Retail Insider

Retail Insider “Retail Technology & Payments Report”: Commerce Infrastructure Gets Smarter

Lee Rivett - July 17, 2026

Retail Insider's latest Retail Technology & Payments Report examines how artificial intelligence, payments, loyalty, commerce platforms, and digital infrastructure are becoming increasingly integrated, reshaping retail operations, customer experiences, and competitive advantage across the Canadian retail industry.

Food Safety Needs an AI Upgrade: Why Better Risk Communication Matters for Grocery Retail

Sylvain Charlebois - July 16, 2026

Opinion: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois examines how AI could transform food safety communications, helping grocery retailers, suppliers and consumers navigate recalls with greater precision and confidence.

Daily Synopsis: Jul 15, 2026

Retail Insider - July 15, 2026

Jones Soda expands retail, Miss Vicki's returns, no plans for Carlingwood Mall redevelopment sayw owner, Red Apple renovates more stores, London Drugs cuts jobs, and other news.

Canadian Retailers Face New Discovery Challenge as Shoppers Turn to AI

Craig Patterson - July 14, 2026

Canadian retailers face a new challenge as shoppers turn to AI for product discovery, with Retail Rewired’s Chris Parsons urging stronger content, reviews and product data.

65% of marketers say they have differentiation anxiety, new Cashew study finds

Mario Toneguzzi - July 10, 2026

While AI has made content creation faster than ever, marketers say standing out has become significantly harder.

Accenture Study: Canadians More Cautious Than Global Consumers About AI-Powered Shopping

Mario Toneguzzi - June 30, 2026

Only 60% of Canadians are open to an AI agent completing commerce tasks on their behalf, such as negotiating deals, resolving complaints, or renewing subscriptions, compared to 74% globally

Pinterest unveils new AI advertising tools as search shifts to conversational discovery

Mario Toneguzzi - June 29, 2026

Pinterest rolled out a new set of AI ad tools focused on three things marketers care about right now: performance, workflow efficiency, and interoperability.

AI implementation gap puts client revenue and talent at risk, Thomson Reuters report warns

Mario Toneguzzi - June 23, 2026

While AI tools are widely used across legal, tax, audit and risk professions, many organizations are failing to translate that usage into measurable business value, exposing them to financial and operational consequences.

AI increasingly shaping Canadians’ purchasing decisions, National Bank survey suggests

Mario Toneguzzi - June 19, 2026

39 per cent of Canadians have used generative AI tools to support a purchasing decision in the past year.

Checkout.com report finds consumer interest in AI shopping outpacing trust and merchant readiness

Mario Toneguzzi - June 16, 2026

33 per cent of consumers expect at least 10 per cent of their purchases to be driven by AI within the next year.

AWS launches AI shopping assistant service for retailers, expanding Amazon technology beyond its platform

Mario Toneguzzi - June 8, 2026

The new tool can reduce development timelines for retailers seeking to build AI-powered interfaces, with deployments possible in a matter of weeks rather than years.

Daily Synopsis: Jun 2, 2026

Retail Insider - June 2, 2026

METRO names new CEO as Eric La Fleche retires, future of downtown Saskatoon questions 1 year post-HBC closure, massive Princess Auto opens in winnipeg with archery range and workshop, and other news.

How AI Personas Are Transforming Retail Decision-Making

Craig Patterson - June 2, 2026

AI-powered personas are reshaping retail decisions, enabling faster insights across marketing, merchandising, and customer experience.

Daily Synopsis: Jun 1, 2026

Retail Insider - June 1, 2026

Canada sees middle market squeeze, Metro's Carmen Fortino and London Drugs' Clint Mahlman retire on same day, Pepper Lunch closes in Richmond, 16,000 fake World Cup merch items seized, No Frills opens 1st Lloyminster store, and other news.

EY study finds Canadians using AI in daily life despite concerns over trust and security

Mario Toneguzzi - June 1, 2026

AI use has become common across a range of activities, from travel planning and customer service interactions to health information and smart-device management.

Randstad Digital report finds gap between AI investment and workforce readiness

Mario Toneguzzi - June 1, 2026

Organizations are deploying AI across their operations and technology environments at a rapid rate, while facing challenges in ensuring employees have the skills required to use the technology effectively.

Daily Synopsis: May 25, 2026

Retail Insider - May 25, 2026

Ontario eyes highway licence-plate cameras to address retail theft, Billy Biship Airport unveils walkthrough duty free store, Yonge-Eglinton Centre begins renos, and other news.

Leger and Plus Company Introduce Smart Persona for Real-Time Consumer Insights

Craig Patterson - May 20, 2026

Leger and Plus Company launch Smart Persona, enabling real-time consumer insights through AI-powered synthetic personas.

Daily Synopsis: May 20, 2026

Retail Insider - May 20, 2026

More 'maple washing' complaints as retailers accused of mislabeling Canadian products, 200th member joins Grocery Code, Canadian Tire settles racial profiling case, Lego store opening at Square One in Mississauga, Byward Market hosting immigrant entrepreneurs, and other news.

Calgary fashion-tech startup Prévoir expands AI-powered Shopify merchandising platform

Mario Toneguzzi - April 29, 2026

It extracts detailed product attributes from a brand's product images, such as colour and fabric, and pairs them with sales data to reveal which styles and design elements perform best.

Daily Synopsis: Mar 18, 2026

Retail Insider - March 18, 2026

Fines for made-in-Canada claims could chill investment say food manufacturers, Couche-Tard optimistic despite fuel increases, most Canadians want to ban or regulate algorithmic pricing, legendary Italian retailer in Vancouver's Chinatown dies at 93, and other news.

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