I Love Trade Marketing: the logic of the next few years

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2026/04

The event was organised by the Trade Marketing Club’s co-founders, Ágnes Csiby (PMS/POPAI), Zsuzsanna Hermann (Trade magazin/POPAI), and Ildikó Kátai (PMS/POPAI), with more than 180 people registering for the event.

Retail is a well-known sector, but its appeal is weak

Sándor Baja
managing director
Randstad Hungary

Sándor Baja, managing director of Randstad told: according to the Randstad Employer Brand research, both FMCG and retail are well-known sectors, but their appeal is below average. Retail is one of the less attractive industries and FMCG is also showing a decline.

In the HR Trends survey 44% of companies expect sales growth, but only 26% plan to increase their workforce by 2026. The competition for workforce is thus becoming a question of quality rather than quantity.

Dániel Salem
global communication
manager (Desperados)
The Heineken Company

Dániel Salem, global communications manager of Desperados at The Heineken Company broke down Gen Z’s purchasing logic. For young consumers the brand’s “vibe” – the experience and cultural connection – is a basic requirement, but the decision is often made in three seconds at the shelf. If the brand isn’t visible and immediately understandable there, the mental availability built up in ATL doesn’t translate into a choice. With Gen Z the spontaneous experience is actually the result of a consciously planned system..

Promotion isn’t a wild card

Tímea Mege
co-owner
Rewart

Tímea Mege, co-owner of Rewart told that promotions are often used as a wild card when we expect quick results, but they can’t win the game on their own. Promotion isn’t a tactical aid, but a strategic decision that has its place and time in the game of winning consumers. A new target group requires new arguments and genuine USPs.

Promotion isn’t communication, but an offer, which is invisible without communication and doesn’t convert without good UX. Good promotion works when it organically responds to the business goal – the strategy, target group, mechanics, and communication come together as a system.

Gábor Pasztorek
deputy CEO
ICO

Gábor Pasztorek, deputy CEO of ICO and Boglárka Breznai, key account manager of Hamelin discussed the operational realities of the Back to School season. In the paper and stationery category the majority of sales are realised in two weeks, with 78% of shoppers arriving with a list and their decisions are primarily influenced by price (32%), quality (27%), and school recommendations (23%).

In a category where brand choice is often determined by school recommendations, the key to long-term growth isn’t price promotion, but ensuring a positive user experience and trial.

Who gets the attention in 2026?

Richárd Lévai
social media
marketing specialist
Liftup Akadémia

Platform use isn’t declining but rather shifting and fragmenting, while organic reach is becoming increasingly unpredictable.
According to Richárd Lévai, social media marketing specialist at Liftup Academy, the constant change in algorithms and the explosion of AI-generated content are forcing a new operating logic. The number of followers as a status indicator is losing importance, replaced by short-cycle, data-driven testing run simultaneously on multiple platforms as a basic operation. Above a certain scale it isn’t a lack of visibility but too many stimuli that pose the real risk.

Fanni Salem
brand and marketing
communication manager
Euronics

Fanni Salem, brand and marketing communication manager of Euronics, pointed out that trade marketing doesn’t work by making as much as possible “visible”, but by enabling the customer to make quick and confident decisions. Purchasing isn’t impulsive in the consumer electronics category and here the task of trade marketing isn’t to maximise surface area, but to control complexity.

Hybrid store, controlled operation

Krisztina Kiss
deputy CEO
COOP Szeged

How did a COOP store in Szeged become Store of the Year 2025? The answer isn’t a single technology, but a consciously constructed operating model. Krisztina Kiss, deputy CEO of COOP Szeged Zrt. explained that the 150m² store (which stocks around 4,000 items) operates in the traditional manner during the day, with a full staff and a classic customer experience. After closing it switches to automated mode and unstaffed opening hours have generated more than 16,000 transactions since its opening at the end of May 2025, with 20.5% additional revenue and a 22% higher basket value.

Andrea Mészáros
trade marketing
group leader
Bonafarm Sole-Mizo

Andrea Mészáros, trade marketing group leader responsible for the Mizo brand at Bonafarm Zrt. showed how it is possible to make progress even in a declining milk market: the brand realised 1% growth in a shrinking segment. Mizo is present in 12 categories, introduced 18 new products in 2025, implemented 4 packaging design changes, and launched 8 tailor-made promotions. One of the key messages of the presentation was that trade isn’t just a question of visibility, but of building category position.

Lidl: discount store redefined

Dr. Tamás Kaibinger
head of corporate affairs
Lidl

Sales of HUF 1,611.3bn and annual growth of nearly 14% (for the 2024 financial year) in a mature, highly competitive market – Dr Tamás Kaibinger, head of corporate affairs at Lidl Magyarország believes this performance isn’t the result of isolated campaigns, but of consistent operation. The discounter strategy is based on a rationalised but expanding product selection, high inventory turnover, a standardised store structure, and a nationally coordinated promotion system. Discounting here isn’t just a price position, but a disciplined business framework based on volume and efficiency.

Mónika Tamás
director of financial services,
solutions and retail media
Auchan

Offline platforms continue to dominate, while the scalability of digital solutions is getting stronger – according to Mónika Tamás, this is why Auchan Retail Magyarország had to elevate retail media to a systemic level. Auchan’s director of financial services, solutions and retail media gave an insight into the creation of the retail media business unit, which manages offline and online advertising opportunities within a unified framework. The key to the system is managing decision points. The in-store display network launched in 2025 will be doubled in the spring of 2026, which won’t just increase reach but also improve predictability.