Retail Insights

Stay updated on retail’s latest news, insights & trends with a focus on disruptive innovation. Powered by RLC Global Forum’s powerful, global community.

A younger woman and an older woman in a sari, holding sparklers during a festive celebration, with decorative lights in the background.

India’s Diwali 2026 Spending: $83 Billion and Counting

The world’s most underrated retail event is just a few days away. And the scale of Diwali 2026 spending has never looked like this.
Saudi male and female doctors in white coats reviewing medical scans on a digital display.

The Rise of the Digital Consumer in Saudi Arabia’s Healthcare Market

From drive-through pharmacies to a $65 billion government commitment, Saudi Arabia’s healthcare is being reshaped by a digital savvy consumer population.
A woman’s hand holding a glass of whiskey on a wooden bar counter.

What Alcohol Market Numbers Tell Us About Global Consumption

The data has been building for three years, and it is hard to argue with. The alcohol market is shrinking and the reasons are more complicated, and more permanent, than most in the industry would like to admit.
Black-and-white close-up of a diesel fuel pump nozzle inserted into a vehicle’s fuel tank.

Retail Real Estate Has a Diesel Problem

Six months after the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, the cost of diesel is still climbing. At $6.53 a gallon in late September, the question for retail real estate now is what it costs to build a store, and whether anyone can still afford to.
Person wearing a coat and trousers, seen carrying several shopping bags through a shopping arcade.

Consumer Confidence Is Up. That’s the Catch

Consumer confidence is up. Spending is not. Here is what the data really says about where consumers are headed in 2026.
Halloween costumes and pumpkin-themed bags displayed on shelves and a rack in a retail store.

Halloween Spending 2026: Record Numbers, Savvier Shoppers

Trick or treat? As Halloween spending breaks records year after year, we unpack the 2026 numbers and what they mean for retail.
Close-up of a round brilliant cut diamond resting on a dark surface.

How the De Beers Sale Could Shift the Diamond Trade

Behind the potential De Beers sale is a calculated move to control the natural diamond trade from the ground up.
Saudi man in traditional attire overlooking Riyadh’s skyline, with “Country Report” text overlaid.

Saudi Economy: What Holds and What Changes

The 2026 regional disruption unsettled global markets and raised hard questions about the GCC region. The latest RLC Global Forum report examines what the numbers on the Saudi economy really show.
Modern retail store interior with glass walls and LED lighting.

AI in Retail and The Governance Question Leaders Should Be Asking

As AI in retail scales from experiment to infrastructure, the accountability question — who is responsible when AI-driven decisions go wrong — is the one most boards have yet to answer.
Refrigerated grocery display in a supermarket filled with packaged food, drinks, fresh produce and other products.

What a Supermarket Hack in France Means for Retail’s Connected Future

On the morning of 12 October, more than 500 French supermarkets woke up to spoiled stock and a criminal investigation — the first supermarket hack to cause direct physical damage across an entire nation’s food supply chain. But what does this mean for retail cybersecurity?
Young woman filming herself with a smartphone through a ring light.

$4 Billion Global Beauty Sales on TikTok— How Social Media Flipped the Industry

Global beauty sales have never been higher. The brands generating the fastest growth within that figure were not built on counters or campaigns; they were built on comment sections, affiliate links, and the willingness to show up on camera every day.
Hands holding a world map made from grains, beans, seeds, and legumes.

Food Inflation and the El Niño Factor – What Comes Next

The 2026 Super El Niño is generating a food inflation shock that forecasters project will last well into 2028, driven as much by geopolitical supply chain pressure as by the climate event itself.
Woman holding a “People Over Profits” sign in front of a Prada billboard.

Political Fashion: Conviction or Performance?

The runway has always been political. It has never been affordable. And when it tried to say something meaningful about the world, the results have been mixed.
Model walks a runway during a fashion show in Paris, with the Eiffel Tower visible in the background.

Paris Fashion Week SS27 and the Shows Worth Talking About

From the front rows to the runways, the highs and lows and the departures that may surprise us, here is what Paris Fashion Week SS27 looked like.
People walking in front of a Zara store in a shopping mall.

Can the Latest Zara Collaborations Change the Brand’s Identity?

The latest Zara collaborations with fashion and film powerhouses John Galliano and Luca Guadagnino are the brand’s boldest move yet. But can cultural credibility replace a fast fashion label?