Capgemini – Retail Trends 2026

The report focuses on five powerful trends shaping the future of retail.

These trends are changing the ways customers discover, decide, and purchase. Key takeaways include the need for organizations to not only be aware of changes but also understand how they impact customer expectations and behaviors, operational priorities, and long-term growth strategies. The key trends include: 'Moments over merchandise' emphasizing the experience economy, 'Trust as a profit driver' leveraging trust as a profit factor, 'The year of the private label' focusing on value-based differentiation, 'Invisible AI' creating seamless customer experiences through AI, and 'Searchless retail' anticipating intentions and delivering through GEO.