USA | As the world undergoes a massive technological shift, Mars, through its snacking business, revealed new insights into the future of shopping and retail.
The findings come from the company’s landmark study, which details how routine grocery runs will become increasingly automated over the next decade, paving the way for a brick-and-mortar renaissance and the continued transformation of digital shopping platforms driven by discovery, play, and community.
With consumer research experts Kantar and Synthesis, Mars analysed more than 180,000 global data signals across four continents, including stakeholder and expert interviews, channel and shopper publications, podcasts and global news, to pinpoint changing consumer demands that will redefine how people shop in the future.
The ever-evolving shopper journey will be defined by a transformational duality in this next era:
- Shopping will become a frictionless background service managed by agentic technology, freeing consumers to focus on what matters to them.
- Physical stores and digital platforms will feel less like supermarkets, convenience stores or typical online shopping, and more like immersive playgrounds designed for discovery and entertainment.
“We're standing on the brink of a retail revolution, one where people may never have to manually shop for household staples again. For a category like snacking, this is both an opportunity and a strategic challenge,” said Neil Reynolds, Global Chief Customer Officer, Mars Snacking.
“We've invested in significant research to understand how the shopper journey will evolve, and this research gives us a clear roadmap. But here's what's equally clear: No single company can solve this alone. The only path forward is to work hand-in-hand with retail customers and all partners who are ready to lead this transformation to drive consumer satisfaction and long-term growth across the entire ecosystem."
As retailers and brands navigate this new landscape, they face a dual challenge: integrating into the predictive fulfilment systems that will power consumers' digital lives, while simultaneously transforming retail into connected, sensory-rich destinations that reward people for leaving their homes.
Understanding this new ecosystem is no longer just a competitive advantage but essential for future growth.
Behind these key insights are three critical future shopper demands that are shaping how Mars is thinking about the future: Effortless, Personal and Experiential.
Effortless: AI-powered background restocking
- The shift: Wandering grocery store aisles may soon become a thing of the past. Soon, agentic systems will make fast, informed recommendations based on preferences and inventory, requiring only shopper confirmation.
- The data: According to BrightEdge, AI referrals to e-commerce brands jumped 752 percent year over year during the 2025 holiday season , and this is projected to grow to USD 788B by 2035.
- What's next: As consumers offload everyday chores to digital assistants, retailers must both earn a spot on automated lists and find new ways to spark spontaneity and curiosity in discovering new offerings.
Personal: Hyper-curated retail experiences
- The shift: Tomorrow's shopper journey will feature personalised, highly relevant shortlists designed specifically for an individual and, increasingly, their health and wellness goals.
- The data: Today, 39 percent of consumers expect personalised online experiences according to TransUnion, a trend increasingly health-led, with mobile health and wellness apps projected to grow 15 percent annually through 2030.
- What's next: The next frontier of retail relies on e-commerce agents that personalise across the entire snacking spectrum, recommending protein-rich options before a workout, assembling treats for a party and honouring moments of indulgence all while protecting consumer privacy.
Experiential: Immersive retail destinations
- The shift: As routine shopping becomes effortless, consumers reclaim more time for what they truly enjoy. Retail becomes an immersive experience driven by culture and trends, both in-store and online.
- The data: Immersive brand spaces are seeing 15.3 percent year-over-year growth, while 22 percent of U.S. digital buyers already shop via livestream, according to eMarketer.
- What’s next: Storefronts showcase viral consumer trends, while shoppable moments embed themselves directly into social, gaming and streaming environments.
For 115 years, Mars has built enduring brands by staying close to where consumers are heading. By investing to reimagine snacking, innovate across touchpoints and partner with the industry for mutual growth, Mars is actively shaping the future of snacking: serving more of the moments that matter for generations to come.
More global insights here
