6 Retail trends to watch in 2026

Another year has come and gone, but the retail industry chugs ever onward. From pricing dynamics to the shifting state of malls, here are the trends we’ve got our eye on in 2026. Factors like a weakening job market, rising health care costs and other affordability pressures continue to undermine discretionary budgets, pushing consumers to seek out value.
A 2025 retrospective would no doubt include both tariff upheaval and a surge in generative AI investing — two trends Retail Dive expects to continue in the year ahead. Retail also continues to face a challenging economic landscape, which impacts the outlook for core pieces of the industry, including consumer spending, deal-making and distressed retail.