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Taking place in Barcelona from 9–11 June 2026, Shoptalk Europe is bringing together more than 4,500 retail, brand, technology and investment leaders to discuss the future of commerce.
We have been watching this event closely and have been following trending conversations. Below are five of the biggest takeaways so far.
Executives from retailers including IKEA, H&M, Carrefour and MediaMarktSaturn are discussing how AI is moving beyond experimentation and becoming embedded across merchandising, marketing, customer service and operational decision-making.
A recurring message from speakers is that the challenge is scaling AI use cases while maintaining governance, accuracy and measurable business outcomes.
The wider market reflects this shift. According to NVIDIA's State of AI in Retail and CPG research, 91% of retail organisations are actively using or evaluating AI, while 90% plan to increase AI investment in 2026.
Google has expanded Gemini shopping capabilities through partnerships with retailers including Walmart and Shopify, while Microsoft has introduced Copilot Checkout, enabling shoppers to complete purchases directly within AI-powered experiences.
A common theme emerging from attendee discussions on LinkedIn is that retailers now need to think beyond traditional SEO and onsite conversion optimisation. Product data quality, structured content, inventory accuracy, pricing and customer reviews are becoming critical inputs for AI-driven product recommendations.
Several sessions featuring retailers, brands and technology providers are exploring how retail media networks can improve measurement, attribution and commercial performance.
According to eMarketer, global retail media advertising spend is expected to exceed $180 billion by 2028.
The retailers attracting the most attention are those successfully connecting audience data, media performance and commerce outcomes into a single ecosystem.
Despite the strong focus on AI and digital transformation, stores are increasingly supporting services such as click-and-collect, endless aisle, ship-from-store, returns processing and clienteling, creating stronger links between ecommerce and physical retail operations.
For retailers, this reinforces the importance of connecting ecommerce platforms, inventory systems, OMS capabilities and customer data into a unified commerce ecosystem.
Research from industry experts shows that while 70% of retailers are piloting or partially implementing agentic AI initiatives, only 8% have fully deployed AI across operations and just 5% consider their AI capabilities mature and optimised.
Retailers cannot scale AI effectively without trusted product, inventory and customer data. Equally, retail media, personalisation and omnichannel experiences all depend on high-quality, accessible information.
The strongest message emerging from Shoptalk Europe 2026 is that retail is entering a more practical phase of transformation.
AI remains the headline topic, but success will depend on much more than technology adoption alone. Retailers that combine strong data foundations, connected commerce operations, effective retail media strategies and scalable AI capabilities will be best positioned for long-term growth.
We'll continue monitoring key industry events such as Shoptalk and sharing the trends and innovations influencing retail and ecommerce. Visit our website to find out more.