According to a recent study conducted by Zebra, generative AI and automation solutions are becoming essential tools, with 87% of retail leaders highlighting their importance in loss prevention initiatives. The answers come from the results of its 18th annual Global Shopper Study.
Data indicates that shopper satisfaction levels have improved in Europe, rising to 80% (79% globally) for the in-store experience, compared to 76% last year, but not reaching 84% in 2023. However, satisfaction levels with the online experience fell to 74% (73% globally), compared to 76% last year and 82% in 2023.
“The future of retail belongs to those who connect the physical and digital worlds through intelligent workflows,” said Matthew Guiste, Global Retail Technology Strategist at Zebra Technologies. “With artificial intelligence, automation and improved workflows, retailers can reduce shrink and deliver the fast, seamless and personalized experiences today’s shoppers demand”
New priorities for buyers
The study also highlights a change in buyers’ priorities. Although increasingly attracted to convenience, speed and value, nearly eight in ten shoppers are prioritizing discounts and promotions as inflation pressures remain. At the same time, European consumers demand operational excellence and are frustrated by lack of stock (67%), locked products (72%) or lack of self-checkout (62%).
Retailers now better understand the importance of technology in improving the shopping experience, as tasks such as delays in accessing information make it difficult for employees and disrupt service. According to the study, 85% of European employees (88% globally) say they have difficulty getting timely assistance or information, up from 84% last year.
Connecting frontline teams with advanced technology
Providing the right technology relieves stress and increases job satisfaction. 87% of employees surveyed believe that effective tools make their work more enjoyable and less stressful, while helping them better serve customers. Additionally, 88% in Europe (90% globally) believe that using the right technology helps them complete tasks faster.
Inventory issues continue to impact shopper satisfaction and retailers’ profitability. Although there is a slight improvement year-on-year (51% in 2025 compared to 52% in 2024), more than half of shoppers reported leaving stores without all the items they intended to buy, often due to lack of stock or difficulty finding the products.
European retailers recognize these shortcomings, with 84% of decision makers citing real-time inventory synchronization as a top priority for their organizations. In fact, many of them plan to implement advanced technologies such as computer vision (61%, 57% globally), RFID (51%, 54% globally) and Gen AI (49%, 51% globally) in the next five years, as they are considered essential tools to improve inventory visibility and reduce losses.
Increase revenue and profitability with improved workflows
Improved inventory management also has a positive impact on retailers’ financial results. According to a recent study by Zebra in collaboration with Oxford Economics titled “Impact of Intelligent Operations,” retailers achieved up to 1.8 percentage point increases in revenue growth and profitability due to improvements in their priority inventory management workflow.
Along these lines, the new Global Shopper Study indicates that decision makers in the retail sector recognize the importance of making these improvements to boost online and in-store sales. Optimizing inventory processes increased nine percentage points (38% in 2025 vs. 29% in 2024) as the top option retailers believe can increase profits from online ordering.
Inventory optimization also ranked among the top three factors driving store profitability, at 38%. Second only to automation, which offers greater real-time inventory visibility (39%), and in-store digital advertising and retail media networks, whose impact grew from 37% to 43% in the last year. Notably, Zebra recently acquired the company Elo, which provides solutions for retailers to create their own media networks and improve the customer experience.
Zebra’s latest solutions improve inventory visibility, employee productivity and loss prevention
“Shoppers want more than transactions: they want meaningful connections and frictionless experiences,” Guiste added. “With the right technology and a commitment to continuous improvement, retailers can build trust, build loyalty and remain competitive in an ever-evolving retail landscape.”
Some of Zebra’s latest solutions improve inventory visibility, employee productivity and loss prevention, while those from Elo expand in-store interaction and digital media capabilities:
- The ET401 Tablet It is equipped with the latest generation Qualcomm Dragonwing Q-6690 processor. It supports the integration of the most cutting-edge AI and multimedia technologies, as well as the world’s first enterprise mobile processor with fully built-in RFID capabilities. This allows retail employees to quickly locate items, update stock levels in real time, and minimize out-of-stock events.
- The WS301 portable mobile computer, The smallest Android business touch computer in the industry, which can be worn on the wrist or with a clip. Make it easier for frontline workers to communicate and perform tasks hands-free and improve collaboration in retail with Workcloud Sync from Zebra. The WS301’s top camera captures barcodes, while the front security camera assists with voice controls to ensure employees can respond to shoppers’ needs more effectively.
- DS82 Series Scanner combines advanced scanning capabilities with integrated RFID to streamline checkout processes, reduce wait times, while providing real-time inventory updates and loss prevention measures.
- Elo I-Series 5 with Android, Elo’s fifth generation all-in-one touchscreen computer can be used as a multi-information center for in-store pricing, inventory search, cross-selling, customer guidance and retail media applications, all from a single device.
- EloPOS Z30 is a modern point-of-sale system that features an optional integrated customer-facing display, bringing the same multi-information capabilities directly to the cash register.
