CHINASHOP 2026 Highlights
Your guide to the most important programs and on-site highlights at CHINASHOP
Discover what’s happening beyond the exhibition floor.
From innovation showcases and industry awards to sourcing programs, forums, and curated study tours, this page brings together the key programs shaping the CHINASHOP 2026 experience.
Retail X-LAB
Dark Horse Zone
HISHOP
CGCS Conference
1
Retail X-LAB: Retail Innovation Experiments and Trend Exploration
Through structured presentations and professional interpretation, Retail X-LAB helps industry participants to:
- Understand how emerging technologies are reshaping retail operations and consumer experiences
- Gain insight into future directions and strategic trends in retail technology
- Connect innovative concepts with real business and operational scenarios
This area functions more as a retail innovation laboratory than a conventional product display space.
2
Dark Horse Zone: Emerging Companies and Scalable Innovation
Companies featured in this zone typically demonstrate:
- Clearly defined application scenarios
- Proven or validated business models
- Innovation paths with strong reference value for the industry
The Dark Horse Zone provides industry audiences with a valuable window into new forces shaping the future of retail in China.
3
HISHOP
HISHOP was created by CHINASHOP in response to a clear industry reality: as retail operations grow larger and more complex, digital systems and intelligent technologies have become core infrastructure.
This zone focuses on solutions proven in real retail operations, including retail IT systems, data platforms, AI applications, automation, and intelligent devices. Rather than showcasing concepts, HISHOP highlights how technology is implemented, scaled, and used in day-to-day retail environments.
For international visitors, HISHOP offers a practical reference for understanding how retail digitalization and AI are executed at scale in China.
4
Consumer Goods Channel Selection Conference
Unlike a traditional product showcase, this program is built around real procurement needs from retail channels. Leading retail enterprises participate directly, engaging with suppliers through focused discussions on product categories, individual SKUs, OEM capabilities, packaging specifications, and procurement models.
Covering multiple retail formats — including supermarkets, convenience stores, warehouse membership stores, and e-commerce platforms — the conference provides a clear view of how China’s retail market evaluates product value and supply chain readiness.
For international visitors, it offers a rare opportunity to observe how product selection decisions are made in China’s retail system, and to understand the role of speed, differentiation, and supply chain execution in one of the world’s most competitive consumer markets.
Key Highlights
- Retailer-led sourcing discussions
- Direct access to purchasing decision-makers
- New products, private labels, and export-quality goods
- Channel-specific selection sessions
5
On-site Forums at CHINASHOP
In addition to the Retail AI Conference and the Supermarket Conference, CHINASHOP hosts a wide range of on-site forums focused on China’s retail and supermarket sector.
These forums bring together retailers, brands, solution providers, and industry experts to discuss practical topics such as:
- Supermarket operations and efficiency improvement
- Merchandising, category management, and private labels
- Fresh food, cold chain, and supply chain optimization
- Store formats, renovation, and in-store experience
- Cost control, standardization, and scalable growth
Rather than theoretical discussions, these sessions emphasize real operational experience, case sharing, and peer-to-peer exchange, reflecting the realities of China’s highly competitive retail market.
For international visitors, the on-site forums offer a valuable opportunity to understand how Chinese retailers address everyday operational challenges and adapt at scale.
