Insights: Asia Pacific leads global retail transformation with omnichannel innovation and Gen Z influence
Asia Pacific (Press Release) -- The Asia Pacific region is setting the pace for global retail growth and innovation, according to a new report from Colliers. The Global Retail: 2025 Trends & 2026 Outlook Report has found that despite geopolitical uncertainty and tariff risks, the Asia Pacific region remains the global pacesetter for omnichannel, social commerce and tech-enabled retail, with Gen Z and a rapidly expanding middle class driving both e-commerce and in-store spending.
Omnichannel leadership: In APAC, store and online sales are rising rapidly, with online sales nearly doubling that of physical retail. Mobile-first shopping behaviours and younger consumers have accelerated e-commerce adoption while brick-and-mortar continues to expand. APAC leads globally in integrating digital and physical retail, with store-based sales projected to grow 20.4% and non-store sales 43.4% by 2028.
- Gen Z influence: With 47% of the global Gen Z population, APAC drives mobile-first, social commerce and influencer-led retail.
- Social commerce boom: TikTok Shop is thriving, especially in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
- Middle-class expansion: More than 332 million new middle-class households added in the past decade, with 352 million more expected by 2034.
Further information is contained in the press release.
The report, which offers a comprehensive view of how retail markets across the world are adapting to a new era of transformation, found Asia Pacific was leading the way with 5% real retail spending growth, while Europe, the US and Canada show more modest gains of 2–3%.
"Asia Pacific is not just leading in growth – it's redefining the future of retail," Lachlan MacGillivray, Colliers' Managing Director, Asia Pacific Retail Capital Markets, said. "Retailers here are embracing technology and social platforms to engage a new generation of consumers."
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