London, UK — With a month to go until the 2026 Retail Technology Show (RTS), retail’s flagship event has announced a series of new innovation-led features.
Returning to London’s ExCeL on 22 & 23 April 2026 with its new disco theme, RTS will deliver its biggest-ever technology showcase, highlighting a hotbed of disruptive innovation from over 450 exhibitors.
With tech that powers every part of retail – from agentic AI and retail media to supply chain evolution and next-gen customer engagement and loyalty – the event promises a one-stop shop showcasing future-forward solutions.
Underpinning cyber resilience with technology
The National Cyber Security Centre handled four major cyber incidents a week in 2025, including major high-profile hacks at M&S and Co-op, catapulting cyber resilience onto boardroom agendas.
Recent RTS research also showed 1 in 3 customers have been directly impacted by cybercrime, prompting widespread security wariness among shoppers with 76% viewing cyberattacks as a growing threat.
New for 2026, RTS’ Cyber & Loss Prevention Zone will feature cutting-edge innovation to help retailers navigate rising cyber risk.
The Zone will spotlight solutions from intelligence and digital forensics firms, including ESET and First Response Europe, to loss prevention technology such as QuantumEye and Sensormatic, as well as innovations like Reveal Media, which uses body cams to improve safety.
From theory into practice: real-world AI delivering real-world results
AI will remain a central theme running across the RTS’ 2026 show floor, but with a focus on AI maturity that helps retailers turn hype into execution as business and consumer adoption rapidly increases. A wealth of practical AI innovation, spanning store operations, workforce management, marketing and inventory optimisation, will be on display.
Connected store technology Vusion will spotlight its vision for the connected shelf, while Invent.ai, which works with retailers including ALO, Footaslyum and Boots, will unveil new multi-agentic capabilities for inventory optimisation. Meanwhile, SAI Group will showcase how its patented Visual Language Model blends computer vision with GenAI, turning stores’ existing surveillance systems into an ‘active’ store intelligence platform.
High-octane tech from the start-up community
Once again, RTS will shine a light on the disruptive and transformative tech coming out of the fast-paced start-up community, with a dedicated zone featuring 16 scale-up technologies pushing the innovation envelope.
These include: martech platform Eliya, which supercharges marketing ROI through AI automation; 3D web solution Freakout AI that transforms products into interactive experiences; and SAIZ, which helps fashion brands turn sizing into intelligence to reduce returns and inform product development.
The inside track on innovation: WeComm’s unveils Future of Retail LIVE Lounge
WeComm will launch its Future of Retail LIVE Lounge at RTS, giving senior retail leaders exclusive access to the innovations shaping the industry. Designed for its Future of Retail community, the Lounge will host an intimate, C-suite-focused “conference within a conference” at the heart of the show.
Running across both days, the programme will feature interactive workshops, expert insight sessions, and tech tours led by IGD’s Toby Pickard, alongside priority access to headline speaker sessions on the Supernova Stage – creating a unique space for high-level learning, networking and insight.
The 2026 Innovation Awards
RTS’ Innovation Awards once again celebrate standout solutions from across the expo floor. Handpicked by a judging panel of retail experts, including retail influencer Andrew Busby and Retail Disrupted’s Natalie Berg, the shortlist highlights ten top solutions which track ahead of the hype curve.
This year’s nominees include agentic AI styling engine Cloz, workforce solution Duvo, frontline operations platform Ocasta, retail intelligence platform Retail Advantage and employee experience platform YOOBIC.
This year, retailers will be treated to an exclusive preview of the Innovation Awards finalists on a Top Innovations Tour, hosted by Oliver Banks. Taking place on both days of the show at 11am and running for an hour, the tour will explore the top ten shortlisted solutions, highlighting where new capabilities are reshaping retail performance.
“The speed of transformation is moving at unprecedented pace – and that’s why innovation and tech advancement sit right at the heart of RTS,” said Matt Bradley, Founder & Event Director of RTS. “This year, we’re bringing even more of that unmissable innovation, fresh features that spotlight the tech that’s pushing boundaries and new ways for retailers to discover and connect with impactful solutions.”
To register to attend RTS 2026, visit: Retail Technology Show 2026.