Havas Commerce shows how retail will be rebuilt in 2026

Five years after COVID-19, consumption is not "back", but recalibrated: Consumers are buying more tactically, comparing more intensively, expecting proof instead of promises - and naturally moving between stores, e-commerce and social commerce. This is shown in the Retail Trends Book 2026 by Havas Commerce, which identifies six fundamental retail trends and eight structural shifts for 2026-2027. The focus is on a new logic of purchasing decisions: less oversupply, more selection precision - increasingly curated by AI.

The key message: retail is becoming the infrastructure for relevance, orientation and trust - and in a world of algorithmic pre-selection, it must not only be visible, but also "eligible": selectable in the systems that pre-filter purchasing decisions.

From crisis consumption to a "culture of conscious choice"

The Trend Book locates the coming years in an era of conscious choice. The pandemic, supply chain disruptions and ongoing price pressure have permanently changed consumption. According to Havas Commerce, 74% of consumers worldwide say that COVID-19 has had a lasting impact on their consumer behavior. Impulsive buying has turned into strategic decision-making: In Europe, 68% of households say they systematically weigh up value against pleasure; 59% invest more time in purchase planning.

This development manifests itself in eight "shifts" that are reshaping the architecture of consumer decision-making: Nearly 60 percent distrust "green" claims; 58 percent have already boycotted brands they perceived as misleading. Over 70 percent switch between store, online and social before making a purchase; at the same time, personal AI agents are emerging that scan, compare and act "on behalf of" offers. Comparison tools, cashback and cash-based loyalty are winning - consumption is becoming an optimization task. AI ends the era of "endless choice" and curates: less volume, more fit.

AI becomes an operating system, not an add-on

AI is no longer "innovation" in retail, but infrastructure. The Trend Book shows how AI is simultaneously transforming operations, customer experience and communication: DoorDash is testing the delivery robot "Dot", Walmart is scaling automation via Symbotic, among other things, and thinking of stores as automated fulfillment hubs. Amazon integrates visual search (Lens Live) with the shopping assistant Rufus; L'Oréal backing for Noli shows how BeautyDNA profiles and structured product data enable hyper-personalization. Walmart announces that it will enable shopping directly in ChatGPT - a signal that search, advice and checkout are converging.

The implication: visibility becomes secondary - the decisive factor is whether products and brands appear as the "best option" in AI-supported selection processes. This requires clean product data, reliable availability, clear benefit arguments and verifiable claims.

Retail becomes an experience, gastronomy and travel platform

Retail is expanding its role from a transaction location to a lifestyle destination. This is particularly visible in two areas: John Lewis integrates Jamie Oliver cooking school and café into its Oxford Street flagship. Hospitality sales are increasing, food is becoming a loyalty and frequency driver. Zara introduces "Travel Mode" in the app - with city guides, local recommendations, geolocalized product offers and offline functionality. Ikea, on the other hand, is testing hospitality with a boutique hotel in Spain - remarkably: without bold branding.

The implication: retail wins when it is integrated into "life situations" - not just shopping lists. The new key figure is: time well spent.

Self-care, nutrition and health as retail core

Wellbeing is becoming the dominant consumer motivation. The Trend Book shows how retailers are no longer just "selling" health, but organizing it: Kroger offers virtual nutritional advice; Walmart uses shopping data and AI for personalized "Everyday Health Signals". Amazon expands PillPack and adds caregiver functions; Morrisons launches on-demand pharmacy. Amazon opens "Parafarmacia & Beauty" in Milan, including derma bars and advice; Walmart tests beauty bars.

The implication: Retail is becoming an accessible health interface - but only if data protection, transparency and actual customer benefits are right. Trust becomes a product component.

Circulation becomes mainstream, "proof" mandatory

Sustainability is shifting from moral positioning to hard market logic: waste reduction, repair, resale and accessibility are becoming competitive factors. Aldi creates reduction zones, cooperates with Too Good To Go; anti-waste becomes a price and image lever. Back Market expands repair services and stores; John Lewis rolls out repair in stores. Tesco improves self-checkout accessibility, Morrisons introduces Braille menus in cafés.

The implication: impact becomes measurable, comparable, factored in - and therefore a real choice driver. Companies that only tell stories lose out to companies that prove their claims.

Premiumization meets value architecture

Retailers are navigating a polarized world of price consciousness and aspirational culture. Two strategies dominate: Stores are curated, culturally charged, service-oriented - for example with art pop-ups in malls. Retailers are increasing private label shares (Albertson's target: from 25 to 30 percent) and managing value perception via tiered models.

The implication: "Value" is not price, but a suitable value proposition. The winners are brands and retailers that manage tiering properly: entry, core, premium - without a breach of trust.

Zero-Click Commerce & Attention-Play Currency

Gen Z buys where content is created - and expects conversion to work without friction. Carrefour launches TikTok store in France. Asos rolls out "Asos Live". Walmart builds shoppable immersive series and experiences; brand activations with Apple Vision Pro (e.g. Boss) show retail as a stage.

The implication: brands must not only "perform" but also entertain - and at the same time build a bridge to the transaction: fewer clicks, more context, more creator logic.

Outlook: Destination 2030

Havas Commerce describes five plausible AI scenarios up to 2030 - including AI agents as personal shoppers, near-demand production, impact scoring in the shopping basket, ecosystem seamlessness and (in the longer term) quantum-supported journey simulation. The common denominator: retail is becoming an orchestration system in which availability, price, impact, service and content are brought together in real time.

The Trend Book provides a clear list of priorities for 2026/27: Eligibility instead of just visibility - making product data, claims, availability and pricing logic AI-ready. Accept proof economy: Sustainability, quality, value must be provable. Combine experience and utility: Think destination - but with concrete benefits. Health & self-care as a platform topic: services, partnerships, trust. Social-first conversion: streamline content-to-commerce processes.