The brief describes 2026 as a transformative period for retail, marked by digital acceleration, economic pressure, and evolving consumer expectations, with mid-single-digit growth expected and 60% of retailers reporting improved forecasting and inventory management using AI tools.
It pairs five supply chain challenges with the SAP cloud response — SAP IBP and SAP Business Network for visibility, SAP ERP Cloud for cost control, SAP GTS for compliance, the SAP CX suite for omnichannel experience, and SAP Sustainability Control Tower for ESG tracking.
Sector sections cover fashion retail (tariffs, de minimis reform, legacy systems, and SAP ERP Cloud for Fashion), grocery retail (fresh replenishment, omnichannel fulfillment, labor efficiency, pricing, and sustainability), and electronics retail (semiconductor lead times of 12–40 weeks, trade disruption, obsolescence, and data fragmentation), each with the matching SAP solutions.
The full brief is available above as a PDF. For a shorter summary see "Retail Market Fact Sheet 2026", and for the complete deck see "Retail Market Overview 2026: Fashion, Grocery, and Electronics with SAP Cloud Solutions" in the Resource Library.