Reframing Retail for a New Era of Conscious, Intelligent Commerce

The Havas Commerce Trend Book 2026 captures the structural shifts redefining global retail at a pivotal moment. Built from a year of continuous global monitoring and proprietary research, this edition distills six foundational trends shaping how commerce will evolve.

Six years after COVID‑19, consumption has permanently changed. Havas Commerce research shows that 74% of consumers say the pandemic altered how they consume, accelerating the shift from reactive buying to more strategic decision‑making. Today’s consumer is tactical by default: 68% of European households systematically arbitrate between value and pleasure, while 59% spend more time planning their purchases.

Retail is now entering an era where AI-driven intelligence becomes structural. More than 70% of consumers move between physical stores, e‑commerce, and social platforms before buying, while automation, personalization, and algorithmic selection redefine how choice, relevance, and efficiency are delivered.

At the same time, conscious consumption is moving from intent to expectation. Nearly 60% of consumers globally distrust green claims (environmental or sustainability promises made by brands, such as being “eco‑friendly,” “carbon‑neutral,” or “sustainable”) , and 58% have already boycotted brands perceived as misleading, making proof, transparency, durability, and impact decisive drivers of trust and preference.

More than a trend report, the Havas Commerce Trend Book 2026 offers a strategic framework to help brands and retailers understand what is structurally changing, what is accelerating, and what must now be rebuilt.

Download the full Havas Commerce Trend Book 2026 to unlock the full framework in each trend we give you best practices from leading retailer in the world

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About the study

The Havas Commerce Trend Book is grounded in a combination of global quantitative studies, qualitative market observation, and continuous retail intelligence developed by Havas Commerce throughout 2024–2025.

Rather than relying on a single survey, the Trend Book synthesizes insights from multiple existing research programs and real-world market observations, spanning both consumer behavior (B2C) and retailer decision-making (B2B) across major global markets.

Key data sources include:

• Second‑Hand & New Consumption Standards Study Conducted across 13 countries, based on interviews with 17,000+ consumers, exploring the rise of second‑hand consumption, repair, resale, rental, DIY, and circular behaviors, as well as trust drivers and barriers in alternative consumption models.
• Purchasing Power Observatory Conducted across 12 countries, based on insights from 9,000+ consumers, examining how inflation and economic pressure are reshaping purchasing behavior, value perception, and trade‑offs across categories.
• Retail B2B Study – Retailers’ Expectations Toward Agencies Conducted across 23 countries, based on interviews with 256 senior retail executives from companies with more than 100 employees, focusing on strategic priorities for the next 12–18 months, including AI integration, omnichannel acceleration, retail media, and expectations toward agency partners.

In total, the Trend Book draws on insights from over 26,000 consumers and retail decision‑makers across up to 23 countries, providing a robust, multi‑market and multi‑perspective foundation.

These data points are further enriched by ongoing monthly analysis of retail projects, launches, innovations, and communication campaigns through the Follow the World of Commerce newsletter.

Together, this approach allows the Trend Book to move beyond pure trend forecasting, offering a grounded, evidence‑based perspective that connects past executions, observed patterns, and emerging signals shaping the future of commerce