AGP Executive Report

Payments Upgrade: Walmart will start accepting Apple Pay and Google Pay via Tap to Pay at select stores and Sam’s Club from Aug. 24, aiming for full rollout by year-end and later expansion to fuel stations. Retail Demand Watch: Canada’s retail sales rose 0.6% in June to C$74.3B, but an advance estimate points to a 0.8% drop in July—fuel and grocery were key drags. Consumer Safety: The FDA upgraded a recall of nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs to Class I over Salmonella risk, with specific egg codes and dates flagged for shoppers. Off-Price Momentum: Ross Stores jumped after a blowout Q2, with comparable sales up 10% and strong earnings, while the broader retail tape showed more mixed signals. Automation in Foodservice: California Pizza Kitchen plans up to 1,000 automated kiosk machines with T-ROC Global over three years, targeting high-traffic locations where full restaurants don’t fit. Digital Commerce Payments: Russia’s Wildberries and Ozon plan to add digital ruble payments starting Sept. 1 as CBDC rules roll forward. Retail Real Estate & Community: Fairbanks’ Polaris Commons proposal would bring mixed affordable housing plus ground-floor retail and community space to the Lacey Street site. Retail Tech for Quality: Medical Care Technologies’ StrainScan Pro positions AI vision as a portable enterprise standard for multi-location retail and agriculture.

Retail Cybersecurity: A new warning says AI rollouts without matching security spend can turn AI into a liability, since data, cloud, APIs and connected services expand the attack surface. China Market Exit: Fidelity International is reportedly planning to exit its wholly owned China fund unit, citing competition, leadership churn and scale struggles—another sign of pressure on foreign retail finance. India Consumer Lending: PNB is extending a P1bn secured credit facility to BillEase using the PPSR, giving the bank first-rank claims over loan receivables—fuel for more retail credit. Gold Loan Push: Aditya Birla Capital’s NBFC enters gold loans, targeting up to 1,000 branches in three years as secured lending demand rises. Walmart Pressure: Walmart shares slid after a rare comparable sales miss, with fuel costs squeezing shoppers and prompting price cuts on 11,000 items. Plant-Based Value: Dutch supermarkets show plant-based baskets up to 30% cheaper than meat and dairy, driven by targeted pricing and private labels. Retail Theft Crackdown: Burbank police arrested 17 people in a “Summer Blitz” targeting organized retail theft with retailers including Walmart, Target and Nordstrom Rack. Fashion Expansion: Musinsa plans its first Vietnam store rollout, using local partners to grow offline presence across major cities. Convenience Retail Tech: Analysts argue convenience stores face a make-or-break moment where data infrastructure and AI decide winners and losers.

Retail Policy & Pricing: The FTC proposed rules for personalized pricing disclosures, warning firms to clearly explain when individualized prices surprise shoppers and what data drives them. Big-Box & Value: Walmart says it’s using $2.9B in tariff refunds to push lower prices, even as it reported the slowest U.S. same-store sales growth since 2020. Retail Media & Growth: BPMS launched Bloom, a marketplace growth accelerator bundling marketplace ops, retail media, creative, analytics, and off-platform demand for brands. Store Footprint Shifts: Nike is closing 14+ neighborhood concept stores across 13 states as it streamlines its physical retail footprint. Beauty Retail Expansion: THOME brings its ultrasound skincare devices to Sephora in 580+ stores. Consumer Sentiment: The BRC-Opinium tracker shows UK consumer expectations and retail spending improving, though the cost-of-living squeeze remains a concern. New Openings & Local Retail: Knoops opens its first U.S. store in Salt Lake City, kicking off a planned national rollout. Real Estate & Retail Development: East Lothian Council approved a Dunbar-area retail expansion with stores including Lidl, B&M, and M&S Food, with conditions tied to town-centre promotion. Security & Payments Risk: Researchers unveiled a “Zombie Card” attack that can revive expired Visa contactless cards in-store under certain conditions.

Food Prices Watch: The Philippines’ PSA says early-August rice prices rose to P49.61/kg (regular milled) and cooking oil jumped to P200.04/l, with El Niño-linked risks to the coming palay harvest adding pressure. Retail Earnings & Demand: Australia’s Super Retail Group reported $4.2bn sales (+3.2%) and $774m operating profit (+2.1%), with Rebel Sport still growing as fitness spend holds up despite rates and a Middle East fuel crisis. Big-Box Health Offer: Costco is partnering with SCAN to roll out jointly branded Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans in select states, aiming to make benefits easier for seniors. Retail Real Estate Shake-Up: A $1bn-plus privately held Australian retail portfolio is hitting the market, including Spencer Outlet Centre and Market City, with a September EOI campaign. Security & Theft Policy: West Hollywood approved new self-checkout rules that require staffing standards to curb retail theft. Brand & Product Moves: 7-Eleven expands its private-label beverage push with a new 7-Select Soda line, while MILKLAB launches Lactose Free into Woolworths. Governance Update: Dusk Group lodged an updated corporate governance statement with the ASX, focusing on oversight and accountability.

Fuel Prices & Cost Pressure: Malaysia’s MOF says unsubsidised RON97, RON95 and diesel retail prices will rise 10–20 sen per litre for Aug 20–26, citing global crude supply disruption tied to Strait of Hormuz restrictions, while subsidised grades stay unchanged. Back-to-School Spending: U.S. back-to-college spend is forecast to top $100B, but families are tightening budgets—Deloitte data shows upper-income households planning to spend less as housing and food costs outpace tuition. Cannabis Policy With Retail Impact: The DEA is pushing to move marijuana to Schedule III, a shift that could change federal tax treatment for Michigan and Ohio cannabis businesses; Connecticut meanwhile reports a 67% jump in cannabis tax revenue ahead of a THC-based tax switch starting Oct 1. Retail Tech in Stores: Just Eat UK adds on-demand laundry and dry cleaning via Laundryheap; ExperienceMINT rolls out an AI-assisted retail experience for NECOA in seven Texas stores. Loss Prevention & Shrink: Iceland says AI-backed store alerts cut false alarms by nearly half and improved staff response, aiming to protect margins. Retail Finance & Payments: Kroger expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Cards nationwide, while Home Depot launches an in-house express delivery fleet for faster fulfillment. Regulation Watch: SEBI plans an overhaul of SME listing rules, targeting issues around trading, market making, underwriting and migration.

Retail Earnings Pressure: Australia’s Temple & Webster says profit fell 62% to A$4.3m in 2025/26 even as revenue hit a record A$665m, and warns new-year trading is sluggish with revenue down 13% as cost-of-living and housing drag spend. Sportswear & Omnichannel: Hong Kong-listed 361° reports 1H 2026 profit up 8% to RMB925.9m on 8% revenue growth to RMB6,159.8m, expanding its “Super Premium” stores and rolling out instant retail across six online channels via JD Instant Delivery. Luxury Demand Signal: Ralph Lauren highlights a “brand elevation flywheel” with growth tied to higher unit retail, direct-to-consumer momentum and Asia strength. Consumer Safety Alert: Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream recalls select Outshine 6-count frozen fruit bars nationwide due to possible glass contamination, urging shoppers to check UPCs and batch codes. Retail Tech & Privacy: Coles and Woolworths are testing facial recognition as retail crime debate heats up, with regulators and past rulings shaping how retailers frame lawful use. Payments & Retail Convenience: Hong Kong’s yuan Faster Payment System hits a six-month high as cross-border real-time transfers increasingly show up in everyday retail-related payments. Legal/Customer Rights: Amazon reinstates binding arbitration and class-action waivers in its Conditions of Use, tightening how shoppers can challenge disputes. Packaging Outlook: Smithers forecasts rigid plastic packaging growing to $262.7bn by 2030, driven by recycling upgrades and tech integration.

Retail Finance Policy: Bangladesh Bank set a 10% Sukuk quota for individual investors, splitting the rest between Shariah institutions (50%), Islamic branches/windows (30%), and conventional channels (10%). New Drinks in Grocery Aisles: Starbucks rolls out two permanent UK supermarket RTD drinks—Matcha Latte and Strawberry Matcha Latte—priced around £2. Wireless Retail Push: Fizz expands in-store via EB Games Canada, launching an exclusive starter pack at 140 locations. Zimbabwe Retail Update: Formal retailers keep investing (TM Pick n Pay, SPAR, Bhola) even as informal competition squeezes prices and footfall. Food Supply Chain Partnership: Love British Food teams up with Red Tractor to back British sourcing across retail, foodservice, and public sectors. Store Openings & Expansions: Home Bargains gets planning approval to upsize at Blackwood Gate Retail Park; Aldi confirms a new Rayleigh Weir store opening Sept 17. Back-to-School Delivery: DoorDash adds Barnes & Noble, Carter’s, and Kohl’s, plus Gap and Gap Factory, to its fast delivery marketplace. Discount Retail Turmoil: Poundland could be back up for sale after Gordon Brothers bought it for €1 last year. Retail Tech & Operations: An AI system using Anthropic’s Claude dismissed a San Francisco retail worker after repeated lateness, raising new questions about AI-managed staffing. Retail Market Backdrop: US retail sales weakness and higher oil/diesel prices keep markets in a “sea of red,” with Home Depot’s earnings offering limited relief.

Retail Earnings Watch: Coles heads into results with sales momentum building, while Woolworths shares hit a fresh multi-year high ahead of its closely watched update. Retail Tech & Crime Response: Coles and Woolworths are testing facial recognition to tackle store crime, as retailers push for safer shopping. AI in Retail: KT teams with Nonghyup Agribusiness Group and Microsoft Korea to expand retail AI for personalized recommendations, agentic customer service, and smarter marketing. Consumer Goods & Product Safety: Henkel recalls 25 lots of Schwarzkopf Osis Grip Extra Strong Mousse after reports of pressurized cans that could leak or burst. Payments & Returns: India expands beyond pilots with state-level Deposit Return Systems testing new models for beverage containers. Local Retail Growth: Hawaiʻi’s DBEDT will sponsor the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival’s pavilion with 28 local businesses showcasing products to reach new buyers. Market Backdrop: US stocks drift lower as oil and Treasury yields rise, with retail results and consumer spending in focus. Retail Real Estate: A Granville service-station and commercial site lands on the market after 40+ years, anchored by a Budget Petrol station.

Retail Earnings Watch: U.S. markets opened lower as weak July retail sales data (down 0.6% month-over-month) pushed back expectations for a September Fed hike, with major retailers like Walmart, Target, Lowe’s and Home Depot set to report this week. Consumer Behavior: New Circana data says shoppers are buying more selectively, with growth driven by need-based purchases rather than broad promotions—an early read on back-to-school demand. Retail Crime & Safety: Tukwila PD asked for help identifying a suspect in a coat theft case and stressed organized retail theft is a “shoplift for profit” problem tied to reselling. Payments Shift: The Philippines’ central bank reported digital payments hit 64.7% of retail transactions by volume in 2025, with QR Ph overtaking cards for the first time. Retail Expansion: L.L.Bean will open Aug. 28 at Greene Town Center in Beavercreek, its first Greater Dayton store. Corporate Moves: Great American Holdings named Joe Malfitano President & Head of its Retail, Merchant & Industrial Solutions business. Tech for Retail: GemFind launched JewelCloud 2.0’s Global Pixel Analytics to track jewelry engagement across hundreds of retailer sites. Online Retail Growth: Switzerland’s online retail turnover rose 11% in H1 2026, while overall retail grew 2.6%. Market Tech Costs: DDR5 RAM prices in Germany jumped sharply, with SSD pricing pain expected to last until 2030.

Retail Earnings Watch: JB Hi-Fi reported record sales and higher earnings, but warned second-half momentum softened as supplier price rises and tech stock shortages hit availability; shares slid as investors weighed resilience against cautious consumer demand. Market Mood: Wall Street dipped after U.S. retail sales fell 0.6% in July, cooling rate-hike expectations; gold edged higher on a softer dollar while oil stayed supported by Middle East tensions. Retail Security Tech: Coles and Woolworths trial facial recognition to improve staff safety amid rising in-store crime, with privacy concerns still in the mix. Consumer Complaints: India’s government said Flipkart, Amazon and Meesho led 2025 consumer grievances, with non-delivery and refunds prominent. Food & Pricing Pressure: Pakistan’s LPG auction results are delayed amid legal hurdles, with officials warning retail prices could jump ~15%—a direct hit to household “poor man’s fuel.” Groceries Policy: New Zealand’s Greens push a bill to curb “excessive” supermarket pricing, seeking penalties up to $10m. Supply Chain & Health: Monsoon rains and transport strikes in Pakistan disrupted perishables, keeping food prices above official rates. Investor/Shareholder Action: Slater and Gordon filed a class action against James Hardie over FY26 guidance and disclosure allegations tied to a sharp market-value drop.

Sports Loyalty in Qatar: Qatar has launched the Hayyoh app, letting fans earn points by linking tickets and staying until full-time, with rewards spanning food, retail, telecoms, beauty, leisure, hotels and auto services. Retail Deals in the UK: Home Bargains is still selling its “Made Up Beauty” 10-piece Face Edition kit for £29.99 (down from a £210 total value), positioning it as a limited-edition gift/pamper set. Luxury Retail Rescue: Frasers Group has saved Harvey Nichols from collapse via a pre-pack administration, after the luxury chain posted heavy losses and issued viability warnings. Shopping as an Experience in Qatar: Visit Qatar’s Hala Summer shopping festival (Aug 1–31) spotlights mall-and-dining promotions across nine destinations, from Doha Festival City to Villaggio Mall. Cost Pressure Watch (UK): UK inflation is expected to jump as energy bills rise, with economists warning the Bank of England’s rate-cut path could get harder. Consumer Tech Pricing: “Chipflation” is pushing up electronics prices in the UK as AI-driven memory-chip shortages feed through to consumer devices. Target Overstock Handling: Target says excess kitchen items and returns are managed via restocking, markdowns, clearance, salvage stores and bulk liquidation channels like Target Auction/B-Stock. War Hits Retail Logistics (Russia/Ukraine): Ukraine’s drone strikes reportedly hit Wildberries warehouses, underscoring how conflict is disrupting major retail supply chains. Fuel Price Snapshot (Philippines): Davao del Sur logged the lowest regional averages for premium and regular gasoline, while diesel varied sharply across provinces.

Retail AI in the spotlight: Andon Labs’ experimental San Francisco “Andon Market” uses an AI agent (Luna) to run day-to-day store operations, and it reportedly recommended firing a human employee after repeated late shifts—then a human team carried out the dismissal. Food safety crackdown: Maharashtra’s FDA suspended licenses for four Domino’s outlets (plus one Pizza Hut) over hygiene, grease, rust, insect issues, and missing expiry dates. Beauty retail retrenchment: Douglas Group accelerated store closures, shutting 31 locations in the first nine months of 2026 as shoppers shift online and management tightens focus on profitability and foot traffic. Shopping center comeback: Palisades Village in Pacific Palisades reopened after a $100M restoration, returning 99% leased with more than 40 businesses and major names like Erewhon and Blue Ribbon Sushi. Consumer spending pressure: Multiple reports point to a sharp July retail sales slump after summer tax-refund boosts faded, adding to worries about demand and sentiment. Back-to-school support: Calgary groups ran backpack giveaways to ease costs and help kids feel ready for school. Global retail promotions: Dubai’s “Summer Surprises 2026” is pushing big shopper incentives, including home, gold, car, and scholarship draws.

Store Openings: Hobby Lobby is set to open a new Lehigh Valley store on Sept. 14 at the Airport Center in Hanover Township, taking over space left by a former Christmas Tree Shops. Consumer Mood & Retail Demand: U.S. inflation cooled in July, but Americans cut spending anyway—retail sales fell 0.6% and consumer sentiment weakened, adding to signs of fatigue. Markets Watch: The S&P 500 hit a fresh record high as inflation eased and earnings stayed strong, even as retail data raised caution. Retail Crime & Enforcement: A Wayne County court handed down multiple sentences tied to retail theft and related offenses, underscoring ongoing pressure on retailers and communities. Labor vs. Big Delivery: New York City’s push for a “Delivery Protection Act” would force Amazon to use city-based employees instead of subcontractors, with Amazon and logistics groups warning of higher costs. Fuel Prices: Nigeria’s petrol depot prices fell in several major markets, including Lagos and Calabar, as competition among marketers intensified. Retail Tech & Shopping: Plato’s Closet is leaning into resale for back-to-school, using a “hidden school hallway” experience to sell confidence without overspending. Travel Retail Upgrade: A €2.6m Maxol redevelopment in Dooradoyle will add a Burger King, expand deli offerings, and bring new seating and retail options. Retail Finance: Suez Canal Bank reported H1 2026 profit growth, supported by deposit expansion and stronger retail funding.

Retail Sales Watch: US retail sales fell 0.6% in July and consumer sentiment weakened, cooling Fed-hike odds and rattling markets as investors weighed a slowdown. Gold & Commodities: Gold and silver climbed after the retail-sales miss, with rate-hike expectations fading even as oil risk and yields stayed in focus. Pharmacy Regulation: Nevada’s proposed rule limiting pharmacists to 250 prescriptions per day drew pushback from retailers, who warn it could force closures and hurt patients. Food Safety: Texas-produced eggs were recalled over potential Salmonella contamination, with FDA risk upgraded to “high risk.” Retail Crime: Multiple reports highlighted organized retail theft crackdowns and arrests, underscoring ongoing pressure on store operators. Travel Retail & Tourism: Coca-Cola India’s “Locally Yours” backs Srinagar entrepreneurs, while travel retail data shows vodka outperforming in global airport shops. Experiential Retail: Crunchyroll’s immersive “next chapter” pop-ups return Aug. 22 at The Loop, with exclusive collectibles tied to major anime. Local Retail Expansion: El Pollo Loco is set to open a new Albuquerque West Side location after renovating a former Carl’s Jr. Consumer Finance: Puerto Rico’s credit profile stayed strong, with delinquency rates generally stable or improving.

US Retail Slowdown: July U.S. retail sales fell 0.6% month-on-month, the biggest drop since May 2025, with core sales also weaker; the miss is weighing on rate expectations and helping lift gold as consumers show “fatigue.” Market Moves: The dollar slid to its weakest since May after the data, while Wall Street opened mixed as investors digested retail numbers and Middle East developments. Gold Jumps: Spot gold spiked to about $4,387/oz following the retail-sales drop, with traders leaning toward a Fed “hold” in September. Retail Tech & Security: A new look at digital signage at scale warns retailers to treat connected displays like IoT, isolate them from payments, and tighten admin access and network segmentation. EU Trade Pressure: Proposed EU pesticide residue “mirror” rules could force suppliers to stop using certain hazardous substances, raising prices and potentially cutting agricultural imports. New Retail Financing: Malaysia’s Resintech secured RM41m Islamic financing for a Selangor hostel plus four retail shops, with the project expected to lift gearing. Brand/Marketing Hire: Death Wish Coffee named a new CMO to drive marketing, digital, and retail expansion. Venture Access for Retail: Robinhood launched Ventures Fund II on the NYSE, letting everyday investors buy into early-stage startup shares.

Wage Pressure Meets Legal Pushback (Philippines): Metro Manila’s minimum wage is set to rise to P85/day (P60 from July 25, plus P25 on Jan. 20, 2027), but a Pasig court issued a temporary restraining order after construction firms argued the hike ignores employers’ ability to pay. Retail Profit Watch (Russia): Grocery chain X5 reported IFRS net profit down 39.3% in H1 2026, even as revenue and gross profit grew, with staff and shipping costs rising. Premium Brand Expansion (China): Alo Yoga launched on Alibaba’s Tmall, hitting 10 million yuan in first-day sales within a minute, signaling strong demand for higher-priced activewear and footwear. Ad Tech Growth (Australia/NZ): Guideline SMI expanded its booking database with more independents and Accenture Song, now covering about $200B in annual media spend and building an Australia/NZ ad pricing product. Health & Consumer Safety (US): A CDC Foundation analysis found 69.4% of tracked e-cigarette dollar sales in late Dec. 2025 went to products the FDA never authorized. Airport Retail Upgrade (NZ): Auckland Airport will add standalone Aesop and Le Labo stores as part of a duty-free and retail revamp. Food Inflation Hits Shelves (South Korea): Paris Baguette and other firms are raising prices in the second half, adding fresh pressure to household budgets. Retail Crime Spotlight (US): Cape Coral police arrested a woman tied to multiple Target thefts totaling $1,305.73. Retail Property Moves (Canada): Coaldale, Alberta broke ground on a six-building, grocery-and-pharmacy anchored shopping centre, Coaldale Crossing. Retail Deals (India): V-Mart’s “Mahabachat Ka Double Offer” is drawing strong response ahead of its Aug. 16 deadline. Tech for Retail Robotics (South Korea): XYZ secured Nvidia H100/H200 GPUs to support humanoid robot development, with deployments planned for retail sites.