EuroCIS 2025: A compass for the future of retail

Three days full of innovations, pioneering technologies and inspiring impulses – EuroCIS 2025 impressively demonstrated why it is the central platform for retail technology in Europe. If you didn't want to miss out on the most exciting trends and product developments, Düsseldorf was the place to be.

With 500 exhibitors from 37 countries and over 14,000 trade visitors from 95 nations, the trade fair offered exciting insights into the future of retail. A look back at the event and some of the most discussed topics shows why the next EuroCIS 2026 remains a must-attend event.

From intelligent automation and personalized customer experiences to seamless shopping processes – EuroCIS 2025 brought together companies whose technological innovations make retail more efficient and attractive.

A checkout process that is as customer-friendly as possible was the focus of many of the solutions presented by exhibitors at EuroCIS. Future-proof checkout systems, smart store technologies, intelligent shopping carts and self-service solutions illustrated how important the checkout process is for the customer journey. Smart carts with various service offerings impressively demonstrated how smooth and convenient the shopping of the future can be.

A particular focus was placed on the megatrend topic par excellence: artificial intelligence. It opens up completely new possibilities in customer approach, inventory management and process optimization. Elke Moebius, Director of EuroCIS, observed in the retail sector that “artificial intelligence is already being used in many products and solutions for retailers. There are high hopes that AI will lead to more efficient processes, less resource consumption and better strategic competitiveness.” Numerous exhibitors presented products and services that included AI-supported features.

AI is increasingly being used on the floor in brick-and-mortar stores. Florian Eggenschwiler, CPO of Xovis AG, explains: “In today's super competitive retail world, store operators need to understand what happens inside the store. Every square meters needs to be optimized.” Intelligent sensors and monitoring systems can contribute to this, for example. But AI also plays a central role in online business and digital marketing: “I believe the main power of AI is about personalization. AI can help increase customer retention,” says Taras Rumezhak, R&D Engineer at SoftServe GmbH. Whether offline, online or cross-channel: To summarize, Andrew McDaniel, Senior VP and Managing Director Europe at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions GmbH, puts it in a nutshell: “When we leverage the capabilities of artificial intelligence it's about how do we bring an opportunity for the customer in a retail environment to really experience things in a much better way.”

“The revolutionary role of AI was also evident at our second new special area, the Cybersecurity Hub. Cybersecurity solutions can use AI, for example, to detect vulnerabilities, recognize threats more quickly and respond to them automatically,” explains Elke Moebius, Director of EuroCIS. As digitalization progresses, IT security is becoming increasingly important in the retail sector. The Schwarz Group reported up to 350,000 cyber attacks every day – an alarming signal of the need for robust protective measures. At the special area Cybersecurity Hub, trade visitors gained valuable insights into current security solutions and best practices.

In addition to IT security, the focus is therefore also shifting to the physical protection of goods. At EuroCIS 2025, the latest technologies and their possible applications were presented, which not only aim to prevent theft, but also to quickly identify stolen items and take appropriate measures.

Retail media was the focus when it came to strengthening the link between the point of sale and digital customer loyalty. Renowned technology companies presented innovative approaches to unlock new marketing potential and create multifunctional customer touchpoints. “What we see at the moment is a big development in the area of digital signage, so getting more information to the customer at the point of sale. this is especially important for all retailers who look to retail media,” observes Stefan Binkowski, VP Retail & Wholesale Advisory at SAP Germany, as retail media offers great potential for new sources of revenue.

EuroCIS 2025 was not only a showcase for technologies, but also a place to meet and exchange ideas. In the Startup hub, 18 promising young companies presented their forward-looking ideas and brought a fresh spirit of innovation to the trade fair.

For the first time at EuroCIS, the Food Service Innovation Hub not only impressed visitors with a barista robot, but also with a wide range of solutions for the retail catering sector. Networked kitchen appliances, food service robots or digital, interactive menus – innovative solutions like these help retailers to inspire their customers with gastronomic offerings.

Another highlight was the renowned reta awards and the EHI Retail Institute's science prize, which honored outstanding technological developments. In addition, the guided innovation tours offered the perfect opportunity to discover the most exciting technologies and take the most important impulses home with you.

With its clear focus on digital transformation, EuroCIS always provides new impetus for the retail sector. If you want to experience the latest developments in retail at first hand, you should make a note of the next EuroCIS as part of EuroShop – from February 22 to 26, 2026 in Düsseldorf. Take the opportunity to be part of this trend-setting trade fair!