---
title: 2026 Canadian Retail Insights Virtual Event
description: We assess shifts in Canadian retail and outline brick-and-mortar and online opportunities to help you elevate your strategic planning.
image: https://retailiq.kantar.com/hubfs/LinkedIn_Facebook_Full%20Bleed%20Image.png
---
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2026 Canadian Commerce Insights Conference
## 29 & 30 September 2026
Virtual
[Register](https://retailiq.kantar.com/2026-canadian-retail-insights-virtual-event#REGISTER)
[2026 Agenda](https://retailiq.kantar.com/hubfs/2026%20Event%20Agendas/2026%20Canadian%20Commerce%20Conference%20Agenda.pdf?hsLang=en)
Disruption has become the operating condition for Canadian retail, as economic volatility, shifting shopper priorities, and rapid technological change set new rules of engagement. At this year’s Canadian Commerce Insights Conference, Kantar subject-matter experts will unpack how retailers and brands can stay ahead of this constant disruption, meet the rising standards Canadians hold them to, and respond to shoppers who are trading down and turning to generative AI agents at the same time. We’ll also examine how leading retailers are deploying private label, loyalty ecosystems, and AI-enabled discovery to protect margins and deepen shopper relevance amid ongoing turbulence.
You’ll leave this event with:
- A sharper read on where Canadian retail is heading in 2026, and what the shift to value, discount, and AI-led shopping means for your category
- Insights into how the leading grocers, mass merchandisers, and value retailers are transforming their business models to unpack growth
- A clear line of sight on how to align with retailer priorities to protect margin, earn loyalty, and win discoverability as disruption reshapes the market
- A practical guide to brace your brand for AI shopping, from restructuring PDPs for machine readability to positioning your products so they can be found and chosen in agent-led retail
## Conference Agenda
#### Reach out to [events@kantarconsulting.com](mailto:events@kantarconsulting.com) for questions.
DAY 1: September 29 DAY 2: September 30
1:00-1:15 PM
**Welcome and introduction**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
1:15-2:10 PM
**Managing macroeconomic volatility in Canada**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology*
- Examine how tariffs, trade policy, and global volatility are reshaping Canadian retail dynamics.
- Explore the demographic and economic trends redefining shopper behaviour.
- Assess Canada’s economic outlook and what it means for re
2:10-2:55 PM
**Rising standards, rising tides in Canada**
*Casey Ferrell, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. and Canada MONITOR
Hannah Sokolov, Associate Head of Canada MONITOR*
- Evaluate the durability of Canadians’ newfound moment of confidence in their country.
- Find out how Canadians’ goals and visions for their lives are evolving.
- Review what these shifts mean for the standards they hold brands to.
2:55-3:15 PM ET
BREAK
3:15-4:00 PM
**AI: What do Canadian shoppers think it's really good for?**
*Casey Ferrell, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. and Canada MONITOR
Hannah Sokolov, Associate Head of Canada MONITOR*
- Get to know the early adopters of generative AI in Canada.
- Explore the most common use cases for AI and where it falls short.
- Assess how AI delivers meaningful value for Canadians.
4:00-4:45 PM
**GEO optimization playbook for Canada**
*Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
- Understand how generative engine optimization, or GEO, is changing brand discoverability across Canadian retail.
- Learn the practical levers brands can pull to surface in AI-driven search and shopping assistants.
- Build an actionable GEO playbook tuned to Canadian retailers, shoppers, and platforms.
4:45-5:00 PM
**Day 1 recap**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
1:00-1:15 PM
**Welcome and introduction**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
1:15-2:10 PM
**Adapting to Canada's evolving digital commerce landscape**
*Rachel Dalton, Head of Retail Insights, Americas
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
- Get an overview of Canada’s online and digital shopping dynamics.
- Understand the behavioural and demographic shifts at Canada’s leading online retailers.
- Identify key strategies to drive shopper engagement and improve ecommerce penetration
2:10-2:55 PM
**Driving growth through Canadian grocery channel disruption**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
- Explore how Canada’s leading grocers are evolving their strategies in response to inflation, margin compression, and changing shopper expectations.
- Understand how to build stronger shopper loyalty and engagement in a value-driven environment.
- Discover how brands can unlock faster growth in today’s disrupted grocery landscape.
2:55-3:15 PM ET
BREAK
3:15-4:00 PM
**Redefining growth in the Canadian mass and club channels**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights*
- Understand the strategic moves and evolving road maps of Canada’s leading mass merchandisers and Costco.
- Learn the shopper behaviours and value drivers shaping loyalty across mass and club retail.
- Unpack how leading retailers are building integrated ecosystems through AI, data, and omnichannel capabilities to accelerate growth.
4:00-4:45 PM
**Low-income Canadian shopper dynamics**
*Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insights
David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology*
- Explore how economic pressure is reshaping the priorities and behaviours of Canada’s low-income shoppers.
- Analyze how low-income households are trading down, switching channels, and stretching budgets.
- Understand how to earn the loyalty and trust of Canada’s most value-sensitive shoppers.
4:45-5:00 PM
**Day 2 recap**
*David Marcotte, Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Amar Singh, Senior Director, Retail Insight*
How to attend
## Available tickets
### Pricing in U.S. Dollars
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[Talk to our event team ›](mailto:events@kantarconsulting.com)
meet our experts
## Event Speakers
Amar Singh
Senior Director, Retail Insights
David Marcotte
Senior Vice President, Global Retail and Technology
Rachel Dalton
Head of Retail Insights, Americas
Casey Ferrell
Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. and Canada MONITOR
Hannah Sokolov
Associate Head of Canada MONITOR
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## Kantar's new immersive experience
Focused on providing you with opportunities to network and engage with your peers and our content. Introducing, Kantar Connect.
Attendees will receive a link to virtually access the event prior to the event.
If you do not receive this link, please email [events@kantarconsulting.com](mailto:events@kantarconsulting.com)
**Experience Kantar’s expertise. Connect with our retail and shopper experts around the globe.** [Learn More about 2026 Events](https://retailiq.kantar.com/events?hsLang=en)
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