Retail seeking balance: five paradoxes that will continue to shape 2026

For retail expert Els Breugelmans (professor at KU Leuven), 2025 was above all a year of paradoxes. “I see contradictions everywhere that continue to coexist,” she says. “And when I look ahead, 2026 will continue the search for balance.”

1. Sustainability clashes with ultra-cheap

“On the one hand, there is a focus on sustainability due to upcoming legislation, and on the other hand, you see this huge influx of ultra-cheap, fast imports from Chinese webshops.” These movements seem to contradict each other, yet they continue to coexist. The cheap supply continues to grow, and consumers seem to be embracing it en masse, despite the proven negative social and ecological consequences. “All studies show the dangers of these products, but for some consumers, it remains a distant concern.”