The big takeaways from NRF APAC 2026

NRF APAC 2026 is the premier retail industry trade event and conference for the Asia Pacific region, held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore from 2-4 June 2026.

Built around "The Next Now," the conference focused on turning digital and data-driven innovations into actionable business blueprints.

We share the best talks, discussions and innovations across the event.

The Asian market is the “retail lab” of the world

Vipul Chawla, CEO of FairPrice Group, opened day two of NRF 2026 by saying that Asia is no longer just adopting what works in the western part of the world, it is innovating. The current pace of change requires Asian retailers to lead innovation or risk falling behind.

He also shared the experience of FairPrice Group building the “store of tomorrow”. The retailer runs its own lab at FairPrice Finest Punggol to test what can be applied across its network. It tests a wide range of technologies and experiences at its stores to determine what is worth scaling and what is not.

Technology needs to focus on solving the friction points for shoppers: locating products in-store, memorising shopping lists, getting the best offers and shortening checkout times. The solutions involve integrated shopping lists, smart carts, ESLs and personalised offers. Together, these technologies with AI have increased basket size to make the investment worthwhile.

Importance of localisation to stay relevance

Carmen Chiu, director of branded products at Hong Kong-based Maxim’s Group (part of DFI), emphasised the importance of adapting brands to local markets. She shared her experience at opening Fortnum and Mason’s first flagship in Hong Kong in 2019. 

When Fortnum & Mason opened its first international flagship in Hong Kong in 2019, the ambition was to faithfully recreate the Piccadilly experience. However, she quickly recognised that brand consistency could not come at the expense of local relevance.

Drawing on extensive customer feedback collected from the store’s restaurant, Chiu built a data-backed case that local shoppers found many dishes too sweet. The result was a 30% reduction in sweetness and saltiness across the menu, while preserving the presentation and premium experience that define the brand.

The lesson extended beyond food. Fortnum & Mason introduced locally relevant products, including Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes and Chinese New Year gift boxes, tailored to local cultural occasions.

According to Chiu, AI and digital are about discovery and getting the right data, while the physical store is about creating real memories and experiences, and then you bring people back online.

Driving loyalty through AI

AI was a common topic discussed in various speeches, and also featured heavily in many of the exhibition booths at the event.

In an era where shoppers have the luxury of choice in retailer stores to shop at and products to buy, loyalty becomes an important differentiating factor. Loyalty service providers such as Lobyco and Eagle Eye showcased their AI-driven solutions at their respectively booths.

Much of the loyalty solutions on display involved Al-driven insights and predictive AI, which enables better targeting of shoppers for more customised targeting campaigns.

This comes as retailers and brands are working harder to stand out and attract greater spending amidst a more competitive loyalty space.

Enhancing the in-store experience with AI

While many of the AI solutions on display involved a focus on automation with the purpose of greater operational efficiency, some are also focused on solutions that create excitement for shoppers in stores.

An example was Trollee, which showcased its AI-driven services from its partnership with FairPrice. Trollee highlighted its partnership with FairPrice in areas such as smart shopping carts, generative AI shopping assistants, and AI wine sommeliers.

These digital features provide shoppers with a more interactive shopping experience and gives shoppers added services like product recommendations and in-store wayfinding, which can improve the overall shopping journey.

What learnings can we take from NRF APAC 2026?

AI continues to make great strides in the retail space, and those who do not invest in AI to tap into its potential benefits stand to lose out to competitors in the industry who do. Many aspects of retail operations can be supported with AI-driven solutions. This supply chains and operations, product development, loyalty, online ordering and experiential elements.

However, despite the efficiency drive with AI, retailers and suppliers should not lose sight of what appeals to shoppers – the shopping experience. Shoppers want to enjoy the shopping experience, so there still needs to be go interactive elements to engage shoppers in the store, be it with or without AI. The human touch still matters, so do not estimate the power of good customer service.