In 2025, global retail was defined by “resilience, transformation and divergence”, according to Colliers’ Global Retail: 2025 Trends & 2026 Outlook report. Across all markets, Colliers notes the emergence of three key themes: the deepening integration of digital and physical retail, the rise of value-driven shopping as consumers navigate higher costs, and the increasing influence of Gen Z in shaping brand engagement and purchase decisions. Technology adoption, urbanisation and tourism continue to act as long-term growth levers, while trade frictions, tariffs and geopolitical tensions create uncertainty at the margins.
The combination of all these factors is playing out differently across global markets and regions, states the report. The Asia Pacific region remains the global pacesetter for omnichannel, social commerce and tech-enabled retail, with Gen Z and a rapidly expanding middle class driving both ecommerce and in-store spending.
The European r
