AGP Executive Report

Nike Digital Control in China: Nike has told distributor Topsports to stop selling Nike products via its mainland online platforms from Jan 1, 2027, pushing Topsports shares down 23% and shifting China e-commerce toward Nike’s own sites, apps and flagship stores. Retail Tech & Commerce: Laser Clinics launched a BigCommerce-based headless commerce site to unify bookings and prepaid treatments, while Ecotrak added AI assistants to its facility management platform for retail, healthcare and hospitality teams. Retail Media & Social Shopping: YouTube rolled out a UK Shopping Affiliate Programme with M&S, Next, Debenhams and Boots, ahead of YouTube Shopping. Consumer Costs & Food Prices: A grocery pricing explainer points to thin margins and shocks like drought, energy costs and tariffs driving higher shelf prices. Supply Chain Under Fire: Ukraine drone strikes hit Wildberries logistics hubs in Russia, disrupting small sellers and destroying goods worth an estimated £750m. Fuel Quality Watch: Ghana’s Auditor-General says the National Petroleum Authority failed to mark about 87 million litres of petrol, risking substandard fuel at pumps. Store Expansion & Real Estate: Sprouts opens a Phoenix flagship and new HQ campus, and Oceanwide Plaza’s “Graffiti Towers” in downtown LA begins cleanup as owners move to finish retail space. Community Retail Events: A new Wash Ave food hall in St. Louis and a continued Granville Street pedestrian zone in Vancouver aim to keep foot traffic flowing post–FIFA World Cup.

Retail Expansion & Store Openings: Brasa Peruvian Kitchen will open its first airport restaurant at Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1, post-security) in partnership with Banmore Group, while Popeyes starts work on its first Belfast city-centre outlet at Donegall Arcade. Luxury Retail: Hermès opened its second Sydney store at Chatswood Chase, adding another local flagship for its sixteen métiers. Private Label & Assortment Strategy: Rooster Bus keeps expanding in-house brands (Palma, Cadence, Local Stated, Ranchero Revival) to improve control over inventory and quality. Retail Tech & Analytics: NIQ and Circle K signed a multi-year global analytics deal across 12+ countries to boost merchandising, pricing, and customer experience. Consumer Trends: “Jorts” (baggy denim shorts) are surging in New York via secondhand apps like Depop. Retail Business Performance: Mulberry narrowed FY26 losses as margin and retail sales improved, and AT&T reported strong Q2 results tied to its investment-led connectivity strategy. Policy & Compliance: Russia passed a crypto trading law allowing regulated retail trading via Central Bank-licensed intermediaries, with payment bans inside Russia. Food & Supply Chain Pressure: Cal-Maine Foods posted sharply weaker Q4 and fiscal results amid major sales and profit declines.

Tariff Shock for Retail Supply Chains: President Trump announced a new 50% tariff on most Canadian goods, with exclusions for some items like energy and critical minerals, raising new uncertainty for cross-border retail pricing and inventory planning. Crypto Regulation for Retail Investors: Russia’s Duma passed a crypto law creating a full regulatory framework for exchanges and intermediaries, with retail investors capped at about $3,800 per year via licensed channels. Retail Real Estate Deal: Realty Income confirmed it has acquired The Lexicon in Bracknell, a nearly 1M sq ft retail and leisure destination anchored by Waitrose, Fenwick and Marks & Spencer. Convenience & Travel Retail Expansion: Wally’s opened its first Indiana travel center in Whitestown near Indianapolis, a $40M site with a large convenience store, fueling and expanded foodservice. Food Safety Watch: The CDC reported 4,173 confirmed U.S. cyclosporiasis cases since May 1, tied to a lettuce-linked outbreak, with more suspected cases still awaiting lab confirmation. Banking Leadership Moves: Franklin Savings Bank named Joe Todisco SVP, chief retail and customer experience officer, signaling continued focus on customer-facing retail growth. Digital Commerce & Unified Ops: A new APAC retail-focused report argues regional giants are moving to unified commerce built for real-time inventory and omni-channel fulfillment. Retail Media & Brand Repositioning: Curie rebranded with a gender-neutral, “clean performance” look while keeping formulas unchanged, aiming to match its next growth phase.

AI in Shopping: Adyen’s Malaysia Retail Report says 74% of shoppers use AI to browse and compare, but 52% still won’t let it complete purchases—trust and payment security are the sticking points. Court-Backed Retail Rescue: South Korea’s Homeplus gets a reprieve after a court reversed its termination of rehabilitation, extending creditor voting to Sept. 4 after securing a 200 billion won emergency loan. Planning Fight at Discount Retail: Lidl Ireland says it’s “disappointed” after Roscommon County Council refused permission for a Monksland supermarket, but says it remains committed and can appeal by mid-August. Duty-Free Overhaul: Sydney Airport and Heinemann are revamping international duty free, with MECCA and Victoria’s Secret expanding into Australian duty-free for the first time ahead of a mid-2027 rollout. Retail Tech for Merchants: Proton.ai launches agentic order and quote automation for distributors, turning messy customer requests into drafted quotes, follow-ups, and substitute sourcing. New Store Openings: IKEA opens its second Delhi-NCR city store in Saket (July 30), while Jack & Jones announces a 6,370 sq ft Bluewater store opening in October. Brand & Product Drops: Silk Protein expands with Silk Protein Yogurt and RTD Shakes rolling into major grocery stores. Retail Crime: Police in Wilkes-Barre Township identify a woman in alleged thefts at TJ Maxx and JC Penney’s, including a reported threat with a rock.

Retail Inflation Watch (NZ): Retail NZ says New Zealand’s 4.1% annual inflation is being driven heavily by fuel, with petrol and diesel doing most of the damage—while the rest of the CPI basket is still within the 1–3% target range, offering some comfort for retailers. Nigeria Fuel Supply Shock: Petroleum marketers in Nigeria have paused petrol loading from Dangote Petroleum Refinery after it switched to dollar-denominated sales, raising fears of higher pump prices and added FX pressure. Convenience & Foodservice Expansion (Canada/UK): KaleMart24 is opening another wellness-focused convenience store in Montreal’s Royalmount development (its 7th in Quebec), while an all-you-can-eat Pan-Asian buffet has taken over a unit at Bishop Auckland Retail Park’s Game On. Retail Finance & Trading Sentiment (India): India’s demat boom is slowing in trading activity—active clients are a smaller share of accounts—while the government reiterated there’s no plan to scrap LTCG tax on equity for retail investors. Banking Margins Under Pressure (India): Private banks’ net interest margins are thinning as retail credit growth stays tepid and lenders lean on lower-yield corporate loans. Retail Crime & Scams: Police are investigating a 7-Eleven theft and battery in Florida, and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office warns of scams targeting families of incarcerated people using fake payment demands and gift cards. Energy Prices Hit Consumers (US/Middle East): US pump prices crossed $4 again as renewed Middle East tensions disrupt supply routes.

Retail M&A & Strategy: GameStop escalated its long-shot push for eBay, nearly doubling its stake to 9.8% and signaling a prolonged fight after its earlier bid was rejected. Omnichannel Expansion: Reliance Retail is doubling down on JioMart and dark stores, aiming to grow digital commerce and lift margins over the next two years. Retail Tech for Safety: Auror launched in-store facial recognition (Auror Subject Recognition) in the UK, using retailer crime data to flag high-harm offenders with real-time alerts. Payments & Retail Finance: Kuwait backed Q8 rebranding for fuel stations, aiming to modernize the retail fuel network with digital and non-fuel services; in the UAE, CBD rolled out Jaywan prepaid cards to expand local card acceptance. Fashion & Specialty Retail: Myprotein launched its activewear on NEXT’s Sports Club online, adding an initial ~30-product drop with more planned in September. Charity Retail Logistics: Evri and Scope expanded donation drop-offs via 12,500 ParcelShops/lockers, including a parcel locker inside a charity shop. Food Retail Risk: Taylor Fresh Foods recalled iceberg lettuce tied to a Cyclospora outbreak reaching multiple states. Policy Watch: India’s finance ministry said there’s no plan to scrap LTCG tax on equities for domestic/retail investors.

Retail Partnerships: Ooredoo and Samsung Gulf Electronics ink a new Qatar partnership to expand Samsung device distribution via Ooredoo’s retail network and sales channels. Retail Expansion in Asia: SM Prime is betting on China’s “night economy” with a new 24/7 mall concept, rolling out in stages starting September 2026. Omnichannel Push: Reliance Retail plans rapid FY27 online growth with more dark stores and stronger omni-channel fulfillment, targeting a doubling of operating EBITDA over three years. Quick-Commerce Pharmacy Growth: Plazza raises $15M to expand its 15–30 minute medicine delivery store network, aiming for 10 new stores in eight weeks and 20 in Bengaluru by year-end, then scaling to 3,000+ stores in 3–4 years. Mall Repositioning: Singapore mall owners are pouring hundreds of millions into asset enhancement initiatives, shifting tenant mixes toward experience and lifestyle concepts. Consumer Safety: The UK’s CCPC launches an air-fryer safety campaign after findings that many owners don’t clean them regularly. Food Retail Risk: Taylor Farms recalls certain iceberg lettuce products over cyclospora concerns, with distribution reaching multiple states including Louisiana. Local Retail & Community: New Iberia residents mark the end of the Abdalla’s department store era as the family prepares an estate sale.

Back-to-school retail tech: Google is rolling out AI Mode, virtual try-on and smarter price tracking to help students shop with more conversational searches. Shipping & competition: Amazon is expanding shipping access via Amazon Supply Chain Services, putting pressure on FedEx and UPS as more businesses can use Amazon logistics. Middle East supply shock: UAE supermarkets are bracing for Iran-war-driven shipping disruptions and higher freight costs, with some items seeing temporary gaps while retailers absorb part of the inflation. Monetary policy watch: The ECB is signaling it may pause another rate hike while keeping September options open as Strait of Hormuz uncertainty feeds back into euro-zone inflation. EU sustainability rules: New EU rules bar large firms from destroying unsold clothing and shoes, pushing resale or donation instead. Retail security controversy: A facial-recognition system is being used at a discount grocery store to flag alleged shoplifting, raising privacy concerns about how retail security is deployed. India retail expansion: Reliance Retail plans to rapidly scale JioMart, dark stores and omni-channel platforms to improve availability and unit economics. Retail investing risk: Korean retail investors face amplified volatility from leveraged ETFs tied to semiconductors. Charity retail shake-up: The British Heart Foundation confirms 87 charity shop closures by March 2027 as costs and shopping habits change.

Food Safety & Retail Impact: Walmart removed four bagged iceberg lettuce salad products made by Taylor Farms after FDA testing found cyclospora in a sample from Taylor Farms de Mexico; the latest recall expansion follows an earlier pull tied to a Mexico farm, with no confirmed illnesses linked to Walmart items so far. Retail Security & Privacy: Grocery Outlet is using facial recognition “face matching” at some Bay Area stores to flag repeat shoplifting suspects, drawing mixed shopper reactions and privacy questions. Wireless Retail Shake-Up: T-Mobile is positioned to benefit as rivals retreat—one filed for bankruptcy and another plans to sell hundreds of company-owned stores and cut jobs—reshaping the competitive retail footprint. Retail Real Estate & Community Services: Rochelle City Council approved rezoning and a variance for a new ancillary hospital building, supporting expansion plans and parking improvements for Rochelle Community Hospital. Tech-Driven Shopping: PointAI and Gokaldas Exports debuted an AI-powered virtual trial standee at Bharat Tex 2026 and plan a consumer virtual try-on app, “My Wardrobe,” launching across India, Japan and Singapore. Energy Costs & Consumer Bills: South Australia’s FERM reliability scheme is adding to household electricity bills via network charges, with the government saying bills would be higher without it. Retail Operations & Infrastructure: Bulawayo’s re-industrialisation push includes a US$12m Fairgrounds Retail Centre and a US$3m Franciscan Centre with commercial kitchen and conference facilities. Corporate Governance: Ethiopia’s Anbesa Bank faces regulator-ordered board elections after a shareholder dispute over alleged self-dealing loans, highlighting governance stress in the banking sector.

Airport Retail Expansion: Sainsbury’s Local opened its first Manchester Airport Terminal 3 store, a 24-hour convenience stop for essentials plus meal deals and home/kitchen items, with online ordering for Argos and Habitat pickup and an expected 24 jobs. Consumer Tech Deals: Samsung launched its Freestyle+ AI portable projector in the US for $1,199.99, promising faster setup via 3D Auto Keystone for uneven surfaces, while Currys in the UK is discounting Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE by £30 to £99 with a promo code. Brand Growth in India: Crocs appointed Kumar Harshit as Commercial Director Retail & Wholesale to expand profitable offline stores and wholesale; The Bear House says it has grown to 500+ points of sale and plans 30 more stores this fiscal year. Retail & Compliance: Sri Lanka’s Consumer Affairs Authority fined a Beruwala supermarket Rs 1m for selling Keeri Samba rice above the government MRP after a guilty plea. Retail Demand Signals: Bank of America says the World Cup boosted US consumer spending in June, with card spending up 6.3% year-on-year, especially restaurants and bars. Retail Disruption/Crime: Ukrainian drones hit Wildberries warehouses in Russia, killing seven and injuring dozens, underscoring how logistics disruptions can ripple through retail supply chains.

Wage Pressure on Retail Costs: BARMM approved a P50 daily minimum wage hike for private workers, split into P25 in August and P25 in December, with retail and agricultural rates rising too—an input-cost signal for stores and suppliers. Grocery Value Shift: A new Bain/NielsenIQ read says shoppers keep cutting spending, and grocers that win will sharpen their value play—especially via stronger private labels. Food Safety Watch: Taylor Farms, a Taco Bell lettuce supplier, is linked to a five-state cyclosporiasis outbreak; it says it’s removing affected iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market. Retail Expansion: Vallarta Supermarkets plans 10–15 more Phoenix-area stores over 10 years, starting with a South Phoenix location aimed at a food-desert area. Payments & Property Tech: ID Plans and Payabli launched an end-to-end payment system inside ID Tenant for split payments and autopay, targeting smoother landlord-tenant billing. Tech for Retail Ops: Lightspeed rolled out new AI, payments, fulfillment, and multi-location tools across Lightspeed Retail and Restaurant. Inflation Still Matters: June inflation fell 0.4% month over month as energy eased, but prices remain elevated—keeping pressure on consumer budgets and retail pricing. Local Retail Real Estate: Naperville commissioners backed john greene’s downtown office expansion, a sign of continued demand for mixed-use growth.

Retail Hiring & Expansion: Aldi says it will open about 40 new supermarkets this year and recruit 450 staff, with store assistants paid £13.50 an hour nationally and £14.88 in the M25, plus upgrades to 25 existing stores. Retail Leadership & Customer Experience: The Raley’s Companies announced leadership changes including a new Chief Marketing Officer and a promoted SVP for enterprise operations, aiming to sharpen merchandising and customer engagement. Grocery Merchandising Promo: Wakefern and ShopRite are expanding Edible Garden’s “Garden Starters” pallet display program with a midsummer promotion to drive demand for living herbs. Back-to-School Spending Push: A Sevierville-area “Stuff the Bus” drive will collect school supplies at a Walmart location, targeting families facing rising costs ahead of the new term. Retail Crime & Compliance: Arkansas posted food inspection results for multiple retail food sites, including noted issues like blocked handwashing sinks and disinfectant problems. Local Retail Real Estate: Oakville Council approved a major mixed-use redevelopment on the former GE site, including ground-floor retail and transit-linked access. Fuel Retail Promotions: Aramco is running Metro Manila pump discounts and an EastWest credit-card rebate at its Sucat station, cutting per-liter prices and offering cash back on qualifying transactions. Brand/Store Legal & Market Signals: Fender countersues Thomann over alleged guitar copyright infringement, while Tesla’s India sales reportedly stayed under 500 vehicles in its first year, highlighting tough retail scale-up.

Retail Confidence Slips: UK small-business growth forecasts fell to 24%—a 12-year low—hitting construction, retail and hospitality, with the “election bounce” fading fast. US Consumer Signals Mixed: June US retail sales rose just 0.2% m/m, while chip/AI worries dragged markets and gold slipped below $4,000. Grocery Pressure Builds: Bain/NielsenIQ says US grocery unit sales fell 1.8% y/y in June as shoppers cut back amid higher prices and weaker budgets. Retail Media Push: The Trade Desk hired Kristi Argyilan as chief commercial officer, betting on retail media and data partnerships to stabilize growth. Beauty Rollout: Straand expanded scalp care into 500 Priceline stores, following earlier UK Boots expansion. Store Footprint Changes: Verizon plans to sell hundreds of stores and cut jobs as it shifts toward franchise-style operations. Local Retail Realities: Hong Kong landlords and tenants clash over rent relief as shop closures continue despite some sales rebound. Supply Chain/Infrastructure: Australia’s Ritchie Bros. EOFY auctions topped AU$100m+ in gross transaction value, reflecting steady demand for equipment. Trade & Sourcing: Armenia’s ambassador met Carrefour to explore importing and marketing Armenian products in France. Policy Watch: New Zealand retailers criticized move-on orders aimed at rough sleepers, saying it may just relocate disruption.

Retail Crime Crackdown: Riverside County deputies arrested three Chula Vista suspects for organized retail theft tied to about seven businesses, with stolen goods valued over $2,000. Consumer Rights: A Delhi consumer commission ordered Reliance Smart to refund a Rs 24.90 branded carry bag charge with interest and Rs 10,000 compensation, saying logo bags can’t be treated as paid advertising. IPO Buzz: China’s CXMT mega IPO drew heavy retail interest, with investors betting on memory-chip growth amid AI demand. Retail Media Push: Myer launched a retail media network using MYER one first-party loyalty data and Mirakl Ads to sell sponsored products across myer.com.au. Tech in Stores: Supermarkets are rolling out shelf-scanning robots (like Simbe’s Tally 4.0) to improve pricing and inventory accuracy, but shoppers worry about the in-aisle experience. Global Deal: Uber agreed to buy Delivery Hero for about €13bn, expanding delivery brands across 99 markets. Luxury Demand: Richemont reported strong FY27 Q1 sales growth, led by the Americas and Japan. Energy Costs: The UK CMA heating oil study found wholesale prices drove most of the recent surge, with big weekly jumps hitting households. Expansion in Asia: ST Rosyam Mart plans its first Johor outlet in Sept, aiming to attract shoppers including from nearby Singapore.

AI in Shopping: A new LDWW survey says nearly 70% of Americans use AI while shopping, with 71% expecting to use it more; about two-thirds say it influenced a purchase, while shoppers lean into “trust but verify” by checking brand info and citations. Trade & Tariffs: Redi-Bag USA and CEO Jeffrey Rabiea agreed to a $7.3M federal settlement over claims they hid “Made in China” labels to dodge antidumping duties, with assets reportedly acquired by AmerCareRoyal right before the deal. Retail Labor & Taxes (UK): The British Retail Consortium urged Andy Burnham to cut taxes and business rates and roll back wage/NIC hikes to protect high streets and youth jobs. Grocery & Delivery Ops: Walmart updated its Spark delivery app with a new Smart Path routing approach that reorders items by proximity, drawing complaints from drivers about delays and cold-chain handling. Food Prices (Africa): Cold weather in Tanzania is squeezing egg supply, pushing wholesale and retail prices up as consumers cut back. Property & Retail Real Estate: Kearney, Nebraska approved TIF funding for a 60-unit apartment project, while Charlotte, North Carolina faces pressure over a data center plan that would demolish part of a historic mixed-use building. Retail Expansion & Deals: WinCo’s Woodburn store plan cleared a city council appeal, and Alabama’s back-to-school tax holiday starts Friday.

Retail Media & Digital Growth: Royaloak Furniture tapped Team Pumpkin to run social, website, e-commerce and performance marketing as it pushes deeper online. Smart Retail Tech: Santime Intelligence unveiled a solar-powered AI “umbrella” that uses Alipay Tap! to link charging, retail cabinets, ads and AI service in public spaces. Outlet & Mall Strategy: Tanger said outlet and “value + experience” demand is driving shopping center growth, with the key being constant “newness” and omnichannel integration. Grocery Real Estate Expansion: Supermarket Income REIT plans to raise about £100m to buy a £216m pipeline of nine grocery assets, including supermarkets due to complete in September. Store Openings & Community Retail: Goodwill reopened in Pahrump, Nevada, in a new location after a busy grand opening. Food & Beverage Retail Buzz: Pizza Hut is bringing back a 1990s-style Throwback Value Menu plus a streetwear capsule, while Asda Express starts showing Natasha’s Law allergen and calorie info on electronic shelf labels for loose bakery items. High Street Pressure: M&S closed its Weymouth town-centre store, and Greggs warned hot weather could weigh on summer sales. Consumer Demand Signals: China’s retail sales rose 1.0% year-on-year in June, the first uptick since late 2022.