NEW YORK — This year could reshape the retail industry as consumer priorities shift, forcing retailers to adapt in unexpected ways. Released today, Deloitte’s 2026 Retail Outlook identifies five priority areas for retailers to consider as they plan for the year ahead.
They are:
- Appeal to the value-seeking consumer: Nearly seven in 10 surveyed retail executives agree that value-seeking behaviors represent a structural change within the industry. To convert these consumers, brands will need to invest in capabilities that empower them to improve quality, attitude, and trust, helping consumers feel that an experience is worth the price.
- Agentic AI in commerce: Over two-thirds (68%) of respondents said they expect to deploy agentic AI for key operational and enterprise activities within the next 12 to 24 months. Most expect AI’s role in the shopping journey to become mainstream before 2028.
- AI reimagines the customer experience: Two-thirds (67%) of retail executives expect to have AI-driven personalization capabilities within the next year, enabling them to offer tailored experiences that adapt to individual customers.
- Building a resilient supply chain: Nearly all respondents expect rising costs due to trade policies. To manage rising fulfillment and logistics costs, 3 in 10 retailers surveyed use AI for supply chain visibility, and this number is expected to rise to 41% in the next year.
- Navigating rising costs: Retailers expect to implement a variety of tactics to help offset rising costs, such as shifting their product mix towards higher-margin or value-added items (72%), or increasing the threshold for free shipping (67%).
“2026 is about focusing on what retailers can control, doubling down on the fundamentals and meeting consumers with value,” said Natalie Martini, vice chair and U.S. Retail and Consumer Products sector leader, Deloitte.
“This year could mark a shift within the industry as it faces changes in commerce, customer engagement, and operations. Consumers are reassessing what value means, which is not necessarily about the lowest price. Successful retailers will focus on quality, experience, and trust to meet consumers where they are. Further, the increased integration of AI is not only changing how consumers shop, but how retailers reimagine their marketing strategies. All of this is occurring while retailers are navigating rising costs, forcing them to potentially restructure their supply chains among other strategies to offset some of these pressures,” she added.
The full report, which is based on a survey of 330 global retail executives, is available online.
Deloitte also released its 2026 Consumer Products Industry Outlook. Based on a global survey of 300 consumer products executives across food and beverage, beauty and personal care, and household goods, the research examines how CPG companies are navigating shifts in consumer value perceptions, trade pressures, and the growing impact of AI.
Additional CPG Insights:
- Nimble beats optimal. As trade policies create new cost pressures, all CPG companies surveyed plan to take strategic actions including manufacturing domestically (74%), change the mix of products sold (68%), or raise prices (55%) – despite concerns over lost volume or market share.
- Focus looks better than breadth. CPG companies are shifting business models with 85% of those surveyed saying they will focus on dominating specific categories, and 55% say they will divest low-growth categories.
- Value chains are up for renegotiation. 79% of CPG executives surveyed believe the balance of power is shifting to retailers. However, 86% of those surveyed also report success when they engage retail partners in deeper collaboration.
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