Curated Retail Industry Reports for Decision‑Makers in Retail

Compiled by Kenneth Røsseth-Sørensen, CEO, Retail Insight AS

Below is a collection of high-quality, freely available industry reports and whitepapers relevant to retail leaders. Each resource is from a credible source and covers key topics like workforce productivity, AI adoption, retail operations, consumer trends, or financial performance. All reports are available as free downloads or public links.

Amid Uncertainty, AI Gives Retailers a Path to Resilience (2023)

Publisher/Source: Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in partnership with World Retail Congress (WRC)

Date: April 25, 2023

Key Topics: Results of a survey of 550 retail executives identifying top 2023 concerns—rising costs, declining consumer spending, and supply chain volatility—and highlighting a major gap in long-term planning. Only 13% of retail leaders are investing in AI-powered solutions to address these challenges, with most defaulting to short-term fixes like price hikesbcg.combcg.com. The report details how AI and advanced analytics can bolster resilience by optimizing pricing, personalizing customer experiences, and improving supply chain agilitybcg.combcg.com.

Why It’s Relevant: This report underscores a critical opportunity for retailers to embrace AI for sustainable gains. Retail Insight’s audience can learn where industry peers see risks (e.g. inflation, weak demand, logistic disruptions) and how AI-driven strategies can convert these into growth and efficiency improvements. It validates the urgency of investing in analytics and AI — a core focus area for many retail solution providers — to build long-term productivity and resilience in retail operationsbcg.combcg.com.

Direct Link: Download the BCG/WRC report (PDF) bcg.combcg.com

Deloitte Global Retail Outlook 2024: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities (2023)

Publisher/Source: Deloitte (Global)

Date: 2023 (Outlook for 2024)

Key Topics: A globally scoped survey of 200 retail executives detailing the industry’s outlook for 2024. Despite economic headwinds, retail leaders remain cautiously optimistic, largely thanks to technology. The study notes that “technology like artificial intelligence (AI) is fueling optimism for growth in 2024, even amidst inflation, labor shortages, and global tensions.”deloitte.com It assesses the overall health of the retail sector (revenue and margin expectations) and dives into three systemic challenges (e.g. climate sustainability pressures, worker shortages, and supply chain stress) and three opportunities (such as rising health & wellness demand, personalization through technology, and unlocking the power of AI) that will shape retail in the coming yeardeloitte.com.

Why It’s Relevant: This outlook offers a high-level strategic roadmap for retail business planning. Retail Insight’s target audience can benchmark their expectations against peers on financial performance and identify priority areas for investment. For instance, the emphasis on generative AI as a driver of productivity and better customer experience aligns with solutions that improve operations. Additionally, the focus on labor shortages and supply chain challenges speaks directly to productivity improvements and operational efficiencies, key pain points that Retail Insight’s offerings may address.

Direct Link: Download Deloitte Global Retail Outlook 2024 deloitte.comdeloitte.com

Deloitte “Global Powers of Retailing 2023” (2023)

Publisher/Source: Deloitte (Global)

Date: 2023 (analysis of FY2021 data)

Key Topics: Annual report ranking the world’s 250 largest retailers and analyzing their financial performance and strategic initiatives. The 2023 edition found the top 250 retailers achieved 8.5% year-on-year revenue growth, up from 5.2% the previous yeardeloitte.com. The apparel and accessories sector led with 31.3% sales growth, and the average net profit margin for the top 250 was 4.3%deloitte.com. The report also highlights how major retailers are investing in digital capabilities (e.g. e-commerce, omnichannel tech) and sustainability: 73% of consumer-industry CEOs increased sustainability investments in the past yeardeloitte.com. It examines fastest-growing retailers, new entrants, and the “future of the store,” as well as regional performance differencesdeloitte.comdeloitte.com.

Why It’s Relevant: This report provides a benchmark of retail industry performance and trends among the world’s biggest players. For a CEO or CFO, the growth figures and profit margins offer context for setting performance targets. Moreover, the emphasis on digital transformation and sustainability shows where leading retailers are allocating resources – insights that can guide strategic priorities. Retail Insight can leverage these findings to emphasize solutions that drive growth (like analytics for revenue optimization) or improve margins (operational efficiencies) in line with what top retailers pursue.

Direct Link: Download Global Powers of Retailing 2023 deloitte.comdeloitte.com

How Retailers Can Build and Retain a Strong Frontline Workforce in 2024 (2024)

Publisher/Source: McKinsey & Company (Retail Insights)

Date: July 17, 2024

Key Topics: An in-depth workforce analysis focused on U.S. frontline retail employees and store operations. McKinsey reports that even in 2024, the retail sector faces a talent crunch: as of mid-2024 there were ~2.5 million more retail job vacancies than job seekersmckinsey.com. Attrition remains high – a 2023 survey showed 44% of frontline retail workers were considering leaving their jobs within 3–6 months, and critically, 72% of workers who quit retail in the past three years left the industry entirelymckinsey.com. The study identifies top drivers of turnover: a lack of career development opportunities (now the #1 reason) and uncompetitive wages, followed by unsatisfactory leadership and flexibility issuesmckinsey.commckinsey.com. It also links employee engagement to performance, noting that improving frontline experience has measurable impact on customer satisfaction and financial resultsmckinsey.com. The report suggests strategies like better career paths, upskilling, and empowering store managers to reduce attrition.

Why It’s Relevant: Workforce productivity and stability are central to retail success – and a key concern for retail COOs and HR leaders. This report provides hard data on the labor challenges (labor shortages, high quit rates) and pinpoints what employees value, which can inform retention strategies. For Retail Insight, these findings underline the importance of solutions that improve employee experience, training, and efficiency. Decision-makers can use these insights to justify investments in people analytics, workforce management tools, or career development programs that ultimately boost productivity and reduce costly turnovermckinsey.commckinsey.com.

Direct Link: Available online: Read the McKinsey article mckinsey.commckinsey.com

IBM 2024 Consumer Study – Revolutionize Retail with AI Everywhere (2024)

Publisher/Source: IBM Institute for Business Value (in collaboration with National Retail Federation)

Date: 2024

Key Topics: A large-scale consumer survey (20,000 shoppers across 26 countries) revealing how consumer behaviors and expectations are evolving in the digital/AI era. The report finds significant friction in today’s shopping experiences: only 9% of consumers are fully satisfied with in-store shopping (and just 14% for e-commerce)ibm.com. Consumers are eager for technology to improve this – 59% want to use AI-powered applications (like chatbots, voice assistants, AR/VR) as they shopibm.com. In fact, among consumers who haven’t used AI in shopping yet, the vast majority are interested in AI helping them research products (86% open to it), find deals (79%), get customer service (82%), and moreibm.com. The study also highlights rising demand for sustainability and trust: 78% say a brand’s sustainability is important when choosing where to buy, and 73% of sustainability-conscious consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly productsibm.com. It outlines three “growth imperatives” for retail in the AI era: delivering seamless omnichannel experiences, proving commitment to sustainability, and enabling real-time operations (e.g. real-time inventory, supply chain visibility) to meet consumer expectationsibm.comibm.com.

Why It’s Relevant: This IBM/NRTF study offers a window into the modern consumer’s mind, quantifying the gap between shopper expectations and what retailers deliver today. Retail executives will find actionable insights on where to improve customer experience – for instance, by deploying AI for personalization or faster service, which can drive higher basket sizes and loyaltybcg.comibm.com. The emphasis on real-time inventory and fulfillment speaks to retail operations leaders aiming to integrate data and AI for efficiency. Additionally, the sustainability findings inform strategic positioning for brand leadership. For Retail Insight, such data strengthens the case for AI-driven solutions and omnichannel strategies that address these consumer pain points directly.

Direct Link: Download IBM “AI in Retail” Consumer Study ibm.comibm.com

NRF/Foursquare – A Snapshot of Consumer Shopping Habits in 2023 (2023)

Publisher/Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) and Foursquare (research partner)

Date: June 6, 2023

Key Topics: A joint research report combining survey insights with location analytics to understand post-pandemic consumer behavior and omnichannel shopping patterns. It examines how consumers have adapted in recent years – balancing health concerns, inflation, and convenience – and what they actually do (via foot traffic data) versus what they say. In particular, the study explores the continued high demand for shopping convenience options such as “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store” (BOPIS) and other hybrid fulfillment modelsnrf.com. It also looks at consumer responses to economic pressures (like how higher prices or shipping delays are influencing store vs. online choices) and the degree to which new habits formed during COVID (e.g. curbside pickup, local shopping) have persisted. (Specific data points are provided in the full report, such as the prevalence of BOPIS usage and shifts in store visitation patterns by region or demographic.)

Why It’s Relevant: For retail strategists, this snapshot provides ground-level insight into shopper trends that can drive tactical decisions. Understanding that convenience and flexibility (e.g. BOPIS, omnichannel fulfillment) remain vital helps operations leaders prioritize those services. It also validates investment in a seamless online-to-offline experience, which is an area Retail Insight could support. Additionally, by highlighting how consumers actually behave (via Foursquare’s location data) versus stated preferences, it arms CEOs/CMOs with a realistic view of customer engagement. In sum, this report’s findings about consumer adaptability and preferences can guide retailers in refining their customer experience and store strategies in the current economic context.

Direct Link: Download “Consumer Shopping Habits 2023” (NRF) nrf.com

The Future of Retail: Six Disruptions That Could Shape the Next Decade (2025)

Publisher/Source: Bain & Company

Date: June 5, 2025

Key Topics: A forward-looking “provocation” report that challenges retail executives to think about transformative changes coming by 2030. Bain outlines six disruptive scenarios that could redefine retail’s landscape, urging companies to prepare. These include the possibility that “algorithms and robots will run your business” (extreme automation commoditizing core retail operations), that AI-powered shopping agents erode customer loyalty, a fundamental redefinition of customer value, grocery retailers transforming into consumer product manufacturers, a significant contraction of physical store networks, and a wave of cross-border M&A as retailers hunt for scalebain.com. The report backs up these visions with data — for example, showing that retailers are already diversifying revenue streams: so-called “beyond trade” activities (like retail media, marketplaces, financial services) accounted for 15% of sales and 25% of profit in 2024, up from 10% in 2021bain.com. It also notes how rapidly evolving tech (AI, automation) is enabling these shifts, giving retailers tools to reinvent cost structures and customer experiencebain.com.

Why It’s Relevant: This Bain study is like a strategic risk radar for CEOs and boards. By exploring “what if” disruptions, it helps decision-makers stress-test their long-term strategies. Retail Insight’s audience can use these insights to ensure they are not caught off guard by trends like AI automation or the need to find new profit pools. For instance, if AI shopping assistants might intermediaries the customer relationship, retailers must double down on loyalty and data strategies. If store footprints shrink, operations leaders need to maximize productivity and experience in remaining stores. The report’s findings can inspire proactive innovation – exactly the kind of forward-thinking Retail Insight would encourage when positioning its own products and services for future readiness.

Direct Link: Read Bain’s “Future of Retail: Six Disruptions” bain.combain.com

Retail Reinvented: Unleashing the Power of Generative AI (2023)

Publisher/Source: Accenture

Date: 2023

Key Topics: A comprehensive whitepaper focused on Generative AI in the retail industry. Accenture shares findings from its research with retail executives, revealing an almost unanimous drive to invest in AI. An overwhelming 93% of retail CEOs/CxOs plan to scale up investments in AI (including generative AI) over the next 3–5 yearsaccenture.com. Moreover, 72% of retailers say they plan to use generative AI to fundamentally reinvent how they operateaccenture.com – indicating that leaders see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for reimagining processes from supply chain to customer service. The report discusses the barriers to this vision as well: about one-third of retail execs worry about a skills gap in AI (31% cite lack of AI-skilled talent) and 36% fear low adoption by workers due to limited understandingaccenture.com. It provides strategic guidance on overcoming these hurdles, and outlines use cases across how consumers shop (e.g. AI-driven personalization), how people work (AI augmenting employees), and how businesses operate (AI optimizing operations).

Why It’s Relevant: As retailers consider next-generation technology, this report serves as both a reality check and a playbook. The high percentage of executives gearing up for generative AI suggests that the industry is at a tipping point; Retail Insight’s audience would be keen to know that their peers are heavily backing AI to drive productivity and innovation. The whitepaper’s emphasis on the need for a clear strategy and upskilling employees aligns with concerns about workforce readiness for AI – reinforcing that successful transformation is as much about people as technology. By including this resource, Retail Insight can underscore the message that leveraging AI (especially generative AI) is an imminent priority for staying competitive, and provide practical insight into managing that transformation (which dovetails with services or solutions that Retail Insight might offer to facilitate AI integration).

Direct Link: Download Accenture’s Generative AI in Retail Report accenture.comaccenture.com

Each of these reports offers valuable knowledge for retail industry leaders looking to boost performance, innovate with technology, and stay ahead of market trends. The insights from these publications not only validate the challenges retailers face but also highlight forward-thinking solutions – from AI and analytics to new operational models – this align closely with Retail Insight’s mission of driving smarter retail operations.

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Report made available by Kenneth Røsseth-Sørensen, CEO, Retail Insight