Kraft Heinz reports a significant decline in consumer sentiment in the U.S., marking the worst period in decades. CFO Andre Maciel expressed concerns during an earnings call about reduced expectations for consumption in the upcoming Q4. While the company anticipates improved market share, they foresee overall industry conditions worsening. Despite successful campaigns for brands like Lunchables and Capri Sun, efforts to encourage trials of revamped products have not yielded strong results, with low increases in repeat purchases noted by Maciel. To combat this negative sentiment, Kraft Heinz is ramping up promotional investments, committing around $300 million for Q4 alone, along with an additional $80 million for media and research and development. Maciel emphasized that this increase in marketing spending will be concentrated in the latter half of the year. The company is cautious about further investments, believing that additional spending may not produce the desired returns at this stage. The importance of maintaining strong brands during this downturn is highlighted by CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera. As Kraft Heinz plans to split into two independent companies by the second half of 2026, both entities aim to emerge from this challenging period with robust brand portfolios. Abrams-Rivera noted the need to build a stronger company for the long term, rather than merely reacting to current market challenges.