The Retail Podcast (Video Feed)

RH London, Harvey Nichols & the Future of Luxury

Luxury retail is evolving beyond products and this week's World Retail Signals explores exactly why.
Alex is joined by Ian and Niamh  from the World Retail Congress to discuss the biggest retail developments shaping the industry today.
In this episode:
RH London's new flagship "Gallery" and how experiential retail is redefining luxury.Why brands including Dior, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Alo Yoga are investing in destination experiences across Europe's luxury holiday hotspots.The reported sale of Harvey Nichols and what it could signal for consolidation across UK retail.How retailers like Next, Marks & Spencer and Frasers Group are expanding through brand portfolios and acquisitions.Why startup innovation continues to drive grocery retail, with insights from the Grocer Gold Awards and the rapid growth of Griddle Bakery.
Whether you're a retailer, brand leader, investor or simply interested in where commerce is heading, this episode breaks down the signals that matter.
Topics covered:
Experiential retailLuxury retail strategyRH London GalleryRetail consolidationUK high streetDepartment storesGrocery innovationConsumer behaviourBrand experienceRetail trends
Experiential retail is becoming a key strategy for luxury brands as they look to build stronger customer engagement beyond traditional shopping. In this episode, the World Retail Signals team discusses RH London's immersive flagship, luxury destination activations from brands like Dior and Gucci, UK retail consolidation, and why innovation from emerging brands continues to shape the industry's future.
Chapter Timestamps
00:00 Introduction & Welcome
01:13 Meet the World Retail Congress Team
02:17 RH London: A New Vision for Luxury Retail
05:13 Luxury Brands Expand Into Holiday Destinations
07:07 Why Luxury Brands Need New Relevance
07:55 Harvey Nichols Sale & UK Retail Consolidation
10:04 The Rise of Retail Brand Portfolios
10:43 Grocer Gold Awards & Grocery Innovation
12:22 Why Retailers Need Startup Brands
13:12 Ocado Leadership Changes & Closing Thoughts
💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Which trend discussed today do you think will impact the industry most? Let us know in the comments below!

How SM Supermalls Serves 5 Million Shoppers Every Day | Steven S. Tan President

Can physical retail still outperform e-commerce?
In this exclusive interview recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific, Steven S. Tan, President of SM Supermalls, explains why physical shopping centres continue to thrive by putting customers at the centre of every decision.
SM Supermalls operates nearly 100 shopping centres across the Philippines and China, welcoming approximately 5 million visitors every day. Steven shares how continuous innovation, inclusive design, community-building and customer-first leadership have helped one of Asia's largest retail property businesses continue growing despite changing consumer behaviour.
In this episode you'll learn:
• Why physical retail continues to outperform expectations• How shopping centres become community destinations• Lessons retailers should learn before expanding into Southeast Asia• Why customer experience matters more than technology alone• How SM Supermalls approaches inclusivity and accessibility• The biggest mistake retailers make when entering new markets• Steven Tan's advice for staying relevant in retail
Whether you're a retailer, shopping centre operator, brand leader or retail technology professional, this conversation offers practical insights into the future of physical retail.
Recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific in Singapore.
Chapters00:00 Introduction00:23 What is SM Supermalls?01:26 From Shoe Store to Retail Giant02:01 The Future of Retail02:53 Future-Proofing Shopping Centres04:16 Customer Experience First05:08 Inclusivity in Retail07:07 Why Physical Retail Is Growing08:01 Shopping Centres as Community Spaces09:23 Advice for Global Retailers10:13 Listening to Gen Z10:39 How Brands Stay Relevant
#RetailPodcast #SMSupermalls #RetailLeadership #CustomerExperience #FutureOfRetail #ShoppingMalls #RetailInnovation #NRFAPAC #RetailStrategy #PhysicalRetail

Wimbledon's Real Winners, Osaka's 350% Spike & Google's World Cup Ads | Five Things Friday UK

The retail marketing stories that matter this week: why the brands winning Wimbledon aren't the official sponsors, Naomi Osaka's 350% search spike, Charlotte Tilbury lands in Boots, and Google's Head of Agencies UK reveals the World Cup ads topping YouTube's leaderboard.
Google's Carl Read joins Alex and Simone Oloman (NIFT) to discuss the week's biggest marketing stories, including Wimbledon, Nike, Charlotte Tilbury, Boots, Evian, YouTube, Naomi Osaka, John Lewis, Cult Beauty and more.
Topics include:
• Why Wimbledon is becoming a creator-first marketing opportunity• Naomi Osaka's powerful brand storytelling strategy• How YouTube advertising is evolving around cultural moments• Why Charlotte Tilbury's Boots expansion matters• Pride marketing and authentic community engagement• What brands can learn from Google's latest YouTube advertising insights
Carl shares Google's perspective on creator trust, emotional storytelling, YouTube performance and why today's best campaigns succeed by giving creators genuine creative freedom.
Whether you're a marketer, founder, retailer or agency leader, this episode explores how brands can stay culturally relevant while building long-term trust.
Featured Guest
Carl ReadDirector, Agencies & Partners (UKI)Google
Featuring
Alex
Simone OlomanCo-Founder & CEO, NIFT
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From Hamleys to Armani: Scaling Brands in India

What does it take to build global brands in one of the world’s most dynamic retail markets?
Sumeet Yadav, Head of Reliance Brands Limited, joins The Retail Podcast just before his keynote at NRF APAC 2026 in Singapore.
Reliance Brands Limited is one of India’s most important platforms for global luxury and lifestyle partnerships, spanning fashion, lifestyle, eyewear, toys, home, and food and beverage.
In this episode, we explore how international brands enter India, what it takes to scale them with relevance, and why the Indian consumer market requires both global brand discipline and local operating depth.
Key themes:
• Global brand growth in India• India’s luxury and lifestyle retail market• Reliance Brands Limited and international partnerships• Premium retail and consumer evolution• Lessons from Hamleys, Mothercare, Diesel, Superdry, Brooks Brothers, Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta, Valentino and Tiffany & Co.• Leadership lessons from Reliance Brands, Hamleys Global, Nando’s, Tommy Hilfiger India and Ford• NRF APAC 2026 and the future of Asia Pacific retail
This episode is for retailers, brand leaders, founders, investors and operators interested in India, global brand expansion, luxury retail, lifestyle retail and the future of consumer brands.
Links:Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumeet-yadav-8a48a87Reliance Brands / Reliance Retail: https://relianceretail.com/partner-brands.htmlNRF APAC 2026: https://nrfbigshowapac.nrf.com/speakers/sumeet_yadav__Podcast website: www.theretailpodcast.comNewsletter: www.retailnews.ai

AI Search, Shopee, Action & Target: Retail’s Big Week

Retailers are facing a new discovery challenge: what happens when AI search becomes the layer between brands and customers?
In this episode of World Retail, Alex is joined by Niamh and Ian from World Retail Congress to discuss what is top of mind across global retail. The conversation starts with one of the biggest concerns raised in a CEO survey: whether AI-driven search could reduce brand visibility by surfacing competitors, platforms or intermediaries instead of the retailers customers are actually looking for.
The team explores Shopee’s expanded partnership with ChatGPT, examples from Walmart, Google and Sephora, and why retailers may need to move from worrying about AI search to actively building around it.
They also discuss:
Why Barnes & Noble and Waterstones may show the continued power of physical bookstoresHow James Daunt’s store autonomy model has helped reshape bookstore retailWhy Action’s lean operating model and rapid store growth make it a major value retail storyThe allegations around Anthropic, Alibaba and ClaudeWhy Target and Brian Cornell are back under investor scrutinyWhat these stories reveal about the future of physical retail, AI search and customer experience
Guest/context: This episode features Alex with co-hosts Niamh and Ian from World Retail Congress.
00:00 - Retailers fear AI search could hide their brands00:38 - Welcome to World Retail with Neve and Ian01:04 - Why Asia may show the future of retail01:21 - AI search becomes retailers’ top concern01:46 - Shopee expands its ChatGPT partnership02:15 - Walmart, Google, Sephora and retail AI adoption03:13 - Barnes & Noble and Waterstones IPO rumours04:13 - What retailers can learn from local bookstore autonomy04:40 - Action rebounds as 3i investors watch value retail05:33 - Why Action’s operating model is so effective06:22 - Action’s store density, SKU consistency and local flexibility08:35 - Anthropic, Alibaba and alleged Claude distillation claims09:54 - Target, Brian Cornell and investor pressure11:12 - Heatwave wrap-up and closing thoughtsSubscribe for more weekly analysis on global retail, AI in commerce, store strategy, ecommerce, leadership and the future of retail.

Lacoste, Nadine Merabi, Wimbledon Pop-Ups, JD Sports & Disney Collectibles: This week in UK Retail

This week on Five Things Friday UK Edition, Alex is joined by Simone Oloman, co-founder and CEO of For Tonight / Neft, a rapid delivery business for retailers, to unpack five retail stories from a quieter but still revealing week in UK fashion, lifestyle and consumer culture.
From Lacoste transforming Selfridges into a tennis clubhouse to Ralph Lauren’s Wimbledon activity on Sloane Square, this episode looks at how brands are turning sporting moments into immersive retail experiences.
Alex and Simone also discuss why big physical retail is far from dead, with JD Sports opening its largest store in Scotland and Dunelm launching a 34,000 sq ft Kingston superstore. Plus, they look at Disney’s push into collectibles with YuYus and why Nadine Merabi’s denim launch is a smart example of category expansion.
In this episode:
How Wimbledon is becoming a major retail activation momentWhy fashion and sport collaborations feel increasingly naturalThe return of large-format flagship retailDisney YuYus and the power of collectiblesNadine Merabi’s move from occasionwear into everyday wardrobe categoriesWhy trust is key when brands expand into new product areas
Guest context:Simone Oloman is the co-founder and CEO of Need It For Tonight / NIFT, a business offering rapid delivery for retailers, including app-based delivery and checkout integrations for 90-minute delivery.
Show notes / links mentioned:Nadine Merabi: https://www.instagram.com/nadinemerabi/?hl=enLacoste at Selfridges: https://www.theindustry.fashion/lacoste-brings-its-tennis-clubhouse-to-selfridges/Ralph Lauren Wimbledon post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZtsNTsDBf3/?img_index=7JD Sports Livingston: https://www.lcpgroup.co.uk/news/jd-sports-opens-its-largest-store-in-scotland-at-the-centre-livingston-next-monthJD Sports: https://www.jdsports.co.uk/Dunelm Kingston: https://furniturenews.net/news/dunelm-opens-kingston-superstoreDisney YuYus Soho pop-up: https://press.disney.co.uk/news/meet-disneys-cutest-new-collectable-companions-this-june-at-exclusive-pop-up-in-soho

Meta Glasses, Walmart Drones & Retail's Biggest Shifts This Week

Retail innovation continues to accelerate.
In this episode of Five Things Friday USA, Joe and Jill explore five major stories shaping the future of commerce:
• Meta's expanding partnership with Best Buy and the rise of AI-powered smart glasses
• Walmart's aggressive drone delivery rollout targeting millions of Americans
• Amazon Prime Day's expansion into a four-day retail event
• Quince's transition from digital-first success to physical retail
• The surprising growth of store openings across the U.S.
The conversation examines what these developments mean for retailers, brands, technology leaders, and consumers as the industry continues to evolve.
Topics covered:
Retail innovationEcommerce strategyDrone deliveryAI wearablesOmnichannel retailPrime DayStore expansionConsumer trendsPhysical retail
Subscribe for weekly retail insights and analysis.

How Brands Reach Gen Z Without TikTok + Coach's Retail Masterclass

What happens when brands can no longer rely on social media to reach younger consumers?
In this week's Five Things Friday UK, retail expert Simone Oloman, Co-Founder and CEO of NIFT, joins us to discuss one of the biggest questions facing retail marketers today: how brands stay connected to youth culture as social media regulations evolve.
We explore:
✅ The potential impact of proposed social media restrictions for under-16s✅ Why brands may need to return to real-world community building✅ The rise of experiential retail and in-store activations✅ What Coach's Selfridges pop-up teaches us about modern retail✅ Deliveroo's latest retail partnership and the growth of instant delivery✅ How physical stores are becoming fulfilment centres for modern commerce✅ Why customer experience is becoming the biggest competitive advantage
Featuring real-world examples from Coach, Selfridges, H&M, Deliveroo and leading retail brands, this episode explores how retail is evolving beyond transactions into experiences, community and convenience.
https://uk.coach.com/
Featured GuestSimone OlomanCo-Founder & CEO, NIFT
Topics CoveredGen Z marketingYouth consumer behaviourSocial media regulationRetail innovationExperiential retailCoach at SelfridgesRapid deliveryRetail mediaStore transformationCustomer engagementSubscribe
Subscribe for weekly insights into retail innovation, commerce, customer experience and the future of shopping.
Chapter Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Meet Simone Oloman01:19 What NIFT Does: Instant Delivery Infrastructure01:58 How Social Media Restrictions Could Change Youth Marketing03:17 Why Physical Experiences May Matter More Than Algorithms05:20 Deliveroo's Football Campaign & Instant Retail Delivery06:55 Why Stores Are Becoming Fulfilment Centres08:55 Coach's Selfridges Pop-Up Experience10:06 Retail Roadshow: London, Coach & Selfridges12:09 H&M and the Premiumisation of Retail12:30 Can Physical Retail Compete with AI and E-Commerce?13:06 Coach's Multi-Generation Retail Strategy14:16 Retail Innovation Across Europe

The Retail Trends Reshaping APAC: Pomelo, Temu, Miniso & More

This episode of Five Things Friday explores major retail developments across APAC and global markets. Ruth Kewell and Alex discuss Pomelo's mobile-first retail model in Southeast Asia, the worsening retail conditions in Australia, and the international expansion of Chinese retail brands including Miniso, Urban Revivo, Temu and Shein.
The conversation highlights how mobile commerce, changing consumer behaviour, Gen Z purchasing habits, and global competition are reshaping retail strategies worldwide.
00:00 Introduction & Five Things Friday
00:00:36 Pomelo: The Mobile-First Retail Pioneer
00:01:42 How Pomelo Built Stores Around Ecommerce
00:02:24 The "Tap, Try, Buy" Retail Model
00:03:48 Australian Retail Under Pressure
00:04:35 Shareholder Pressure and Retail Performance
00:05:23 Retail Debt, Restructuring and Survival
00:05:45 Temu and Shein Face Regulatory Challenges
00:06:33 Miniso's Global Expansion Strategy
00:07:20 Gen Z's Growing Influence on Retail
00:07:48 Urban Revivo Expands Into Western Markets
00:08:32 Closing Thoughts

The Global Retail Briefing: UK, GCC, Dubai & Luxury Expansion

Global retail is moving fast and this first international briefing looks beyond the US to track where the biggest growth stories are happening.
In this episode, we cover Frasers Group’s reported $2 billion takeover bid for Hugo Boss, JD.com’s UK expansion through Joybuy and its summer Black Friday positioning, Lulu Retail’s ambitious store growth across the GCC, Dubai’s two-month summer shopping push, and Jenni Kayne’s move into international markets through partners including Selfridges and TNT in Toronto.
Key themes include:
International retail expansion
Luxury and premium brand positioning
Middle East retail investment
Holiday shopping moving earlier
E-commerce growth and loyalty
Global department store and marketplace strategy
This briefing is designed to track retail stories outside the US and spotlight where consumer demand, investment, and brand expansion are shifting globally.
Subscribe for more international retail briefings.