Retailing in the EU: Policy Actions to Shape a Sustainable, Digital, and Resilient Future

This chapter focuses on actions to increase the efficacy (effectiveness and efficiency) of the EU retail sector, using smart growth initiatives. In line with the Quintuple Helix Framework, the outlook of the chapter stresses that interaction among government, industry, academia, civil society, and environment is essential. It lays out the interaction between these dynamics in five policy actions, that can shape the future of EU retail: (a) promote digital transformation and innovation; (b) increase consumer protection in e-commerce; (c) enable more sustainable retail; (d) promote cross-border trade and integration in the EU; (e) advance the labor market and job skills. To make that shift possible, the EU needs to create policy frameworks, funding, and incentives to D.R.I.V.E. (Digitalization, Resilience, Integration, Value, Employment) in the EU retail sector. Smart retailing that can ensure sustainable growth and improvement of the social and environmental conditions requires cooperation between different actors.