Independent grocers are gaining ground as cost-pressed shoppers place more trust in local stores than national chains. To keep that edge in 2026, independents must pair community credibility with digital convenience, personalized value, and smarter savings tools.
Instacart’s AI driven pricing tests are drawing FTC scrutiny and risking a consumer trust meltdown as shoppers balk at higher than expected costs. Experts warn that without transparency, retailers could push customers toward cheaper rivals and curbside alternatives.
Acosta Group expects 2026 to be a breakout year for agentic AI, with shoppers embracing AI “companions” while still wary of automated purchasing. Acosta Group also feels consumers will demand personalized wellness, along with innovation that feels relevant – not just new.
Gen Xers may represent the “forgotten generation,” but their loyalty, functionality-first mindset, and $39 trillion inheritance make them a retail force. Ignore their evolving wellness habits and omnichannel expectations at your brand’s peril.
Foxtrot, a modern convenience store chain with an all-day café and a 30-minute delivery app, aims to expand into more metropolitan areas following its $100 million Series C raise in January. What differentiates Foxtrot from …
Hy-Vee, the Midwest grocery chain with more than 280 stores across eight states, feels it has “reimagined” the traditional supermarket. The chain recently opened a nearly 93,000-square-foot store in Grimes, Iowa, that features a few …
