RETHINK Retail’s 2026 Retail Trends Report:
The Age of Intelligence
Retail has reached its most critical inflection point in over a decade. The race to digitize is over; the race to optimize has begun. In 2026, every retailer faces the same existential question: How do we turn intelligent technology into intelligent growth?
This report examines retail intelligence as a holistic concept, breaking it into six interconnected dimensions: spatial, emotional, creative, operational, network, and moral.
From digital twins simulating store operations to loyalty programs built on transparency; from human-centered AI to localized supply networks, the message is clear: 2026 will reward those who see beyond the tools to the intelligence behind them.
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Six dimensions.
One intelligent application.
Retail intelligence is not a collection of isolated capabilities; it is a connected operating model. In 2026, intelligence takes shape across six dimensions, all working together to align technology, people, and purpose. When applied as a unified system, these dimensions enable retailers to sense change faster, act with precision, and scale innovation without sacrificing trust or human judgment. The future belongs to those who design intelligence to work as one.
Key Takeaways…
From Data to Decision
How retailers are moving from insight-driven analysis to action-driven ecosystems that respond in real time.
Visualizing Outcomes, Not Just Operations
How digital twins and visualization tools are accelerating confidence, conversion, and operational clarity.
The Store OS Emerges
Why unified commerce and store-level intelligence are becoming the backbone of execution.
Trust as Infrastructure
Why transparency, governance, and human-centered AI are now critical to long-term brand equity
Meet the Contributors
Remzi Ural
Consumer Markets AI Leader — PwC
Holly Worst
Vice President, Retail — Adyen
Joshua Lamerton
Co-founder — PropTexx
Eleanore Quartel
Head of Global Retail & Hospitality — ServiceNow
