October in Review: 13 Top Consumer Press Releases

A roundup of the most newsworthy consumer and retail announcements from PR Newswire, including M&M's Halloween Rescue Squad, CeraVe's official partnership with the NBA, and Target's exclusive 'Wicked: For Good' collection.

NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each month, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help consumer and retail journalists and consumers stay on top of the month's most popular releases and newsworthy trends, here's a recap of some of the past month's most read- and engaged-with stories.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. IT'S ALIVE! AGAIN! Mars Marks The Return Of M&M'S® Halloween Rescue Squad, To Make This Halloween The Most FUN Yet
   Halloween fell on a Friday for the first time since 2014, which meant more trick-or-treaters, more Halloweekend celebrations, and more M&M'S. Starting at 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 31, fans in Gopuff delivery areas were able to score a refill for their candy bowls while supplies lasted, thanks to M&M'S.
2. Deloitte: Holiday Spending Declines Amid Economic Uncertainty
   Nearly all generations and income groups surveyed plan to pull back this season. Only Gen X shoppers appear to be in a slightly better position as they plan to increase their spending by 3% this year.
3. Hennessy and LeBron James Launch a New Collector's V.S.O.P Limited Edition  
   At the heart of this edition is LeBron's signature "crowning" gesture - a symbol of elevation, and leadership now reimagined on a vibrant orange bottle. This bold colorway, inspired by LeBron's dynamic spirit, signals a fresh energy and a new occasion for celebration.
4. Bedsure Launches 2-in-1 Comforter Set Just in Time for October Prime Day  
   The new product combines and upgrades the strengths of Bedsure's two best-selling products – the wide-striped GentleSoft® Blanket and the Plain Prewashed Comforter Set. The patented button design enables true 2-in-1 and "anti-kick-off" features. The secure connection ensures the blanket stays in place even when tossing and turning.
5. Toys"R"Us® Spreads Holiday Magic Nationwide with New Flagship Stores and Seasonal Holiday Shops  
   The new flagship stores and seasonal holiday shops feature an assortment of the season's most popular brands, from LEGO and Barbie to Hot Wheels, NERF and Paw Patrol. Designed as convenient, family-friendly destinations, every location delivers the same joyful, easy-to-shop experience that makes Toys"R"Us a holiday tradition.
6. KFC®'s Big Comeback Continues with More Iconic Throwbacks  
   "KFC's Original Honey BBQ wasn't just a menu offering, it became a cultural touchstone that fans have been craving and asking us to bring back for years," said Catherine Tan-Gillespie, President, KFC U.S. "What better way to continue our KFC comeback than to bring back this legendary flavor and reintroduce it in a bigger and bolder way — on everything."
7. USPS Launches Informed Delivery Mobile App  
   The app's features include push notifications for updates to incoming mail and packages; optional biometric login for added security and ease of access; enhanced package-tracking capabilities, including scanning tracking numbers or barcodes and sharing of package status with others; and the ability to view, interact with and manage incoming mail directly from your mobile device.
8. Tom Holland & Robert Downey Jr. Team Up to Launch Two Unique Beverages that Bridge Beer & Coffee Traditions  
   The collaboration will feature two limited edition products, BERO Coffee Draught, a smooth, full-bodied beverage that blends the roasted depth of a stout-style beer with the silky, satisfying character of happy®'s coffee. Alongside the Draught, the happy® Eternal Hoptimist ground coffee promises another bold expression that honors the art of brewing and coffee roasting alike.
9. Target Debuts Collection of New and Exclusive Products for Universal Pictures' 'Wicked: For Good'  
   The assortment features nearly 200 new products, with nearly half the assortment exclusive to Target and priced under $20. Fans can shop their favorites and find affordable gift options. The collection began rolling out Oct. 5 in Target stores and on Target.com with additional product drops leading up to the film's release only in theaters on Nov. 21.
10. CeraVe Becomes NBA's Official Skincare Partner  
    The partnership builds on CeraVe's "Head of CeraVe" campaign with 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis. CeraVe will have a robust onsite presence at marquee NBA events, including the Emirates NBA Cup, NBA All-Star, and NBA Summer League, while also integrating into NBA 2K26 to connect with the league's gaming audience.
11. Harley-Davidson and Realtree® Release "Get Lost" Collaboration  
    From hoodies and jackets to graphic tees and workwear-inspired pants, every style is made to transition seamlessly from the outdoors to everyday life. Crafted in an iconic Realtree APG camouflage pattern, and merges hardwoods, pine thickets, prairies, and river bottoms with other outdoor environments. Each piece is finished with Harley-Davidson details, the capsule brings together craftsmanship, utility, and style.
12. Whisker Launches Next-Generation Litter-Robot Line and Whisker+ Features, Marking a New Era in Smart Cat Care  
    The launch also includes a suite of new intelligent technologies as part of its expanding smart pet ecosystem – PetTag and the Whisker+ membership – designed to enhance visibility, personalize tracking, and provide deeper behavioral understanding. This new generation goes beyond cleaning to deliver a more personalized, connected experience for pets and their people.
13. Polaris to Separate Indian Motorcycle into a Standalone Company, Will Sell Majority Stake to Carolwood LP  
    Indian Motorcycle will retain the majority of its team, including engineers, designers and staff. Manufacturing facilities in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Monticello, Minn., as well as the industrial design and technology center in Burgdorf, Switzerland, will transition to the new standalone motorcycle company as a part of the deal.

For more news like this, check out all of the latest retail-related releases from PR Newswire.

Trending Topics

Among the consumer news that was distributed in October, the PR Newswire team was able spot several larger stories that highlight the trends shaping the industry.

• Halloween: Halloween 2025 saw brands embrace the spooky season with creativity and community spirit. Chipotle revived the fan favorite "Boorito" promotion, offering $6 entrees and a costume contest for rewards members. Cold Stone Creamery celebrated with limited time treats like Boo Batter Ice Cream and the Witches' Boo Shake, while Spirit Halloween's Spirit of Children program brought joy to more than 160 pediatric hospitals. FirstEnergy Corp. also shared reminders to help everyone enjoy a fun and safe night.
• Holiday Campaigns: It's never too early to get into the holiday spirit and in October, we saw major retailers launch their holiday campaigns. HomeGoods kicked off its third annual "Deck the Everything Day," inviting shoppers to explore early holiday décor. Elsewhere, luxury brands like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus highlighted curated gift guides and exclusive collections, while Nordstrom emphasized festive experiences and connections.

Looking ahead: In November, our team expects Thanksgiving and other holiday-related press releases to ramp up as consumers gear up for the busy holiday season. We'll also be watching how consumer brands celebrate other calendar events like Veterans Day (Nov. 11), Black Friday (Nov. 28) and Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29).

Do you have a retail press release to distribute? Sign up with PR Newswire to share your story with the audiences who matter most.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News
These are just a few of the recent press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers, and freelancers have access to the following free features:

• Customization: Users can create customized newsfeeds that will deliver relevant news right to their inbox. Newsfeed results can be targeted by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.
• Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include in a journalist or blogger's next story.
• Subject Matter Experts: Journalists will have access to ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in their articles.
• Related Resources: Our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines, features regular media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire

PR Newswire is the industry's leading press release distribution partner with an unparalleled global reach of more than 440,000 newsrooms, websites, direct feeds, journalists and influencers and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages. From our award-winning Content Services offerings, integrated media newsroom and microsite products, Investor Relations suite of services, paid placement and social sharing tools, PR Newswire has a comprehensive catalog of solutions to solve the modern-day challenges PR and communications teams face. For 70 years, PR Newswire has been the preferred destination for brands to share their most important news stories across the world.

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].

SOURCE PR Newswire