Retail Summit 2026 Program

Do you also have a special shelf at home for your supplements? Get ready. Your pets will have one too. Supplements in pet care are no longer an optional extra. Driven by humanization, they are rapidly becoming a new standard of everyday care for dogs and cats. The pet supplements market is growing faster than pet food and is expanding well beyond traditional joint pills. Let us take a closer look at this profitable segment and explore how to increase basket value and encourage repeat purchases.

Modern pet parents no longer wait for problems to arise. They approach their animals’ health in the same way they approach their own. Focus is shifting toward the microbiome, immunity, and everyday health support rather than addressing issues only once they occur. We will show how this shift is changing purchasing behavior, why functional supplements are on the rise, and what it means for retail, which is increasingly becoming a partner in care.

The approach to pet parenting for cats is changing. A cat is no longer just a household pet but is becoming a true life companion.

Czech retail is going through an interesting period full of changes. Economics, politics, technology, society – nothing stands still, and the world we live in this year is different from last year's. Healthy growth is a prerequisite for retail to succeed in the years to come. Good conditions for business development, investment in new technologies and innovation in operations and customer relations are necessary conditions for future prosperity. Healthy living is an increasingly common choice of people today. The desire for a longer healthy life and the role of quality nutrition attract the attention of experts and the general public. This is a great opportunity for retail to show that it can keep up with the times and contribute to a better state of society within its business. Healthy relationships are about the quality business environment, where fair rules and market economy without burdensome regulations enable good and functioning relationships with customers, suppliers and the state.

The Czech economy still referred to as the “sick man of Europe” just two years ago—made a significant step toward recovery last year. Will this momentum continue in the year ahead? Or will it be dragged back down by the weakness of the eurozone, the unpredictability of the United States, and rising competition from China? This presentation will walk through the macroeconomic outlook for the coming year and focus on key, yet at first glance less visible, trends in consumer behaviour.

Healthy e-commerce is often defined externally by how satisfied the customer is. But it is the customer who has changed fundamentally in recent years – as well as the environment in which he operates. AI, legislation, growing Chinese players, the geopolitical situation and generationally different expectations are rewriting the rules of the game even faster than we were used to. We will open the question of whether the current reactions of companies really lead to healthier relationships, or whether we are just optimizing short-term performance at the expense of long-term trust. Where is the line between efficiency and fairness today? Are we building a sustainable e-commerce ecosystem – or are we slowly rushing into structural problems?

The competition showcase of three nominated projects will be presented by Martin Dolejš, Business Development Director CZ/SK, Mastercard

PilulkaPRO & NutraRating: data-driven personalized supplementation

Pilulka Pharmacies have transformed from a traditional e-shop into a data-driven health-tech platform focused on personalized healthcare. The solution combines a smart guide, the transparent NutraRating supplement evaluation, and the Pilulka PRO program, which works with real health data and long-term prevention. This approach increases customer retention, boosts average basket value, and delivers a clear competitive advantage by connecting diagnostics, data, and personalized recommendations.

Maia – AI shopping assistant

Rohlik Group has deployed Maia, an advanced AI shopping assistant that significantly simplifies and personalizes the online shopping experience. Maia handles search, recipe creation, basket management, order administration, and complaint resolution—fully autonomously and in local languages. Thanks to deep integration with Rohlik Group’s systems, it improves customer convenience, conversion rates, and customer support efficiency, pushing online grocery toward a proactive digital concierge model.

Automatic product recognition using AI at checkouts

Albert Czech Republic has introduced AI-based product recognition at checkouts, automatically identifying items—especially fruit, vegetables, and bakery products. The solution significantly speeds up checkout, reduces errors and cashier stress, and enhances the customer experience. Following a successful pilot, it was rolled out to all Albert stores in the Czech Republic in 2025, delivering more accurate data, smoother shopping, and a competitive edge in the market.

How to Increase Sales Potential, Optimize Processes, Redefine the Customer Experience, and Create New Opportunities?

In its presentation, Wanzl will introduce a new AI-powered shopping cart, solutions to reduce inventory discrepancies, efficient logistics, and inspiring concepts from Asia.

The transaction zone is not just a place of payment – it is one of the most important moments of the entire buying process. How do customers really behave here? And how to use this knowledge in retail practice effectively? We will share key shopper insights, practical findings and recommendations on how to develop the transaction zone to respect customer needs while supporting efficient operations and retailer business goals.

While part of the online grocery market is slowing down or shutting down altogether, Globus is moving in the opposite direction. It has launched a new e-shop, started with in-store pickup, and in 2026 is adding home delivery.

The presentation will show the strategy Globus is pursuing in online grocery, why it sees it as a long-term opportunity, and how its retail DNA translates into the digital world. The key topic, however, will not be technology but healthy relationships.

How do you build a partnership between a retailer and a technology provider so that a single team emerges instead of a traditional “client–vendor” relationship? What decisions does this make faster, what does it not forgive and why can this very approach determine who survives and grows in online grocery?

Using the example of the collaboration between Globus and Shopsys, the talk will share concrete, hands-on experience from a project that went from contract signing to the launch of Click & Collect in seven months. No theoretical clichés, but an honest look at what really happens when transforming a retailer when you stop building software and start building a business.

NIQ believes in the power of data tracking what and how Czech consumers shop. In her presentation for Retail Summit 2026, Lucie Zajícová will offer an overview of key insights into Czech retail and consumer purchasing behaviour. She will focus on shoppers’ expectations, the role of private labels, price promotions, and premium assortments. She will also summarize the main trends in the fast-moving consumer goods market, electronics, and durable goods, along with the data that can help you find the path to healthy growth.

Gen Z aren’t just the next wave of consumers – they’re a cultural force reshaping everything we thought we knew about shopping, living, and being. Raised in a world of endless options and zero compromises, they expect affordability, quality, and convenience – all at once. They’re hacking the system with Smartflation, redefining identity through food, love, and work, and demanding brands do more than sell – they must guide, support, and empower.
This isn’t just a generational shift. It’s a Perfect Trilemma that’s rewriting the rules of modern consumerism. Curious, conflicted, and unapologetically ambitious, these young consumers are challenging industries to evolve – or be left behind.

What is the fastest way to profitability of a brick-and-mortar store today? How to significantly shorten the return on investment when opening it? We will look at the new reality of TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), in which stores open at express, previously unthinkable times. They open earlier, they earn earlier. It will also include a look at future cost developments, energy price uncertainty and the impacts of the upcoming European environmental policy, where sustainability is no longer an option and is becoming a necessity.

The No. of unmanned stores (Smart Stores 24/7)  is increasing year by year in Europe. The different technical solutions are used for a wide range of locations (Rural area, gas stations, hotels, neighbourhood stores, travel retail, soccer stadiums, etc.). The end of the line is not yet reached. What are the opportunities and the challenges in this new market segment in retail?

Master data are crucial in retail. Unfortunately, they often reach retail chains in a chaotic mix of multiple Excel file versions or dozens of bespoke API interfaces. To avoid repeatedly checking and sorting them, Albert implemented the MDI solution from the Czech company SLUNO. The results of the supplier portal have exceeded expectations within just a few months of full operation, it has delivered exceptional cost savings and productivity gains. And these benefits are only the beginning when it comes to future potential.

Building loyalty in brick-and-mortar retail chains has changed dramatically in recent years. Customers no longer make decisions based solely on price or availability, but on the overall experience from the first interaction in an app, through personalized offers, to the in-store experience itself. Using the example of Kaufland Card, you will learn how even traditional physical retail chains can build a modern, data-driven, yet still human customer experience. The presentation will address whether loyalty is created through rational benefits or emotional bonds. It will also show how to turn data into measurable actions and which specific campaigns increased engagement by tens of percent.