Together with the retail world, Professor Gino Van Ossel is preparing for the RetailDetail Night, where he will be presenting his annual review in a new format. “We all know by now that times are tough. No need to list that again. On the contrary: there are many exciting themes ahead of us.”
The playing field is increasingly uneven
At this year’s RetailDetail Night, Gino Van Ossel will focus on analyzing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. “Ten years ago, it was all about the speed of change, driven mainly by technology. Today, complexity has been added to the mix: it’s no longer just about technology. What’s more, some developments are rather slow, while others are happening at lightning speed. This makes it difficult for retailers to stay on course.”
Whereas e-commerce used to turn the world upside down, the focus is now on artificial intelligence. “Everyone is wondering what AI will mean for retail,” says Van Ossel. “But the playing field is uneven. When a giant like Ahold Delhaize develops something, they can roll it out worldwide. Many Belgian retailers are very small compared to such giants.”
TikTok shopping and new competitors
In addition, a new factor is emerging: the geopolitical context. “We are evolving from a bipolar to a multipolar world, in which each continent is becoming more inward-looking. You can also feel this in retail, through trade tariffs. European players often react far too slowly.”
These global shifts are rapidly creating new Chinese competitors. “It’s hard to believe that Temu arrived in Europe barely 2.5 years ago,” says Van Ossel. “And soon, TikTok Shopping will also be coming to most countries. That shows how quickly the landscape is evolving.”
“We live in exciting times”
However, growth is certainly not reserved for Chinese disruptors alone. “Take Jysk, for example: this Danish chain does things completely differently from Ikea and is very successful with that approach. This proves that there are still opportunities for those who dare to innovate.”
What will 2026 bring? Van Ossel smiles. “It will be a difficult year, that’s for sure. But I prefer to call it challenging. We live in exciting times. For those who dare to invest, experiment, and remain relevant in their market—whether that’s Flanders, Europe, or the world—there are still wonderful opportunities. The key is to deal with the speed, uncertainty, and increased complexity.”
Do not miss Gino Van Ossel’s annual review at RetailDetail Night on 20 November! Also discover Wouter Kolk (formerly at Ahold Delhaize), MediaMarkt (Olivier van den Bossche), Carrefour (Geoffroy Gersdorff), JBC (Anaïs Claes), Trendwolves (Tom Palmaerts) and many others on the line-up.
