Executive Summary

Western European firms are in for a rocky ride in 2022, as every sector will be rapidly reshaped by digitization. But opportunities abound for companies that make a significant leap, such as retailers moving to cashless transactions or brands using the latest digital display technology. Competition will be fierce—among paid-for video providers, for example—and the EU will continue to battle firms that flout digital security laws.

Questions this report covers:

• What tools are Western Europe’s physical retailers employing to compete with digital sellers?
• Can national and regional providers of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon?
• Can new technology reanimate digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising as public spaces reopen?
• How will Big Tech and other actors undermining digital privacy and security fare in the EU?

KEY STAT: Retail ecommerce sales in Western Europe will grow by 6.2% in 2022, nearing $660 billion. Physical retailers hope that upgrading point-of-sale (POS) and display technology will keep digital buyers shopping in-store as well.