China's Trojan Horse & Europe's Trust Crisis

The trust crisis in retail is real — only 1 in 3 consumers today believe what brands say about themselves. Philippe Gelder, President & CEO of Voted Product of the Year Worldwide, reveals how consumer trust became retail's most fragile asset — and why Europe is uniquely vulnerable just as Chinese retailers enter their third wave of expansion. 📺 Prefer video? Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v8HtbhYqpd0?si=shlaGT-KK7aoZ7PN In this episode, Philippe and Natalie Berg explore: • Why social media and AI are eroding brand trust — and what replaces it • Europe's "perfect storm": regulation, energy costs, and no narrative • The third wave of Chinese retailers: JD/Joybuy and the Trojan Horse strategy • China's "involution" problem — why they need Europe • De minimis exemption: why blocking parcels won't work • Why "e-commerce" should disappear as a concept • The collaboration imperative for brands and retailers Philippe Gelder is President & CEO of Voted Product of the Year Worldwide, the world's largest consumer-voted award for products, brands and retailers. Trusted by 4.5 billion consumers across 40+ countries. Retail Disrupted is a top 5% global podcast. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com 

Asda's Tickled Pink campaign has raised a whopping £100 million over 30 years. This isn't just fundraising — it's embedding a cause into the culture of a business. 🎗️🩷 In this episode, I sit down with the team behind it all — Emma Betts (Asda), Rachel Carrington (Breast Cancer Now), and Jo MacSween (CoppaFeel!) — to unpack why this partnership why been so successful, both socially and commercially. What retail leaders will take from this: → Why long-term charity partnerships outperform short-term campaigns — commercially and culturally → How supplier involvement turned a cause into a £2.5M fundraising engine → The "phygital" future: combining physical and digital channels to drive awareness and donations → Why £1.8M came from self-checkout tills alone — and what that tells us about micro-donations → How CSR strategy can drive measurable shifts in customer behaviour and brand perception This is a fabulous feel-good story. It's also a masterclass in purpose-led retail strategy. 🫶 🎙️ Guests:  Emma Betts — Head of Tickled Pink Partnership, Asda Rachel Carrington — Head of Principal Partnerships, Breast Cancer Now Jo MacSween — Director of Fundraising, CoppaFeel!   Retail Disrupted™ is a Top 5% Global Podcast hosted by retail analyst and author Natalie Berg. New episodes explore the trends reshaping the future of shopping. 🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly retail insights https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 

What does the CEO of Morrisons actually think about AI, shopper loyalty, and the pace of change? Retail analyst Natalie Berg shares five direct learnings — then River Island's Tech Director reveals how fashion is fighting the same battle. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie shares frontline intelligence from the Richmond Retail and eCommerce Directors' Forum, including rare direct access to Rami Baitieh, CEO of Morrisons (and former CEO of Carrefour France). Then Meriel Neighbour, Director of Technology at River Island, unpacks how fashion retail is navigating Gen Z's demand for speed, the returns crisis, and AI's real-world role on the shopfloor. From Morrisons: Why Rami believes "the bigger the store, the bigger the problem" How AI personalisation is driving Morrisons' e-commerce growth "Customers are loyal to their pocket" — what shopper promiscuity means for grocery and beyond The £200m+ tax burden threatening retailer pricing power and long-term planning From River Island (starts at 11 min): How social commerce and Gen Z's "I need it now" mindset are making speed-to-market a survival strategy The returns crisis: why inconsistent sizing across brands is the root cause — and how virtual try-ons could fix it River Island's internal AI platform that cut service desk calls by 80% Meriel's bold vision: AI that spots a mannequin on the street, adds the outfit to your basket, and has it at your desk before you arrive For retail leaders navigating disruption — this is essential listening. 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% global podcast hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionise Commerce. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com  

Snapchat is no longer just a messaging app — it's Gen Z's discovery engine, digital changing room, and social shopping hub, and it's transforming how forward-thinking retailers must think about the purchase funnel. 90% of UK Gen Z are on Snapchat. Only 5% describe themselves as impulsive shoppers. And 73% still visit a physical store at least once a week. If those numbers challenge what you thought you knew about the next generation of consumers, this episode is required listening. Natalie Berg sits down with Rachel Levy, Head of Retail & Lifestyle at Snapchat, to decode the Gen Z shopper — and what every retail leader needs to understand about augmented reality, authentic advertising, and why the changing room is going digital. In this episode:  Why Gen Z are budget-conscious and considered, not impulsive (the data will surprise you) How AR virtual try-ons are reducing returns and building purchase confidence The "changing room becomes Snapchat" thesis — and what it means for physical retail Why Gen Z don't mind ads (as long as you're not faking it) How to structure a full-funnel Snapchat strategy across all tabs Social commerce strategies: the first step every brand should take  Connect with Rachel Levy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-levy-48450414/  About Retail Disrupted Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce. Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast for leaders navigating the future of shopping.  👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com 

Traditional ROI is broken. If you're still measuring success with quarterly numbers and like-for-like sales, you're flying blind into the next decade of retail. In this episode, host Natalie Berg is joined by Martin Newman — "The Consumer Champion", author of ROI Reimagined, and a 40-year retail veteran who has shaped strategies for brands like Burberry, Harrods, and Ted Baker. Together, they dismantle the "96% Problem" (why 96% of website visitors don't buy) and introduce the ROI Reimagined framework — a set of 11 critical metrics designed for the future of shopping, where innovation and failure are inextricably linked. In this episode, you will learn: The 96% Problem: Why retailers are obsessed with conversion rates but ignore the massive opportunity in those who leave empty-handed. CX vs. CC: The strategic difference between Customer Experience (what happens to the customer) and Customer Centricity (what the business must do to deliver it). The 11 Future Metrics: A breakdown of the "new" ROI, including Return on Integrity, Inclusion, Inspiration, and Innovation. The "Monday Morning" Challenge: A simple framework to re-energize your leadership meetings and shift focus from reporting to problem-solving. Tech-Led Trade-Ins: Lessons from brands like Suit Supply and CDLP on bridging the gap between digital and physical retail. 🔔 Subscribe to the Retail Disrupted YouTube Channel: Watch the full video version here 👉 Follow Natalie Berg on LinkedIn: Natalie Berg | Retail Analyst Retail Disrupted™ is a Top 5% Global Podcast for retail leaders. If you found this episode valuable, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This CFO doesn't care about ROI. Instead, Vineta Bajaj (Holland & Barrett CFO) believes we should be asking: How will the customer's life change? Will they get a better assortment? Will they get better pricing? Will they get dynamic pricing? Will they get better personalization? If I invest this in tech, will my frequency go up? Will my conversion go up? Will my AOV go up? Will they keep coming back? Long-term compounding beats short-term justification. Every time. Vineta also breaks down: Holland & Barrett's omnichannel transformation Why grocery e-commerce is structurally brutal - and why most retailers are playing it wrong (pre-H&B, Vineta was the CFO at Rohlik Group and she also spent 10 years at Ocado so the perfect person to help us demystify this) Whether quick commerce is here to stay What her LinkedIn cat memes 🐈 tell us about her leadership style Why all retail leaders need to be on TikTok The case for "boring AI" 📺 Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for the full video episode of our conversation with Vineta + exclusive clips from the podcast every week: https://youtu.be/iUwAGCfc5NU?si=gMRnCdsJaHHCoCtd

While major chains struggle with closures and declining foot traffic, one category is quietly thriving: recommerce. And at the center of it is a surprising advantage - physical stores. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, retail analyst Natalie Berg sits down with Stephen Preuss, Co-Founder and CEO of PayMore, to unpack how a brick-and-mortar-first strategy is fueling the fastest-growing electronics franchise in the U.S. You'll learn: Why physical retail is essential for trust in secondhand transactions How PayMore achieves a 7-minute average transaction vs. ~60 mins for pawn shops — and why that speed builds loyalty The 75% repeat customer rate that defies a 7% industry average How PayMore competes with eBay, pawn shops, and Big Tech buyback programs  The franchise model: building a strong network of seasoned operators How PayMore is turning used electronics into a community retail experience — creating local jobs, driving economic growth, and keeping money in the neighbourhood 2 million pounds of e-waste diverted — and why sustainability is now a revenue driver International expansion: UK, Canada, and Europe  📺 You can also watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXHJdr7LhTM and don't forget to subscribe for weekly insights and exclusive clips from the podcast!  If you're a retail leader exploring resale, recommerce, or franchise growth, this episode is a must-listen.

Millions of people are already shopping with AI. It's rewiring how customers discover, browse, and buy products - and we're really just getting started. Deann Evans, Shopify's Managing Director, EMEA, joins Natalie Berg to share how Shopify is building AI into the fabric of commerce and what that means for retailers over the next 3–5 years.  We dig into agentic commerce, unified commerce, and how retailers can offer a consistent experience across stores, apps, marketplaces and AI assistants. We also dive into ecosystem shifts like the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) – and what it means when your products, prices and inventory start surfacing directly inside AI-led experiences, not just on your own site.  For GMs, CX leaders, e-commerce heads and board level strategists, this episode offers a clear lens on how AI is reshaping the retail landscape – and the decisions you need to prioritize now to stay relevant. TIMESTAMPS 2:15 – How AI Already Shapes Everyday Shopping / 6:45 – Agentic Commerce – From Discovery to Purchase / 12:30 – Unified Data Foundations – Building a Single Source of Truth / 17:00 – Trust, Control & Governance – Where Humans Stay in the Loop / 22:15 – Execution Playbook – Moving from Pilots to Production / 27:30 – Key Actions for Retail Leaders  🔔 Subscribe to Retail Disrupted for weekly insights from the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 

What does "luxury" mean when your brand is over 300 years old, your customers span Gen Z to Royal Households, and your products have to delight both online and in-store? In this Retail Disrupted episode, Fortnum & Mason's Director of Buying for Hampers, Fashion, Beauty & Home, Jo Newton, lifts the lid on how a heritage icon stays radically relevant. You'll learn: • How Fortnum & Mason defines modern luxury beyond logos and price • The role of "joy" as a core KPI for products and experiences • How tight supplier relationships fuel innovation without diluting heritage • Why gifting, hampers and service are being redesigned for a new generation of luxury customers Plus a little bit of Fortnum & Mason trivia – from Charles Dickens being a fan to the invention of the Scotch egg! 🤝 This episode is brought to you by The Richmond Retail & eCommerce Directors' Forum, where Jo will be continuing the conversation on protecting brand equity while still evolving for the future of shopping. Retailers, there's still time to register your interest here: https://richmondevents.com/forums/details/ret26    

What happens when a major retailer hands the reins to AI? In this episode, Natalie Berg is joined by Simon Ellis, Head of AI Transformation and Enterprise Architecture at Pets at Home, to unpack how AI is quietly reshaping the way we shop – from loyalty and personalisation to agentic shopping and AI search. We dig into how Pets at Home is using AI to: - Turn a traditional loyalty scheme into a real-time, intelligent pet-care companion - Move from "segment marketing" to genuinely individual experiences at scale - Connect data across stores, vets and e-commerce to power smarter decisions - Prepare for a world where AI agents do more of the shopping for us 🤝 This episode is brought to you by The Richmond Retail & eCommerce Directors' Forum, where Simon will be taking part in our AI session. Retailers, there's still time to register your interest here: https://www.richmondevents.com/contact/request?Item=DelegateInvite&EventCode=RET26 THIS EPISODE IS FOR RETAIL LEADERS WHO WANT TO: - Understand the real opportunities of AI beyond hype and pilots - Work out where agentic shopping fits into their strategy - Futureproof their customer experience, loyalty and retail media plans - Learn how to organize teams, data and governance for AI transformation ABOUT MY GUEST Simon Ellis is Head of AI Transformation and Enterprise Architecture at Pets at Home, the UK's leading pet care business. He sits at the intersection of tech, data and commercial strategy – turning AI from a buzzword into measurable value across the group. ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Retail Disrupted™ is a Top 5% Global Podcast hosted by retail analyst and author Natalie Berg. Every episode is a strategy briefing for leaders navigating the future of shopping – from AI and agentic commerce to loyalty, retail media and store innovation. If you're a retailer, brand, investor or board member who needs clear answers on where retail is headed – you're in the right place. Subscribe for weekly learnings from the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.