Retail is moving faster than ever, shaped by shifting expectations, new technologies, and a global landscape where creativity, compliance and customer relevance now sit side-by-side. At APS, we’re asked the same question time and time again: what’s next?

Our latest Horizon Scan: The Retail Edge in 2026 brings together global insight and on-the-ground expertise from our strategists across the UK, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Compiled by our in‑house brand strategists, it distils the trends that will matter most over the next 18 months and what retailers can do to stay ahead.

This report goes beyond predictions. It gives retailers a clear view of the forces shaping behaviour, sustainability, technology and growth, helping them turn complexity into opportunity.

Three Forces That Will Define the Next 18 Months

Across every region we analysed, three universal forces are converging:

Efficiency
Retail is entering an era of operational agility from modular production to AI‑supported decision-making. As the report notes, it’s not just about cutting costs, but “bringing AI and automation into the core of the business to increase speed, reduce waste and elevate customer experience.”

Proof
Sustainability and compliance have shifted from differentiators to baseline expectations. As our Head of Sustainability, Andrew Young, puts it:
“It’s no longer enough to say something is ‘eco’. You need data, provenance, and certifications. Green-screening tools are critical to vet materials, suppliers and methods.”

Experience
Whether in London, Dubai or New York, customers want to be entertained, informed and emotionally engaged. “Brick-and-mortar isn’t dead — it’s where brand love is built and retained,” says APS Director George Smart. Winning retailers will make physical environments destinations.

The Horizon Scan unpacks the drivers that will influence retail behaviour, including:

Emotional Connection Is Back in the UK

Cost-of-living pressures have reshaped loyalty and expectations. Finn Lawton, APS Senior Strategist, highlights that shoppers are becoming, “more selective, more intentional, and more focused on value‑driven experiences.” Gamification, proof‑led sustainability and AI‑assisted personalisation are set to dominate.

The US Is Moving from Pilots to Permanence

AI, automation and nearshoring are no longer experiments, they’re becoming operational norms. With 80% of US retailers already using AI for stock and pricing decisions, 2026 will be defined by turning innovation into infrastructure.

Europe Is Blending Creativity with Compliance

Retail media, templated creative production and deep regulation will reshape marketing delivery. Immersive, brand‑led environments and sustainable production are becoming non‑negotiable.

The Middle East Is Retail as Theatre

Luxury, scale and status-led experiences are creating environments designed to wow, where AI avatars, multi‑sensory activations and Net Zero procurement sit side-by-side.

Africa and Asia Are Redefining Retail Agility

Mobile-first journeys, community‑powered loyalty, social commerce and rapid digital adoption are enabling retailers to leapfrog legacy infrastructures.

Retail isn’t short of noise, but it is short of clarity.

This Horizon Scan aims to give you,

  • A global-to-local view of the trends that genuinely matter
  • Practical actions for shaping compliant, creative, experience-led retail
  • Insight from APS strategists embedded in retail markets worldwide
  • Evidence-backed perspectives to support more confident, future-ready decision‑making

If you want to understand what the next 18 months mean for your brand and how to turn emerging trends into meaningful momentum, share your details below and our team will be in touch with you shortly.

Many of the trends explored in The Retail Edge were brought to life at EuroShop 2026, where retailers, brands and technology partners showcased how experience, sustainability and innovation are already being applied in-store. Our EuroShop report dives deeper into what we saw on the ground — and what it signals for the future of retail execution.