As we navigate through 2025, shopping habits continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace. From innovative technologies to changing consumer values, the retail landscape is transforming in fascinating ways. The Effepi shopping trends report highlights significant shifts that retailers and consumers alike need to understand to stay ahead of the curve. Let’s dive into the current retail crazes captivating shoppers and explore how businesses are elevating the customer experience in response.
Current retail crazes captivating consumers
Today’s shoppers are more sophisticated, selective, and socially conscious than ever before. The retail market is witnessing a significant evolution, with certain products and shopping models gaining exceptional popularity among consumers across different generations.
Sustainable and eco-friendly products taking centre stage
Sustainability has moved from being a niche concern to a mainstream driver of purchasing decisions. Modern consumers, particularly Millennials, are demonstrating a strong preference for brands that prioritise environmental responsibility. Research indicates that 47% of Millennials actively seek out and support sustainable brands, while 58% of consumers overall would pay a premium for eco-friendly products. This shift has prompted retailers to rethink their product offerings and supply chains.
The recommerce movement, where pre-owned items are resold, is gaining tremendous momentum as part of this sustainability trend. Luxury retailers like Selfridges have embraced this shift, setting ambitious targets to derive 50% of their sales from resale and rental services by 2030. This circular approach to consumption not only appeals to environmentally conscious shoppers but also makes luxury more accessible to younger generations who might otherwise be priced out of the market.
Tech-integrated shopping solutions gaining momentum
Technology is revolutionising how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. Augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a particularly impactful technology, with studies suggesting it can boost sales by approximately 30%. About 71% of shoppers indicate they’re more likely to make purchases when AR applications are available to help them visualise products in their own environments.
Artificial intelligence is similarly transforming the retail landscape, with over 70% of brands acknowledging AI’s crucial role in delivering personalised shopping experiences. Gen Z consumers are especially receptive to these technological innovations, with 56% believing AI will positively impact their shopping journeys. From personalised recommendations to virtual try-on experiences, these technologies are making shopping more intuitive and engaging.
The rise of phygital retail—the seamless blending of physical and digital shopping experiences—represents another significant trend. With 95% of consumers reviewing products online before making purchases, retailers are creating hybrid environments that cater to this behaviour. Click-and-collect services, digital in-store advisors, and interactive displays are becoming standard features of the modern retail landscape.
Elevating the Retail Experience for Modern Shoppers
Beyond product offerings, retailers are focusing intensely on how consumers experience their brands. The shopping journey itself has become as important as the products being sold, with businesses exploring innovative ways to create memorable, frictionless experiences.
Personalisation strategies that create memorable shopping journeys
Personalisation has evolved from a nice-to-have feature to an essential component of retail strategy. Today’s consumers expect retailers to understand their preferences, anticipate their needs, and deliver tailored experiences. The four emerging consumer profiles—Regulators, Connectors, Memory Makers, and New Sensorialists—each demand different approaches to personalisation.
AI-powered recommendation systems are helping retailers deliver this level of personalisation at scale. By analysing browsing history, purchase patterns, and even social media activity, these systems can suggest products that align with individual preferences. The effectiveness of this approach is reflected in the fact that Gen Z and Millennials are particularly responsive to personalised recommendations, with many discovering new brands through these curated suggestions.
Creator commerce and social shopping represent another dimension of personalisation. By leveraging influencers and user-generated content, retailers are creating more authentic, relatable shopping experiences. With the creator economy projected to reach $480 billion by 2027 according to Goldman Sachs, this approach is becoming increasingly central to retail strategy, especially for reaching younger demographics.
Seamless Integration of Online and Offline Shopping Environments
The division between online and offline shopping is increasingly blurred, with consumers expecting consistent, complementary experiences across all channels. Current data shows shopping is split approximately 59% online and 41% in-store, but this doesn’t tell the full story of how these channels interact and enhance each other.
Concept stores represent an innovative approach to this integration, offering immersive brand experiences through interactive displays, exclusive events, and personalised services. These spaces function less as traditional points of sale and more as brand embassies, where consumers can engage with products in multisensory ways. Point Concept Stores, for example, use interactive elements and gamification to create emotional connections with visitors.
Live shopping events, which combine real-time product presentations with direct sales opportunities, are gaining popularity on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Major retailers like IKEA have embraced this approach in countries such as Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Switzerland. These events create a sense of community and exclusivity while providing the convenience of online shopping.
The metaverse represents perhaps the most futuristic integration of shopping environments, offering fully virtual stores where customers can experience products in three dimensions. While still emerging, this technology has the potential to remove physical limitations entirely, allowing for shopping experiences limited only by imagination.
As we look toward the future of retail, it’s clear that success will depend on brands’ ability to balance innovation with authenticity, convenience with connection, and personalisation with privacy. Those who can navigate these tensions while remaining responsive to rapidly changing consumer expectations will be well-positioned to thrive in the evolving retail landscape of 2025 and beyond.