retail industry

The central banks of Hong Kong and Indonesia are deepening cooperation on cross-border QR code payments, aiming to make retail payments between the two economies faster and more interconnected. The move fits a broader regional push, led by Southeast Asian regulators, to link national payment systems and reduce reliance on traditional correspondent banking channels for everyday transactions.

Major fast-fashion retailers, including Uniqlo and Zara, are launching clothes-mending and repair offerings aimed at Gen Z shoppers. The brands are betting that repair services appeal to younger consumers' interest in sustainability and making garments last longer, while building loyalty in a competitive retail market.

UBS analysts published research arguing that AI shopping agents could significantly reshape hardline, broadline and food retail. The report examines how automated assistants that search, compare and purchase on behalf of consumers may alter how customers find products, shift pricing power and change the role of retailers' websites and brands in the buying process.

Walmart's chief executive has ruled out using personalised pricing, saying the retail giant will not charge different customers different prices for the same products even as artificial intelligence reshapes how retailers set and manage prices. The statement, reported by the Financial Times, comes as AI tools raise questions across the retail industry about data-driven pricing practices and consumer fairness.

Zalando's Partner Day event centered on artificial intelligence in online fashion, examining both the opportunities and the limits of the technology for e-commerce. Discussions reportedly covered what AI can and cannot do for the fashion retail business, drawing attention from industry watchers tracking how major European platforms adopt AI tools.

Walmart has launched a pilot health program for customers, with details about what services it includes drawing attention in early coverage. The retailer has been expanding into healthcare in recent years, and the new initiative is being reported as another step in that strategy. Early reports focus on what the program offers and which customers it is meant to serve, though full details remain limited while the pilot is underway.

Retailers are increasingly turning to AI-powered shelf technology, with Modern Retail reporting on the growing adoption of automated shelf monitoring and inventory systems. The trend points to bricks-and-mortar stores using sensors and computer vision to track stock levels, pricing and product placement in real time, as chains look to cut waste and compete with the efficiency of e-commerce operations.

Retailers are being drawn into a rapid and turbulent shift toward humanoid robots, with the technology moving from experiment to storefront operations. Industry commentary points to a bumpy transition as stores weigh automation of stocking, customer service and warehouse work against high costs, immature hardware and uncertain returns.

Demna, creative director of Gucci, is being discussed for a new retail concept described as a parallel Gucci universe, with industry commentary questioning whether this immersive store approach could represent the future of luxury retail. The idea has drawn attention from fashion and design media, including ELLE Decor, as observers weigh its potential to reshape how luxury brands present themselves in physical spaces.