Retail Disrupted

Delivery isn't a back-end operation anymore – it's a frontline customer experience. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, we unpack the psychology of delivery and why retailers are now held responsible for every knock, delay and "Sorry we missed you" card. District Marketing Director Morgan Rivers (UPS - UK, Ireland and Nordics) joins Natalie Berg live from The Delivery Conference to explore how choice, control and trust are reshaping last-mile strategy – and why 40% of cart abandonment is delivery-related. In this episode, retail leaders will learn: • How delivery has become a critical extension of your brand experience – not just the carrier's job • Why predictability often beats speed and how to design delivery promises customers actually believe • The optimal number of delivery options (and why too much choice kills conversion) • What the rise of lockers and out-of-home delivery really means for convenience and sustainability • How international shoppers think differently about delivery – and why "one size fits all" no longer works • Practical ways to communicate delays, failures and issues without destroying trust • How to prepare for AI, real-time tracking and new consumer expectations in the last mile This episode is brought to you from The Delivery Conference, powered by Metapack. Learn more here: https://www.thedeliveryconference.com/TDC2026  If you're a retail leader, GM or board member navigating disruption in e-commerce, fulfilment and customer experience, subscribe for weekly deep dives on the future of shopping.

The center of retail gravity has shifted. On this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Jonathan Reynolds, Associate Professor in Retail Marketing and Deputy Dean at Oxford's Said Business School, to dismantle the Western-centric view of retail innovation. They explore why the US and UK are no longer the primary testbeds for new concepts and outline the 3 Rules for Futureproofing Retail Strategy: Rule #1: Look East, Not West. Why innovation has migrated from New York/London to Shanghai/Seoul, and why Western retailers must study the Asian "ecosystem" model. Rule #2: Tech is a Catalyst, Not a Strategy. Jonathan warns against the "Tech Trap"—implementing solutions in search of problems—and explains why AI should enhance human capability, not replace it. Rule #3: Beyond the Transaction. Why the store must be a hub for experience, service, and brand media – and what that means for KPIs, retail jobs, and investment. They also debate whether AI and quick commerce will trigger a new wave of grocery e-commerce adoption – and what kind of culture retailers must build to genuinely futureproof their businesses.    

Retail is entering the age of Agentic Commerce – where AI agents don't just recommend products, they autonomously sense, decide, and act to achieve customer goals. In this episode, sponsored by NCR Voyix, Amit Acharya unpacks what this shift really means for enterprise retailers: why you must design simultaneously for two customers – the human in the aisle and the AI agent acting on their behalf – and why a unified commerce foundation is non-negotiable. You'll learn: What Agentic Commerce Actually Is – and how it differs from today's search- and recommendation-based systems. The Two-Customer Challenge – humans wanting inspiration, discovery and joy vs. agents optimising for relevance, availability and speed. Why Unified Commerce Is The Real Prerequisite – open APIs, microservices and a single source of truth so agents can access clean, decomposed data. From Months To Minutes – how modern architectures slash deployment cycles and reduce the risk of "working" 40-year-old systems. Store-Level Impact – from reducing self checkout interventions to using edge computing so stores keep trading even when networks are choppy. Featuring: Amit Acharya, Corporate Vice President of Product & Design for Retail Commerce, NCR Voyix  Hosted by: Natalie Berg, Retail Disrupted

How does a challenger brand disrupt a legacy category dominated by giants? SURI co-founders Gyve Safavi and Mark Rushmore have a few ideas. They join Natalie Berg to share how they're reinventing oral care with a sustainable, design-led electric toothbrush that consumers actually love to use.  We unpack how they quickly scaled from D2C startup to a multi-million-dollar business stocked in Boots, Target, Goop and other major retailers — all while maintaining their core mission: sustainability, design and performance.  We dive into:  Why the toothbrush market was ripe for disruption The "secret sauce" behind SURI's cult-like customer love Scaling challenges: under-hiring, cash flow, and staying true to mission How high-profile fans (from Sir Jony Ive to the Kardashians) became organic advocates US expansion and learnings from bricks & mortar Lessons for any challenger brand looking to compete with giants  If you're a retail, CPG or D2C leader looking to build more sustainable, design-led products – or to understand how challenger brands can take on incumbents – this conversation is packed with actionable insight. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and check out our relaunched YouTube channel!

Retail is evolving fast — but physical stores still matter more than ever. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg is joined by Melissa Gonzalez — design strategist, entrepreneur, author of The Purpose Pivot, and Principal at MG2 — to explore the future of experiential retail, why digitally native brands are investing in physical stores, and how purpose-led leadership is reshaping the industry. From pop-ups and Gen Alpha to AI, wellness, and community-driven retail spaces, Melissa shares practical insights for brands navigating the next era of commerce — plus the personal wake-up call that inspired her new book. 🎙 Expect real talk on leadership, vulnerability, and what makes retail experiences truly resonate today. Melissa's book: The Purpose Pivot https://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Pivot-Dynamic-Vulnerability-Intuition/dp/1394329474   Melissa's podcast: Retail Refined https://marketscale.com/shows/retail-refined/  

Can "soft" skills really deliver hard numbers? In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Matt Close, a 30-year Unilever veteran who proved that building a "happiness culture" isn't just nice to have—it's a massive growth engine. Matt served on Unilever's Executive Committee and led the €8B Global Ice Cream business for 8 years. During his tenure, he added €3B in growth by taking an end-to-end approach to transforming value creation. His secret weapon? Building what he calls a 'happiness company'. This episode is brought to you by The Richmond Retail & eCommerce Directors' Forum, where Matt will be hosting a session this April on how to create a people-first culture. Retailers: register your interest here: https://www.richmondevents.com/contact/request?Item=DelegateInvite&EventCode=RET26 IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE: The literal business case for happiness: How it drives risk-taking and entrepreneurship. Why culture matters just as much in the factory as it does in the boardroom. Quick commerce and other forces reshaping the ice cream category Leadership lessons from 3 decades at one of Britain's biggest listed companies. Listen here or head over to watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4ZfjADu1DxY?si=IWEGChY62MAiRxBI      

AI is no longer hype in retail - it's becoming table stakes. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, we're joined by senior retail and data leaders shaping the future of commerce: Keyur Govande (Chief Technology Officer at Depop), Daniel Bos (Senior Director of Data, Analytics & AI at Just Eat Takeaway.com), and Daniel Chasle (Chief Data Officer at New Look). Together, we unpack how AI is transforming customer experience through hyper-personalization, real-time relevance, and smarter commerce journeys—from food delivery micro-moments to fashion discovery and the rise of agentic AI. This is a practical, honest conversation about what's actually working, what's overhyped, and how retailers can turn AI investment into real customer value and ROI. 🎧 Expect insights on: personalization vs relevance, AI-powered discovery, legacy tech challenges, agentic commerce, and what the next wave of retail disruption really looks like. Recorded live on stage at London Tech Week's AI in Retail Event.

How does an iconic luxury beauty group stay relevant in an AI-powered world? Recorded live on stage at London Tech Week's AI in Retail Event in London, this episode of Retail Disrupted features Pernilla Nyberg, SVP & General Manager UK & Ireland at The Estée Lauder Companies. Pernilla shares how Estée Lauder is thoughtfully using AI and data to support creativity, innovation, and personalization across luxury beauty — from trend intelligence and product development to fragrance, digital experiences, and in-store service. A candid conversation on balancing technology with craftsmanship, brand equity, and high-touch human experience in prestige beauty.

International expansion isn't about copy-and-paste growth — it's about cultural intelligence.  In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg is joined by CMOs and leading global brand experts Katherine Melchior Ray and Nataly Kelly to explore why so many global brands fail — and what they should do differently to succeed across borders. From luxury retail and hospitality to beauty, fashion, and FMCG, this conversation unpacks real-world examples (Sephora, Walmart, Target, Louis Vuitton, Apple, Uniqlo) as covered in Katherine and Nataly's book: Brand Global, Adapt Local.  If you're responsible for brand, retail, marketing, or international growth — this episode is for you.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg shares her 2026 outlook and insights from the KPMG Retail Think Tank. She is then joined by international logistics expert Becky Lombardo to unpack how retailers can build resilient, flexible, and profitable supply chains in an increasingly unpredictable world. Becky shares practical insights on global trade disruption, nearshoring, returns, AI in logistics, sustainability, and why doing less - not more - may be the smartest strategy for retail leaders in 2026. 🎙️ Ideal for: retail executives, e-commerce leaders, supply chain professionals, brand founders, and investors. 00:00 – Introduction to Retail Disrupted 00:28 – Retail trends and challenges shaping 2026 02:48 – Geopolitical risk, weak demand & supply chain pressure 05:10 – AI, personalization & the risk of cognitive complacency 07:05 – Meet Becky Lombardo: global logistics & supply chain expert 08:25 – Why unpredictability is the biggest threat to retail planning 09:45 – Tariffs, geopolitics & global trade uncertainty 10:35 – Sourcing risk, China dependency & supply chain blind spots 12:47 – Nearshoring, profitability & smarter sourcing strategies 14:58 – Doing more with less: cutting complexity in supply chains 16:54 – What luxury retailers get right about customer experience 18:58 – Customer expectations vs speed, service & reliability 20:57 – Logistics, fulfilment & treating every customer like a VIP 23:02 – AI in logistics: efficiency vs human touch 24:39 – Returns, serial returners & charging for returns 26:49 – Sustainability, cost control & smarter supply chains 29:00 – Fixing fit, reducing fashion returns & new technology 31:07 – Direct-to-consumer vs wholesale: hidden operational costs 33:19 – Final advice for brands navigating retail disruption 34:10 – Where to find Becky Lombardo & closing remarks 🔗 KPMG Retail Think Tank: 2026 Outlook (LinkedIn post) 🔗 More about Becky and Londra Consulting 

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