5 In-Store Trends that Dominated Retail in 2025
P2PI recently wrapped up its 2025 Retail Intel Webinar series (sponsored by Great Northern Instore) with the topic of "Retail Roundup." For this session, we had three great panelists: Elizabeth Perryman from Albertsons Media Collective, Enrick Garcia from Nutrabolt and DeeDee McCoy from Chomps.
There was insightful discussion about the challenges and wins achieved in the past year, what made success possible, and a look at the trends that will be informative as we launch into 2026.
In a similar vein, I'm going to highlight some of the trends Great Northern observed throughout 2025 in physical stores.
1. Unwavering Focus on Value
Consumer sentiment remained subdued throughout 2025, reinforcing a strong emphasis on value. In October, the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index plunged to a five‑month low of 53.6, well below the 2024 average range 70–77, highlighting continued economic caution and elevated inflation concerns.
Rising prices remained a top concern for consumers, prompting retailers and brands to elevate price messaging, spotlight deals and reinforce value propositions.
Winning activations this year made it crystal clear: "More value for your dollar."
2. Seasonal Programs Press Start Early & Run Long
Traditional holiday timeframes have continued to shift. Back-to-school sets moved into the final week of June, Halloween candy appeared at grocers in mid‑July, and holiday decor began to fill aisles as early as late September.
NRF research shows 42% of shoppers began browsing for holiday before November, even as 60% still planned last-minute buys into December. These elongated shopping windows allow consumers to spread spending, capture deals and manage budgets, either early on or on clearance.
We all need to start planning even earlier to develop these successful wins.
3. Experience Is Essential
Despite economic headwinds, consumers still crave in-store experiences. During a tour of beauty retailers in Manhattan, flagship stores such as Glossier prioritized interactive demo tables and sampling, a tactic gaining traction in mass retail.
At Target, Dossier fragrances were brought to life with dedicated temporary endcaps that included testers, creating a scent discovery zone for their guest.
These experiential touchpoints bridge the gap between online imagery with real-world engagement, enhancing the brand story as well as sales.
4. Cross-Category Experience Elevation
We have been used to Walmart's and Target's elevated personal care endcaps, which have great design and informative messaging. We have seen this experience cross over into the pet category.
In Petco this fall, endcaps with "perfect placement" PDQ trays for grooming supplies featured bold headers, vertical info panels and products neatly arranged for easy shopping.
This example reflects the rising expectations for all categories and across store channels.
5. Digital Features Enhance Shopper Confidence
Online-native features such as rating stars, consumer reviews and QR codes increasingly appeared on in-store displays. Good QR code activations linked shoppers to meaningful content: AR demos, loyalty rewards and product-in-use videos. Strong content empowers shoppers with information and proof exactly where they need it: at the shelf.
Final Thoughts
2025's retail landscape may be defined by the pressure of economic strain, but consumers remained experience hungry. Retailers and brands that effectively communicate value, capitalize on longer seasonal windows and deliver engaging in-store experiences won.
Adding some smart, digital-first features like reviews and QR connected content will further future-proof their appeal.
About the Author: Dan Sabanosh is director of shopper marketing for Great Northern Instore, a leading designer and manufacturer of merchandising solutions, where he helps clients be more insightful when developing their retail programs. Before joining Great Northern, Sabanosh worked for Colgate-Palmolive in both shopper marketing and brand management roles.
