Global Scans · Retail · Weekly Summary

• [New] 68% of retailers plan to use AI for inventory management and supply chain by 2026. Ringly.io
• [New] China's AI retail investment is expected to reach $18.8 billion by 2027. Ringly.io
• [New] 9 in 10 retailers will increase their AI budgets in 2026. Ringly.io
• [New] AI spending in retail will reach $19.9 billion globally by 2026. Ringly.io
• [New] Looking forward, 68% of retailers believe AI agents will handle most of their customer interactions within five years. Nevermined
• [New] Competitive pressure is intense, with 63% of retailers agreeing that companies not adopting AI agents risk falling behind within two years. Nevermined
• [New] Consumers will be able to add products from multiple retailers into a single cart while Google tracks discounts, price changes, and restocks automatically. Direct Avenue
• [New] Musk has stated that Optimus should be operating outside Tesla facilities by 2027, with a target retail price below $20,000 at volume. Medium
• Forrester Research projects US retail e-commerce will reach $1.8 trillion by 2030, representing 29% of total retail sales-up from 22% in 2025. Fungies.io - Sell digital products seamlessly
• U.K.: Frictionless retail infrastructure demand in the U.K. is expected to grow at 17.9% CAGR through 2036 due to rising adoption of autonomous checkout systems, AI-powered customer analytics, cashierless convenience stores, and smart retail modernization initiatives. FactMr
• 76% of retailers were increasing AI investment over 2027, while also emphasizing that AI agents need connected sales channels, customer data, and operations to work effectively. / USA Omnichannel Customer Engagement Platform
• The agentic AI segment in retail and eCommerce reached $46.74 billion in 2025 and is forecast to climb to $175.11 billion by 2030 at a 30.2% CAGR. Nevermined
• Grocers and high street retailers like Boots will need to fulfill a shopping list of requests from media buyers if they are to capture a greater share of retail media revenue. Digiday
• The retail and e-commerce application segment is expected to grow at a fastest CAGR of 9.5% from 2026 to 2034 with the explosive expansion of online shopping and direct to consumer delivery models. Market Data Forecast
• In 2026, retailers will win by turning data into faster, better, explainable decisions that deliver measurable P & L impact. Quicklizard
• Online retail platforms have improved security protocols, reducing fraud risks by 30% in the last two years. Market Data Forecast
• Retail sales for March are expected to show solid consumer spending despite uncertainty from tariffs and the Middle East conflict, and a flash estimate for April will likely get an extra boost from higher gasoline prices. financialpost
• By end-use industry, the retail and e-commerce segment is expected to grow at the fastest 31.5% CAGR between 2026 and 2035. Precedence Research

Last updated: 04 June 2026