The Future of Grocery Retail: AI, Smart Stores, Scan & Go

What’s next for grocery retail? This episode of Retail Disrupted breaks down what’s coming in the aisles, apps, and warehouses.

Natalie Berg welcomes Mark Thomson (Director, Retail & Hospitality Strategy EMEA, Zebra Technologies). He brings clarity to the tech reshaping the sector - from smart grocery stores to supermarket automation and the online shopping boom.

This conversation is packed with insight into grocery retail trends for 2026 and beyond, grocery eCommerce growth, and where digital transformation in grocery starts and ends.

They cover:
02:15 The current landscape: scan-and-go, self-checkout, and where adoption is headed
07:00 What’s next for scan-and-go - checkout or curated promos?
12:40 Pushing hyper-personalization in real time
18:30 The rise of retail media and how it’s becoming ultra-targeted
24:20 AI’s chance to rewrite grocery - recipe help, personal shopping bots, and smarter aisles
29:50 Online grocery’s uphill growth, and how dark stores might make a comeback
36:10 What all this means for the future of supermarkets and grocery retail technology

If you're tracking supermarket innovation, online grocery shopping future, or broader retail automation in grocery, this episode delivers the road map. You can download the full report here: https://mktg.zebra.com/grocery

More about Zebra:
From seamless transactions and inventory visibility to personalised experiences and engaged associates, Zebra provides solutions that empower retailers to thrive. With connected systems and data-driven decisions, retailers are prepared to overcome challenges, delight shoppers, and drive sustainable growth. For more: https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/industry/

More about Mark:
Industry speaker and technology evangelist. Mark works with retailers to provide input on how to face the challenge of a new digital landscape with a particular focus on the broad Zebra technologies portfolio from mobile devices to workforce productivity and inventory visibility solutions.
For more on the podcast, visit https://retaildisrupted.com/

#futureofretail #groceryretail #SupermarketInnovation #retailtechnology #GroceryTrends #smartretail #GroceryEcommerce #RetailFuture #GroceryInnovation #supermarkets #podcast #podcastenglish #2025 #retaildisrupted