery shopping, changes in college course materials, in vitro diagnostics trends, and more.

With the holiday season in full swing, there's still plenty of time and opportunity to savor a sweet treat or two before the year is out (and the New Year's diet resolutions kick in). 

Often, this indulgence occurs in the form of candy – and not only during the holidays, but year-round. So it should come as no surprise that the chocolate and non-chocolate candy industries are poised to grow 2.8% and 3.7%, respectively, through 2022, according to statistics from Chocolate Candy: U.S. Market Trends and Opportunities, 12th Edition and Non-Chocolate Candy: U.S. Market Trends and Opportunities, two new comprehensive reports from Packaged Facts.