New tech is allowing diagnostics-based health and beauty retail to move beyond broad recommendations and into more evidence-led ultra-personalised service. AI skin analysis, protein-based proteomic skincare testing and scan-to-print footwear are turning stores into advanced advisory spaces, revealing something shoppers can’t self-assess and translating it into product, routine or fit decisions.

Physical retail is becoming increasingly searchable and navigable, with stores now cast as live information environments where search moves from the website into the aisle. The most successful retailers are using in-app AI assistants, aisle-level inventory and AR wayfinding to help shoppers locate and compare products in real time.

Next-gen smart carts are turning grocery aisles into active commerce interfaces, often via the use of edge or physical AI. It runs on shopping trolleys themselves rather than via the cloud, meaning brands can connect online profiles with real-time in-store activity. The best carts recognise products, track spending, surface loyalty offers, process payments and deliver targeted promotions at the moment shoppers are choosing what to buy.

New forms of visualisation tech are allowing fashion and home retailers to show consumers how they – or their homes – will look in new outfits or after redesign projects. The best bring pioneering generative AI try-on into the physical space, connect back to users’ digital profiles, let people co-design, or form part of an always-on ‘shadow app’ to guide customers through projects.