As grocery volumes stall and shoppers fragment into smaller, more frequent and more deliberate trips, the role of physical food retail is undergoing a profound shift.

In this edition of Forward, we explore how the rise of smaller, specialized formats, from downsized hypermarkets to proximity stores and the Japanese konbini, is redefining where value is created, moving it upstream of the basket and transforming the store, from a place of stockpiling, into a space of proximity, service and everyday relevance.

Through the prisms of business, technology and design, this edition decodes the emerging implications for brands and retailers operating in customer journeys that are increasingly compressed, specialized and shaped by algorithms.

Published in June 2026.
Language: English.
20 pages.