The road ahead for retail in the Philippines

Today, both companies and consumers are well into their digital transformation journey, as evidenced by the massive shift toward digital platforms.

- GILBERT TRINCHERA

A few notable examples of this shift are surges in online shopping and sales, increasingly curated user experiences, as well as companies leveraging data and artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline processes and drive strategic advantage. This suggests that the current wave of retail digitalization will only accelerate in the years ahead.

The Philippine Retailers Association’s 31st National Retail Conference and Expo (NRCE), held from July 31 to Aug. 1, 2025 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, reinforced these insights through discussions led by experts and industry leaders. In Asia, this shift is most visible in the rise of e-commerce and social media, which increasingly shape the perceptions and purchasing behavior of a Gen Z-heavy market, a demographic that spends a significant amount of time and money online.

I was privileged to speak at this event together with KPMG ASPAC head of consumer and retail Anson Bailey. In his talk, Anson highlighted how companies need to directly respond to the millions of Gen Z consumers in the region, emphasizing the sheer size and potential of this chronically online demographic. He urged companies to continually curate experiences both online and offline to effectively deliver value to this segment, detailing the power of social media platforms to influence sales and conversions through seamless online payments and curated content, as well as the many videos and livestreams on platforms, with e-commerce redirects and onboard shopping functionalities.