Retail ranked among the most disrupted sectors in the 2026 AlixPartners Disruption Index, with 55% of retail leaders reporting high disruption in the past year, and 93% expecting significant business model changes ahead.
Successive shocks – pandemic disruptions, prolonged supply chain issues, and inflation – have left much of the industry weaker than ever. In this fiercely competitive environment, relying on price increases to mask declining sales is no longer a sustainable strategy.
Retail sales have grown far faster in value than in volume in most major markets since 2020, meaning headline growth has largely come from inflation rather than unit sales. This inflation-driven value growth has masked deep structural weaknesses in many retailers. Technology alone is no silver bullet: the existential challenge of restoring volume growth requires a fundamental shift to a restructuring mindset – rethinking strategy, structure, and execution to regain momentum.
Brilliant basics: Fix the fundamentals
We explore three levers for resetting the foundation: reinvigorating core trading, building the productivity flywheel to fund growth, and updating legacy technology and data to enable speed.
Differentiate to drive demand
We explore three routes: winning customers from rivals, creating unique product innovation to ensure relevance, and leveraging creative channel differentiation.
Big bets: Pursue inorganic growth
We explore three pathways to redefine market position and realise new value: transformational M&A, creative growth accelerators, and restructuring tools and special situations.
Margins are tight, consumer confidence is low, and competition is relentless. So how do retailers grow when the old rules no longer apply? In this season, produced by AlixPartners and World Retail Congress, we dive into the transformative strategies shaping retail’s future. Join us for candid conversations with industry leaders on how to turn disruption into opportunity and build resilience for the long term.
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