Two Decades of Tracking Change

Earlier this year, we released the 20^th edition of Retail Innovations. Neil Stern, CEO of Good Food Holdings, Partner Emeritus at McMillanDoolittle, and former Chairman of the Ebeltoft Group reflects on the changes we’ve seen in the industry. Download your own copy of Retail Innovations here and reach out to schedule a personalized presentation with our team.

20 years. 700+ cases. 35 countries.

For over two decades, the Ebeltoft Group has been a trusted authority on Retail Innovation. This signature publication captures the essence of an industry defined by constant evolution, driven by consumer demands, fierce competition, and unpredictable global forces. Over the past 20 years, we’ve witnessed:

• The Great Recession (2008–2010) with its far-reaching global impact.
• A global pandemic that continues to redefine shopping behaviors.
• The meteoric rise of e-commerce — from 2% of retail sales when we published our first edition to 16% today and still growing at double digits
• Countless shifts within local economies, all influencing retail landscapes.

Retail has certainly been reflective of the broader world around it, and our tracking of innovation creates a wonderful compendium of ideas that showcase change. While many of the concepts that we featured no longer exist or have evolved into something new, the themes that emerge become the more powerful and enduring markers.

Key insights from two decades:

• Commerce Redefined: The consumer demands seamless interaction across physical and digital spaces. Retail is still evolving toward a unified, frictionless experience. Twenty years of tracking this shows we are still on the path to delivering on this fundamental retail tenet—give the customer what they want.
• Physical retail’s transformation: Stores have shifted from transaction hubs to spaces for discovery, entertainment, education, inspiration, and community, offering deeper consumer connections. While the basics of delivering value, convenience and selection haven’t changed, stores must offer more than that to compete.
• Technology as a tool, not the goal: While tech-driven innovations like automated stores and robots generate excitement (and we love to cover them in Retail Innovations), they often fail without consumer-centric benefits. Of the 100 or so concepts that we covered that no longer exist, the over-reliance on technology was a common reason for their demise. The most successful concepts use technology to enhance—not replace—human experiences.

Lessons from enduring success:

The most featured companies—IKEA (a remarkable 12 times), Walmart (6), Amazon (5), and Zara (3)—aren’t always the flashiest but excel through exceptional execution, cultural alignment, and consistent delivery of value.

Looking ahead:

Retail’s next 20 years promise even greater transformation as e-commerce, globalization, and technological advancements redefine consumer expectations. McMillanDoolittle and the Ebeltoft Group will continue to chronicle these changes with its unparalleled global and local insights. Retail Innovation is a journey—and we’re just getting started.