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8 Retail events to put on your calendar (2026)
8 Retail conferences, trade shows, and summits worth booking in 2026.
Whether you’re looking to build new vendor relationships, get into retail industry networking events, or stay ahead of what’s coming in eCommerce and AI, 2026 has a busy calendar of events.
Below is a rundown of eight retail conferences across the US, UK, Spain, Romania, and Turkey:
- NRF PROTECT 2026
- Shoptalk Europe 2026
- WORLDEF Istanbul 2026
- CommerceNext Growth Show 2026
- Savant B2B eCommerce Congress 2026
- Retail Week Digital Transformation Summit 2026
- Groceryshop 2026
- EXPO RETAIL 2026
If your team is traveling to any of these retail industry conferences, Holafly for Business keeps them connected on arrival.
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Top retail events in 2026 at a glance
Six of the eight events fall between June 9 and June 25, with the final two in September in Las Vegas and Bucharest.
| Event | Date | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRF PROTECT 2026 | June 8–10 | Grapevine, TX | Loss prevention and enterprise security |
| Shoptalk Europe 2026 | June 9–11 | Barcelona, Spain | Retail innovation |
| WORLDEF Istanbul 2026 | June 11–13 | Istanbul, Turkey | Cross-border e-commerce |
| CommerceNext Growth Show 2026 | June 23–24 | New York City, US | eCommerce and DTC |
| Savant B2B eCommerce Congress 2026 | June 24 | London, UK | B2B eCommerce |
| Retail Week Digital Transformation Summit 2026 | June 25 | London, UK | Digital transformation |
| Groceryshop 2026 | September 22–24 | Las Vegas, US | Everyday retail |
| EXPO RETAIL 2026 | September 23–24 | Bucharest, Romania | B2B retail tech |
NRF PROTECT 2026
June 8–10, 2026 | Gaylord Texan Resort, Grapevine, TX | Loss prevention and enterprise security
NRF PROTECT is the retail industry’s security event, covering loss prevention, asset protection, digital fraud, return fraud, and global risk management.
The 2026 expo floor features 200+ solution providers, and sessions are built around the premise that security is a company-wide responsibility. A highlight is the NRF Fusion Center, a dedicated space for public-private partnerships between retailers, federal and local law enforcement, and Organized Retail Crime Associations. Retail companies registering three or more people for All-Access Passes qualify for team discounts, and attendees can earn Continuing Education Credits.
Shoptalk Europe 2026
June 9–11, 2026 | Fira Gran Via, Barcelona | Retail innovation
One of the more established retail innovation events on the European calendar, Shoptalk Europe draws 4,500+ attendees from 60+ countries across five content stages. Speakers at the 2026 edition include Peter Ruis (John Lewis and Partners), David Schröder (Zalando), Bernard Osta (Vestiaire Collective), Nadine Graf (Estée Lauder Companies), and Stuart Haselden (Arc’teryx).
A co-matched meeting program facilitates 25,000+ 1:1 meetings across the three days, making it one of the stronger retail networking options for senior decision-makers.
WORLDEF Istanbul 2026
June 11–13, 2026 | Yenikapi, Istanbul | Cross-border e-commerce
WORLDEF Istanbul is among the largest retail industry networking events, drawing 30,000+ attendees, 240+ exhibitors, 200+ speakers, and participants from 50+ countries.
The 2026 edition focuses on the digital trade corridor between Istanbul, Dubai, and Riyadh, with sessions covering AI, advanced logistics, and cross-border e-commerce. General admission is free, whereas executive passes with main-stage access start at $79, and VIP packages at $799 include speed networking and a dedicated lounge.
CommerceNext Growth Show 2026
June 23–24, 2026 | New York Hilton Midtown, New York City | eCommerce and DTC
CommerceNext is a community-driven event targeting senior eCommerce leaders, traditional retailers, and DTC brands, with 2,500+ attendees, 150+ speakers, and 60+ sessions over two days. The 2026 agenda emphasizes agentic AI, loyalty strategy, retail media, and omnichannel transformation with speakers including Mickey Drexler (Old Navy and Madewell) and Amiee Bayer-Thomas (Ulta Beauty).
The standard rate is $2,495, and a hosted program offers up to $2,000 in travel and hotel reimbursement for retailers participating in 1:1 meetings.
Savant B2B eCommerce Congress 2026
June 24, 2026 | The Shard, London | B2B eCommerce
Now in its third edition, Savant is a single-day B2B eCommerce congress at The Shard for manufacturers, distributors, and brands moving digital transformation from experimental to operational.
The 2026 agenda covers AI in pricing and forecasting, evolving buyer expectations, and autonomous operations, with speakers from Shell, ABB Motion, FIJI Water, and Schneider Electric. The format is tight: 75+ brands and retailers, 20 speakers, and a 3:1 brand-to-vendor ratio.
Retail Week Digital Transformation Summit 2026
June 25, 2026 | MYO St Paul’s, London | Digital transformation
The Retail Week Digital Transformation Summit is a half-day retail tech conference for senior retail professionals (heads of, directors, and C-suite) working internally at retailers. The June 2026 agenda covers hyper-personalization, agentic AI strategy, connected stores, and retail media, with speakers from New Look, Holland and Barrett, Pets at Home, and John Lewis.
Tickets are free but limited, and only internal retail employees qualify to attend.
Groceryshop 2026
September 22–24, 2026 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas | Everyday retail
Groceryshop covers the consumer basket, from grocers and convenience stores to CPG and beauty, billing itself as the global event for everyday retail.
The 2026 edition draws 4,000+ senior leaders from 50+ countries, with two in three retail and brand attendees at the director level or above and 1,300+ retailer and brand teams in the mix. The meetings program is among the largest of any retail conference, with 30,000+ pre-matched 1:1 meetings and speakers including Yael Cosset (Kroger) and Chris Rogers (Instacart).
EXPO RETAIL 2026
September 23–24, 2026 | Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Romania | B2B retail tech
EXPO RETAIL is one of the more focused retail industry trade shows in Eastern Europe, covering technology, equipment, and services, eCommerce, and FMCG.
Now in its fifth edition, the 2026 event runs under the “Digital, Green and Tech” concept, with 60+ exhibition stands and a B2B platform for pre-scheduling face-to-face supplier-buyer meetings.
Keep your retail team connected with Holafly for Business
When your team is heading to any of the top retail events above, having reliable mobile data is important.
Holafly for Business is a business eSIM provider available in 160+ destinations that activates on your team’s devices, so they don’t have to worry about sourcing local SIM cards or unexpected roaming charges. You also get access to our centralized management platform, the Holafly Business Center, to manage individual eSIMs, invoices, and data usage.
Holafly Plans for Business come in four tiers:
- On Demand (€3.40/day): Pay-per-day eSIM for a single destination. No fixed costs or commitment.
- Always On (€9.95/year): 1 GB/month. Best for employees taking up to four short trips per year, with the option to upgrade to Unlimited.
- Unlimited (€57/month): Unlimited data with a built-in VPN ad blocker, and web protection, ideal for teams who need to work securely between sessions.
- Enterprise (custom pricing): Geo-blocking, priority support, and customizable data limits for larger organizations.
Not sure which plan is right for your team? Book a demo.
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I’m a writer with over eight years of experience in digital content. My work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider, and the BBC. At Holafly, I write clear, practical guides to help travelers stay connected with eSIM technology. In my spare time, I enjoy car detailing, biking around Warsaw, and capturing portraits.
