Retail tech: major trends for 2026
In 2026, retail can no longer afford to promise. It must deliver. Retail tech has entered the execution stage. The race for showcase innovation is over, giving way to clear priorities: operational...
Facing pressure from China’s JD.com, Kretinsky launches a takeover bid on Fnac-Darty
On January 26, Fnac Darty (unaudited 2025 revenue: €10.3 billion, up by 0.7% on a like-for-like basis) announced the launch of a public takeover bid by Daniel Kretinsky. The Czech billionaire...
28 January 2026
USA : Amazon ordered to pay US$1.28 billion for disputed customer returns
On January 23, 2026, preparing to lose 16,000 staff, Amazon agreed to pay US$309 million as part of a judicial settlement related to a returns policy, which has been the subject of a class action...
28 January 2026
After acquiring Salomon, Anta sets sights on Puma
On January 27, Anta Sports Products (H1 2025 revenue: RMB 38.5 billion, up by 14.3%) reported plans to acquire Puma from Artemis, the investment holding company of the Pinault family, which also...
27 January 2026
Save launches an e-commerce site to support a shift towards sales
Having just reached break-even, the French subsidiary of refurbished specialist Save intends to go beyond an historical model of repair to develop sales of accessories and refurbished products...
Faume expands into the U.S.A. via a partnership with logistics provider Eren Recondition
As Vinted launched a platform in the U.S.A. last November, French white-label second-hand specialist Faume (2025 revenue: 3.2 million euros, up by 40% in a year) announced expansion into the...
23 January 2026
2026 Trends – Retail organises itself in the face of the Trump trade war
(Trend 4/6) Invested as President for a second term in 2025, Donald Trump has shaken global trade. Between higher customs duties, a tax on small parcels, attacks on diversity and inclusion...
Picnic plans to open a 3rd warehouse in France
To support growth, the Dutch online grocery retailer Picnic (global revenue 2025 : 1.5 billion euros, up by 25%) continues to concentrate their logistics network. In France, revenue was reported...
23 January 2026
Saks Global negotiating new loan to overcome post-Neiman Marcus fallout
On reprieve until the end of January 2026 after missing a US$100 million bond payment on December 30, the U.S. department store retailer Saks Global (2024 revenue: US$7.3 billion dollars, down by...
8 January 2026
With Grand Frais, Apollo makes a first move into European grocery retail
Through an agreement to acquire 70% of the operator of Grand Frais, the US investment fund Apollo aims to double stores and evolve a model that has so far been entirely focused on physical retail...
19 December 2025
Italian Golden Goose set for Chinese ownership
A year after the French children’s clothing brand Bonpoint was acquired by Chinese group Youngor, Italian luxury brand Golden Goose is next. British fund Permira (already owner of Hugo...
9 December 2025
Chinese JD.com acquires 59.8% of Ceconomy, owner of Fnac Darty
On December 2, as part of a second stage of Ceconomy buy‑out, Chinese e‑commerce giant JD.com acquired a 59.8% stake in the German group. Ceconomy reported 2024 sales of €22.4...
4 December 2025
Walmart parts ways with C.E.O. after 9-month revenue up by 4.4%
On November 14, the world’s largest retailer, Walmart (revenue 2024: US$681 billion, up by 5.6% at constant rates), announced the departure  of C.E.O., Doug McMillon. In office since...
21 November 2025
Carrefour: with 4% of the shares Rodolphe Saadé strengthens governance after the Diniz exit
 A page is turning at Carrefour. On November 12, 2025 the Brazilian Diniz family (a shareholder since 2014 through its holding Peninsula) sold the 8% stake. At the same time Rodolphe...
13 November 2025
[Amazon Results] Amazon delivers a solid Q3 2025, driven by AWS, e-commerce and advertising
Amazon recorded solid growth over the first 9 months of 2025, driven by e-commerce, cloud activities and a rebound in advertising. However, the group is seeing profitability ease under record...
Faced with debt and declining sales, Fossil files for bankruptcy
Competition from Apple and Samsung in the smartwatch segment, collapsing sales, customs tariffs… Cornered with a debt of US$179 million, Fossil has filed several bankruptcy petitions in the U.S.A...
29 October 2025
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Most viewed articles of the month on mind Retail
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Shoptimus AI scales up in grocery smart shopping lists and prepares for a new funding round
After securing a strategic partnership with Spanish grocer Bon Preu, retail tech firm Shoptimus AI—first spotted by Carrefour—is accelerating a rollout. By leveraging AI agents to automate grocery...
11 January 2026
2
With Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Zalando and Carrefour, Google launches an agentic commerce protocol
Following the launch of payments in Copilot, Google is preparing to join OpenAI and Microsoft, but with a more integrated version focused on its own payment method, Google Pay. These moves...
13 January 2026
3
Circana: French e-commerce ended 2025 with strong growth, hypermarkets continue to decline
After four years of decline, volumes of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) rose again in 2025 in France and Europe, although they did not compensate for four years of losses. The rebound was...
4
2026 Trends – Chatbots, WhatsApp, social networks: don’t miss out on conversation
(Trends 2/6) After a cautious observation phase by retailers and some high-profile hallucination issues, 2025 was a turning point operationally for chatbots and conversational tools. Positioned...
13 January 2026
5
Black Friday: Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus featured in 38% of sessions in the US
While peak season sales, revealed at the NRF Big Show, rose by 4.1% in the US from November 1 to December 31, 2025, Rufus, Amazon’s conversational chatbot, confirmed its traction. During the...
15 January 2026
6
2026 Trends – How far should retailers open the door to AI Search engines ?
(Trends 1/6) With data visibility, recommendations, transactions on ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, LLMs are establishing themselves as new entry points for e-commerce. As search, comparison and...