ESW | RETAIL ECONOMICS
UK International Growth Outlook
Five forces reshaping the retail landscape in 2026
But these pressures are not only reshaping the landscape, they are also creating new opportunities.
This report explores the forces reshaping the retail landscape in 2026, as retailers navigate softer demand, rising costs and rapidly shifting consumer expectations.
It outlines five structural trends—ecommerce maturity, the growing power of marketplaces, the expansion of social commerce, evolving cross‑border trading conditions and the rise of AI‑mediated discovery—and quantifies their impact on retailer performance across domestic and international markets.
This report is structured into three sections:
What's shaping 2026 performance
Five trends reshaping the retail landscape
Five strategic implications for retail brands