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Recap: EuroShop 2026

The triennial trade fair took place Feb. 22-26 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

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2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

VMSD

EuroShop took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, this past February, highlighting retail product trends from around the globe. Photography: Messe Düsseldorf / Tillmann

EUROSHOP 2026 WAS HELED in Düsseldorf this past Feb. 22-26, bringing together roughly 81,000 industry leaders from 141 countries to explore the future of physical retail. In addition to the expansive exhibition halls and multi-stage conference program, the event overall showcased a shift toward connected, experience-driven retail environments.

VMSD’s Editor-in-Chief Carly Hagedon spoke alongside Target’s Ken McQuade, WD Partners’ Jay Highland and MBH Architects’ Cynthia Ortiz, on North American retail trends. The presentation, which took place Monday, Feb. 23, “Designed to Thrive: Experience, Innovation and the Future of North American Retail,” looked at case study examples highlighting some of the trends we’re seeing here in the U.S., including hospitality’s growing influence on retail and personalized customer experiences.

Some trends noted by the VMSD and Shop! Association staffs on-site included the rise of AI-driven solutions offering services like inventory management, store planning, forecasting and pricing. There was also a strong emphasis on “invisible tech,” systems that power operations and aim to make a retail space feel intuitive and human centered.

Many other exhibitors – from materials to tech – showcased an emphasis on sustainable design and sustainable materials, something of growing importance to consumers and companies alike. Retail media networks were another hot topic on the show floor.

EuroShop itself aimed for bold spatial concepts and experiential storytelling through its displays and exhibitors including large-scale installations and kinetic displays. Despite this, some booths’ designs leaned heavily toward a modern, clean aesthetic reflecting materiality trends we’re still seeing in many storefronts across the globe.

This triennial trade show will take place again in 2029, Feb. 18-22. For more EuroShop 2026 coverage, stay tuned to VMSD and vmsd.com. VMSD’s upcoming May/June issue will feature additional information about this year’s show.