The
2027 Playbook
6 trends shaping what’s next for convenience retail
What’s changing, and what could it mean for your business?
The convenience retail industry is evolving, bringing new opportunities and challenges for retailers. Explore six emerging trends through insights from PDI experts and industry leaders, with videos and articles that connect industry developments to real business needs and relevant PDI solutions.
Explore the 6 trends
AI moves from experimentation to everyday workflows
Retailers are looking beyond individual AI tools toward practical applications that help teams make decisions and get work done. As they modernize operations, the opportunity is to start with focused workflows, use existing business data, and leverage proven capabilities rather than investing time and resources recreating them internally—all while maintaining strong security for business data and AI access.
Takeaway: Scale what works—with safeguards built in—instead of rebuilding what already does.
Retailers modernize operations as systems and data converge
As retail operations become more complex, disconnected tools make it harder to see the full picture. Bringing systems and data together helps retailers reduce manual handoffs, connect decisions across functions, and uncover opportunities—from the store to fuel pricing and logistics.
Takeaway: Identify where disconnected systems create extra work and where stronger connections could improve decisions.
Automation becomes essential to doing more with lean teams
With stretched resources and competing priorities, retailers increasingly need technology that takes work off their teams’ plates. The shift toward automated planning and routine tasks gives employees more time to address exceptions, serve customers, and focus on business growth.
Takeaway: Prioritize repetitive, time-consuming tasks where automation can free up capacity.
Retailers take a more active role in shaping innovation
Retailers need technology that reflects how their businesses actually operate. Closer collaboration with technology providers—from early feedback to testing in real workflows—helps them innovate around specific challenges and shape solutions that deliver practical results.
Takeaway: Collaborate with technology providers early, using your business goals and frontline feedback to shape solutions that work for your teams.
AI adoption raises expectations for relevance, control, and human connection
As retailers bring AI into more parts of the business, success depends on relevant data, secure and appropriate access controls, and experiences tailored to the people using it. Retailers need AI that supports employees and strengthens service while preserving the human relationships customers value.
Takeaway: Evaluate AI for its business context, safeguards, and usefulness to your own organizational needs.
Loyalty evolves into a more personalized, connected experience
Loyalty is expanding beyond individual promotions as retailers connect customer insights, payments, mobile, and in-store interactions. More personalized engagement and AI-assisted campaign management create opportunities to make offers more relevant, encourage repeat visits, and measure business impact.
Takeaway: Connect loyalty across the channels customers use and measure which experiences bring them back.
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