Reasons to Read

Discover five pillars shaping China’s retail landscape in 2026—from policy-driven consumption and AI innovation to instant retail, experiential formats and RaaS-fueled revenue diversification. This report is part of our global 2026 Retail Predictions series.

Read this report to discover answers to these and other questions:

• How will policy-backed trade-in and subsidy programs support moderate but resilient retail sales growth in 2026 and beyond?
• How will GenAI and agentic AI, including Alibaba’s Qwen and AI shopping assistants, transform customer journeys, personalization and operational efficiency across Chinese retail ecosystems?
• How are experiential, service-led formats like Pangdonglai’s high-service supermarkets reshaping the role of physical stores amid rising vacancy rates and new space in cities such as Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hangzhou?
• How will intensified competition in instant retail, last-mile delivery and logistics automation—including the deployment of humanoid robots like UBTech’s Walker S2—impact margins, speed and consumer convenience?
• How are AI-driven advertising, retail media and RaaS creating high-margin revenue pools as China’s ad market grows and instant retail expands from about ¥1 trillion to more than ¥2 trillion by 2030?

Data in this research report include: China total retail sales forecasts through 2029; outcomes from the 2025 national trade-in program; usage and adoption metrics for Alibaba’s Qwen and AI shopping assistants; retail property vacancy and new supply indicators; robotics deployment and order data; and projections for China’s ad market and instant retail market size through 2030.

Companies mentioned in this report include: Alibaba Group, JD.com, Meituan, Pangdonglai, UBTech and Walmart China/Sam’s Club.

Other relevant research:

• Visit the Coresight Research Retail Technology Hub to explore reports, data and competitive landscapes on retail technology, AI and automation.
• The China Retail Sales Databank brings together retail sales data to help you understand the trajectory of retail in China and is updated monthly.
• The Market Sizes Databank offers an overview of key retail markets and sectors, including forward projections for China’s retail and e-commerce segments.