The Future of Barcodes: How GS1 QR Codes Will Transform Retail, Data & Sustainability

Barcodes are the backbone of global trade. GS1 barcodes are scanned more than 10 billion times a day, helping over two million organisations worldwide identify, describe, and track products across the global economy. But while the barcode has existed for more than 50 years - largely unchanged - the needs of retail, brands, and consumers have evolved dramatically. In the final episode of Retail Disrupted for 2025, Natalie Berg is joined by Kerry Morrison, Head of Retail and Marketplaces at GS1 UK, to explore the next generation of barcodes: QR codes powered by GS1. This new standard will do everything the traditional barcode does - and far more - by combining two of the greatest inventions of all time: the barcode and the internet. From working harder in supply chains with richer data (including batch and lot numbers to support recalls), to enabling direct consumer engagement via product packaging, these QR codes are unlocking powerful new opportunities for revenue growth, sustainability, accessibility, and first-party consumer data.

Rice is the one of the most consumed foods in the world, but few people realise it's also a major driver of climate change. In fact, beef is the only food responsible for higher global emissions.  In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Fergus O'Sullivan, Founder of Nice Rice, to unpack the problems with traditional rice farming and why it's long overdue for disruption. Fergus shares his unconventional leap from private equity into food entrepreneurship and explains how sustainable rice farming can dramatically reduce methane emissions while saving huge amounts of water. He also reveals why treating rice as a commodity has held back both quality and sustainability - and what happens when you start to rethink one of the world's oldest food categories.

Discover how The Elf on the Shelf transformed from a beloved family tradition into a multi-platform global holiday empire. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Christa Pitts, co-CEO and founder of The Lumistella Company and creator of The Elf on the Shelf, to explore the power of nostalgia, emotional connection, holiday marketing trends, and building authentic brands in an increasingly digital world. Expect insights on storytelling, community-driven creativity, retail evolution, and what it takes to create a tradition that inspires millions. Today's episode is brought to you by Manhattan Associates, the global leader in supply chain and unified commerce.

We're getting techie on this episode of Retail Disrupted! Natalie Berg sits down with Keith Dipple of Manhattan Associates to dive into the nuts and bolts of modern retail technology. From unified commerce architecture to versionless POS, real-time inventory visibility, and AI-enabled fulfillment, we unpack the systems and strategies powering seamless shopping experiences. Explore how retailers can tackle operational complexity, optimize the customer experience, and prepare for 2026 retail tech trends. Packed with insights, practical takeaways, and a closer look at the tech behind the buzz, this episode is for anyone looking to stay ahead in retail transformation. 

Argos has undergone one of the most visible transformations – from being a catalogue retailer to approximately 80% of sales now coming through digital channels. Heni Hazbay, Marketing Director at Argos, joins us for a candid look at how the Sainsbury's owned business is evolving for a digital-first world.  Tune in to hear all about its 'More Argos, more often' strategy. Heni tells us how Argos is sharpening its brand positioning in an increasingly competitive market, modernising the customer experience across channels, using data and AI to simplify journeys and personalise at scale, and rethinking loyalty through the power of Nectar. Heni brings a fascinating perspective on marketing at scale, creativity, leadership and what it takes to modernise the UK's #1 click & collect retailer. 

Why do so few clothes actually fit? In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg sits down with retail powerhouse Julia Reynolds to uncover why sizing has become fashion's most expensive blind spot - and how AI could finally fix it. With more than 35 years in retail, Julia has led some of Britain's best-known brands – she and her team founded the Florence & Fred brand at Tesco, which they then expanded to Central Europe and Asia. She went on to become CEO of figleaves.com, took Blacks Leisure through a sale process as CEO and consumer brand Antler Luggage through a turnaround - also as CEO. Julia now she runs Rey House, a business using AI and big data to solve fit for women over 40. 👗 Expect insights on: Why only 8% of women find clothes that truly fit! How AI and data can tackle returns, waste, and sustainability. The future of sizing, customer experience, and inclusive fashion design. 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations shaping the future of retail.

Half of UK consumers say customer service feels overly automated, joyless, and exhausting. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Peter Cross — consultant, speaker, and author of Start with the Customer — joins Natalie Berg to explore how retailers can bring back the human touch. Peter reminds us that "customers would rather wait for good service than get instant bad service," and reveals what leaders must do to build truly customer-obsessed, employee-centric organizations. Expect insights on: The golden rules and cardinal sins of customer service How great CX starts with company culture The danger of blind faith in technology The future of AI, empathy, and human connection in retail About Peter Cross: One of the UK's leading authorities on customer behaviour, Peter is former Customer Experience Director for John Lewis and Waitrose, and was Mary Portas' business partner for ten years. He is Vice President of the Institute of Customer Service, a global Ambassador for the Retail Trust, and Vice Chairman at the Fragrance Foundation. 📘 Learn more about Peter's book Start with the Customer

Live shopping is transforming e-commerce. It's a $120 billion global market that's expected to hit $2 trillion by 2030. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg speaks with Daniel Fisher, Head of Categories, Europe, at Whatnot - the largest live shopping platform in North America, the UK, and Europe. Every week, shoppers watch 340,000 hours of live content on Whatnot, helping sellers generate up to 4x more sales versus traditional e-commerce. It just may well be the "biggest business you've never heard of", in CEO and co-founder Grant LaFontaine's own words. In the US, Whatnot is the second most downloaded iPhone app in the shopping category, just behind Temu (it's ranked number 4 in the UK, at the time of recording). Tune in to learn how entertainment, community, and authenticity are redefining retail - and why live shopping could soon make up 20% of all online sales.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with global retail futurist Ariel Haroush, founder of Outform and the visionary behind Future Stores on Oxford Street. Natalie and Ariel discuss how physical retail should be reinvented for the digital age—where stores move at the speed of culture, powered by data, AI, and immersive experiences. Ariel also shares insights on brand activations like the Shein and Tesla pop-ups in the Future Stores space. Expect bold insights on experiential retail, pop-up spaces, and how technology is reshaping the way brands connect with consumers.

TikTok is reshaping how people discover, explore, and buy products — and retailers are taking note. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Paul Mears, Group Vertical Director for Retail & E-commerce at TikTok UK, about how discovery commerce is changing the path to purchase. Together they unpack the findings from TikTok's first UK Shopping Report, discuss how entertainment and commerce are converging, and explore what brands can learn from the creators driving this new era of shopping inspiration. 🎧 Tune in to learn: How TikTok is redefining e-commerce Why discovery-led shopping is the future Which brands are doing social commerce well What retailers can do to engage the next-generation consumer 👉 For more retail insights, make sure to subscribe to the podcast! https://retaildisrupted.com