Retail Inside Out: Recent Episodes
Retail Inside Out
A new podcast from Retail Gazette. Each episode takes a deeper dive into the topics, trends, news and personalities that are shaping and changing retail in the UK.
FMCG suppliers are operating in one of the most pressured markets in recent memory.
Consumers remain highly price conscious, retailers are focused on protecting their own margins, and challenger brands are forcing established names to fight harder for space, loyalty and volume.
In the latest episode of the Unpacked Podcast, we sit down with Ben Lewis, chief revenue officer at Salitix, to explore how suppliers can protect their bottom line in a trading environment where every pound counts.
Lewis says the squeeze on branded suppliers has intensified as own-label ranges continue to grow in strength.
“The businesses currently supplying retailers are clearly feeling a lot of pressure because of market conditions,” he says. “Recent analysis shows that own-label products are on a par in terms of volume and sales to branded products.
“That’s an interesting development as it’s brands who are leading the way, innovating and investing. That’s indicative of a marketplace that’s seen a lot of change, courtesy of the cost pressures we’ve seen. It’s been one crisis after another and as a result, we’ve seen price rise significantly.”
For many suppliers, the pressure isn't only coming from the market around them. There may also be money sitting within historic agreements, trading terms and commercial processes that has never been recovered.
That's where Salitix comes in. The business helps suppliers identify misallocated profit, review commercial contracts and recover revenue that may have been missed through legacy oversights or reconciliation gaps.
In the episode, Lewis explains how Salitix combines retail experience, forensic auditing and commercial contract expertise to help brands claw back margin without adding disruption or risk.
The sums involved can be significant.
“Let’s say you have a quality British company with brands that you recognise on the shelf,” Lewis says. “It’s not uncommon, if we do the reconciliation with the retailer, that we may find a quarter of a million pounds to half a million pounds.
“When you’re getting that money in and it’s net money, that’s amazingly potent money to have in the bank, especially when you have all of those external pressures.”
The conversation explores the changing relationship between FMCG suppliers and retailers, the growing power of own-brand, and why profit recovery is becoming a sharper priority for businesses looking to defend margin without simply pushing prices higher.
For suppliers navigating cost pressure, retailer demands and a more competitive shelf, it's a timely discussion about where efficiency may already exist inside the business.
Listen now to the latest episode of the Unpacked Podcast with Ben Lewis, chief revenue officer at Salitix.
Retail loss has swiftly become one of the most pressing and expensive challenges facing the UK retail industry.
From theft and stock shrinkage to the growing pressure placed on frontline staff, the issue has far surpassed simply being an operational headache, and is now major drag on retail profitability.
In this episode of the Unpacked Podcast, host Kieran Howells speaks to Dominic Brynholf, vice president of sales at Trigo, about how retailers can take a smarter, more strategic approach to loss prevention.
With more than 25 years of experience across retail technology, AI and business transformation, Brynholf offers a clear-eyed view of why loss is escalating, where traditional prevention methods are falling short, and how new technology can help retailers respond more effectively.
The conversation centres on the intersection of a worsening loss problem and the growing potential of AI-powered retail technology.
Rather than presenting loss prevention as something that requires a huge systems overhaul, Brynholf explains how retailers can begin making meaningful progress by using assets many already have in place, particularly existing CCTV infrastructure.
The discussion explores how AI can help retailers identify risk earlier, improve visibility across stores, reduce pressure on colleagues and support better decision-making without requiring major changes to existing tech stacks or heavy upfront investment.
While there is no single fix for loss, this episode looks at the practical steps retailers can take to minimise its impact, protect staff and unlock meaningful financial upside for the wider business.
Listen now to learn more!
Euroshop 2026 is once again behind us, and this year over 81,000 visitors descended on the show from 141 countries.
The show, which takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany, featured over 1,840 exhibitors from 61 nations. It’s a dizzying affair with so much to do and see, and it’s easy even for those in attendance to see just a tiny portion of the innovation on offer.
That’s why, in this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we sit down with Martin Ward, senior retail consultant at Toshiba, to discuss the very best that Euroshop had to offer, and his key takeaways, through the eyes of a true industry expert.
Ward takes us through the innovations that truly caught his eye, the big talking points throughout the show, and his own experience of walking the many halls.
Listen now to find out what you may have missed, and what may well be the standout innovations of 2026.
EuroShop is just around the corner. As in previous years, Euroshop 2026 is the go-to event where retailers from across Europe and around the world come together to define the global direction of retail.
More than an simply an exhibition, Euroshop has become a strategic platform for market leadership.
In this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we speak with Taras Pylypyuk, CEO of Modern Expo Europe, toexplore how events like EuroShop are evolving into powerful instruments of brand leadership, and what it signals to the global retail industry when a Ukrainian company becomes the largest partner of such a landmark event.
We discuss the key trends shaping retail over the past three years and why exhibitions are shifting from deal-driven marketplaces to trust-building ecosystems.
The conversation also looks at how retail leaders should approach networking, ROI, and strategic goal-setting to extract real, long-term value from EuroShop 2026.
We also discuss Modern Expo, which is a global provider of retail infrastructure and last-mile solutions, with over a decade of presence in the UK market, and what the company has in store for retailers at the 2026 show.
Agentic is undoubtedly one of the buzzwords of our time. However, the lightning-fast speed at which it's impacting the retail industry shows no signs of slowing. Much like the advent of ecommerce as a pivotal channel, it shows promise of genuinely fundamentally changing how much of the retail ecosystem operates.
The question is, what will that look like? In today's episode of Retail Gazette's Unpacked podcast, we sit down with AI guru and CEO of 7Learnings, Felix Hoffmann to dig into the realities that many retailers will have to face as soon as this year.
With his unmatched experience from within both retail and evolving technologies, Hoffmann explains in no uncertain terms how agentic AI will augment the shopping experience, and what will be the commonalities within the retailers who come out on top.
To truly tune into potentially retail's next big evolution, listen now.
Customer expectations. We’re constantly talking about them. However, it’s a nuanced discussion as evidence shows they’re fragmenting, accelerating and, in some cases, colliding.
In the latest episode of the Retail Gazette’s Unpacked podcast, we sit down with an expert capable of putting these changes into perspective, Oscar Strachan, digital strategy consultant at Columbus Global. Together, we unpack what retailers must get right as they head into 2026 at speed.
From personalisation and privacy to fulfilment, marketplaces and the growing influence of Gen Z, the conversation focuses on what’s actually changing customer behaviour, and importantly, where retailers risk falling behind.
For retailers looking to understand what customer experience leadership really looks like heading into 2026, this is a conversation worth listening to.
Listen to the full episode above, and explore the full Retail Gazette × Columbus report via the link below.
"Those who never used the lockers tend to say they aren't secure. But if you look at the number of lost packages during last year, you’ll see that thousand more packages were lost for home delivery to the door than those that were lost or stolen from the parcel lockers." - Jacek Powałka
In this brand new episode of the Unpacked podcast, we dig into building customer adoption for out-of-home delivery services with Jacek Powałka, one of the top global gurus on OOH solutions, and Head of the Out Of Home Solutions business unit at Modern Expo, a company that has been providing solutions for UK retailers for over 10 years and played a key role in launching the Royal Mail parcel locker network.
In this episode, we talk about the surprising preferences of younger generations and why they're leading to significant changes in how people shop, how Amazon, Valentine's Day and COVID have all fuelled the popularity of parcel lockers, and cover some of the most pragmatic uses of the technology:
- Compact drop boxes for small convenience stores guaranteeing that so-called golden shelf is still free for the products and the shop assistants don’t have to waste time collecting each and every parcel.
- Fully modular parcel compartments that can fit both extra small and big spaces.
- Parcels with ambience deep frozen temperatures or -5 degrees that can be used for food delivery.
"There are over 60000 parcel lockers in the country of 38 million inhabitants which would translate into about 100000 parcel lockers in the UK to reach the same quantity in comparison to population," Powałka states.
Retailers often think of the golden quarter in terms of stock, promotions and delivery speed. But behind every sale, every dispatch, and every customer interaction is a fundamental frontline team under immense pressure.
In 2025, with labour shortages, rising costs, and burnout at record highs, managing your workforce effectively could be the single biggest determinant of whether you thrive or stumble this peak.
In this episode of Retail Unpacked, we speak with Erik Fjellborg, CEO and founder of Quinyx, to explore how AI-driven scheduling, smarter communication, and employee engagement can turn seasonal chaos into peak performance.
We’ll discuss how flexibility, fairness, and the right tech tools not only boost productivity but also protect the wellbeing of staff, and why that’s the real secret to long-term customer loyalty.
When a restaurant’s success depends on speed, service, and seamless experiences, even a moment of downtime can spell utter disaster.
That's why, in this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we're exploring how the iconic brand Nando’s UK partnered with Ericsson to build a failover connectivity solution that keeps its restaurants cooking, no matter what.
Discover how one of Britain’s most beloved dining brands turned network resilience into a true competitive edge, and gain un-matched insight into the process from both the Nando’s and Hitachi points of view.
In this edition of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, host Kieran Howells sits down with Liz Warren and Tim Johnson from Mer, alongside Chantal Beaudoin of Knight Frank Investment Management, to explore how EV charging hubs are becoming a powerful commercial and sustainability lever for the retail sector.
With transport now responsible for 29 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions and the countdown to the 2035 ICE ban underway, the conversation examines why retail parks and shopping destinations are poised to play a pivotal role in expanding the UK’s charging network.
Across the discussion, the trio break down the dual value creation emerging for landlords, from measurable ESG gains to increased asset value, footfall and tenant spend driven by EV drivers’ longer dwell times.
They’re candid about the complexities too, from long-term legal agreements to tenant consent and power availability, while offering a grounded perspective on what retailers should realistically expect when installing charging infrastructure.
Warren also brings in the driver’s view, sharing new customer research revealing that convenience, rapid charging and high-quality amenities are now essential factors shaping EV driver behaviour, and a clear opportunity for retail destinations.
Check out the full conversation to get practical insight into the future of EV charging in retail.
Store consumables. They may not be the most invigorating part of the retail equation, but they are utterly essential. Each element of your consumables budget contributes to that vital employee experience, keeping stores running, keeping them clean and tidy, and ensuring that your staff have all that they need to thrive.
They're necessary, to say the least, but if we're honest, they can also be a hassle. Every store has a different set of requirements. Order too much, and you're taking up valuable space. Order too little, and you're leaving staff in a huge predicament they may not be prepared to handle. "I once had a store go out and buy a brand new vacuum cleaner, when all they needed to do was change the bag!" laughs Mark Swinden, Operations Manager at Aldo.
So, what if we told you that with one fundamental decision, you could completely transform antiquated supplier processes, take control of your likely spiralling consumables budget, up the quality of those products and reduce your environmental impact?
It sounds too good to be true, but today we’re sitting down with Terry Gardner, Retail Consultant and Account Director at Acopia, and Aldo's Mark Swinden to explore how the global footwear brand has done just that through smarter, more strategic partnerships.
Casting his eyes back over the fruits of the relationship Aldo cultivated with Acopia, Swinden has only this to say: “Honestly, looking back, I just wish we’d made the move sooner.”
From tackling inefficiencies in in-store consumables to building supplier relationships rooted in trust, the conversation digs into how Aldo has sharpened its agility, reduced costs and set itself up for true sustainable long-term success.
By listening, you’ll gain valuable insight into what makes a partnership work, the red flags to watch out for, and why getting supplier relationships right can be a game-changer for retail operations.
This is a very special episode of Retail Gazette Unpacked, recorded inside the brand new Aldo store on London's iconic Oxford Street. We hope you enjoy.
To learn more about what Acopia can do for you (and gain the efficiencies Mark himself has benefitted from), reach out to Terry and the Acopia team today.
Every year, the famed (and for some dreaded) golden quarter makes or breaks retailers. From Black Friday through to Christmas, demand spikes, operations strain, and customer expectations soar. But what really determines whether retailers thrive or stumble is what happens behind the scenes, in the warehouses, fulfilment centres and logistics networks that power every purchase.
In this episode of Retail Unpacked, we sit down with Clare Davies, managing director at logistics experts GXO, to uncover how retailers can build smarter, more resilient supply chains for peak 2025.
In our conversation, we’ll explore the role of automation, AI, workforce planning, and scalable warehousing, as well as the crucial factor of collaboration between retailers and logistics partners. Whether you’re a category leader or a challenger brand, this conversation will give you practical insights on how to approach the golden quarter with confidence, not chaos.
In this fascinating episode, we sit down with Izabela (Iza) Komuda, project coordinator at Elavon, to unpack the hidden complexity behind the systems that make modern retail payments so fast, secure, and invisible to the everyday shopper.
From the cutting edge of AI, biometrics, and transaction risk analysis to the evolving world of fraud prevention and compliance, Iza reveals what really happens behind the scenes when retailers modernise their payment infrastructure, and why the best partnerships are built on transparency, trust, and ongoing collaboration.
She offers a rare insider view into where the most exciting innovation is happening across the payments chain today, the technical realities of implementing advanced tools like Transaction Risk Analysis (TRA), and the gaps that still persist even among Europe’s largest retailers. Iza also breaks down the impact of emerging payment methods like account-to-account transfers, digital wallets, and even crypto, explaining how they’re reshaping both opportunity and risk in retail.
Perhaps most importantly, she makes a powerful call for open communication between retailers and their payments partners:
“Provide your payments provider with feedback. Be connected with us and tell us what you like and what you don’t like. Let us know what you think and keep that feedback going because we can work with that. The teams that support our customers, they’re great resources who are there to support that feedback loop.” — Izabela Komuda, Elavon
Whether you’re a retail leader rethinking your payment strategy, or simply curious about how technology is redefining the checkout experience, this episode is packed with practical insights, strategic takeaways, and a clear message, the future of payments is about partnership as much as it is about technology.
In this eye-opening episode, Candice Pressinger of Elavon takes us behind the curtain of payment security, demystifying the complex systems, technologies, and human expertise that keep billions in retail transactions safe every day.
With decades of experience at the cutting edge of fraud prevention and compliance, Candice reveals what even the biggest retailers still get wrong about protecting revenue and maintaining PCI-DSS compliance and the very real financial consequences of treating security as a box-ticking exercise.
She breaks down how AI-powered Transaction Risk Analysis (TRA) and biometric verification are transforming fraud control, explaining in plain, accessible terms how these innovations boost approval rates while reducing false declines.
Candice also lifts the lid on the evolving fraud landscape, from synthetic identities to coordinated cyberattacks, and offers clear, practical guidance on where retailers should focus their security investments for maximum protection and minimal disruption. With AI now embedded across most modern fraud systems, she provides a grounded take on its risks, limitations, and blind spots, and how to balance automation with human oversight.
Drawing on her experience managing PCI security at scale for BT, Candice highlights the importance of building a culture of security. One that empowers teams across every level of an organisation to take ownership, act decisively, and maintain resilience in the face of new threats.
As she puts it: “If fraudsters were a country, they’d have the third largest GDP, around £10 trillion, just behind the USA and China. They’re working hard to grow and innovate.” — Candice Pressinger, Elavon
Whether you’re a CISO, a payments lead, or a retail executive responsible for customer trust, this episode offers a rare, expert-led masterclass in what truly effective payments security looks like, and how to make it a competitive advantage, not just a compliance requirement.
In this insight-packed conversation, Scott Frisby of Elavon takes us inside the fast-evolving world of retail payments and issues a challenge to retailers everywhere. Stop treating payments as a backend cost and start seeing them as a strategic growth lever.
Scott draws on years of experience shaping payment strategy to explore where inefficiencies are still hiding in plain sight, from hidden fees and fragmented providers to outdated processes that quietly erode profitability. He offers a refreshingly pragmatic view on how retailers can reclaim control of their payment stack, negotiate smarter, and unlock real value by aligning systems with both business goals and customer expectations.
As new payment methods like digital wallets, account-to-account (A2A) transfers, and BNPL reshape the landscape, Scott discusses how to strike the right balance between innovation and simplicity, keeping customer experience frictionless while maintaining operational efficiency. He also tackles one of retail’s biggest roadblocks: cultural resistance to change, sharing practical steps leaders can take to drive transformation without disruption.
At the heart of the discussion is a simple truth: success starts with understanding what customers really want from their payment experience.
“The customer is always right. Listen to what they want, and you’ll always keep your payment stack clean and aligned with your customer base if you figure out what is really important to them.” — Scott Frisby, Elavon
Whether you’re a CFO, Head of Operations, or retail innovator, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to turn payments from a cost centre into a competitive advantage. It’s about clarity, confidence, and putting the customer, quite literally, at the centre of every transaction.
In this compelling conversation, old friend of the podcast Eric Horgan of Elavon shares an insider’s perspective on how retailers can unlock far greater value from their payments partnerships and why the smartest businesses are now treating payments as critical infrastructure, not just another operational process.
With retail under mounting pressure from rising fraud, shrinking margins, and escalating customer expectations, Eric pulls no punches in addressing the most common blind spots he sees in payment strategy today. He offers practical, data-driven advice on tackling the 40 per cent surge in chargeback volumes expected by 2026, improving approval rates through Transaction Risk Analysis (TRA), and identifying the overlooked inefficiencies that could deliver immediate financial gains if fixed.
Drawing on his dual experience as both a revenue leader and product executive, Eric highlights the opportunity retailers miss when they focus solely on cutting costs rather than exploring payment-driven revenue growth. He also delves into the growing shift toward consolidated payment providers, weighing the benefits of efficiency against the risks of over-reliance, and offers measured strategies for building resilience into modern payment ecosystems.
Above all, Eric emphasises partnership, proactivity, and continuous improvement as the foundations of success in a fast-evolving landscape:
“It’s tough out there for retailers, and it’s on us, the payments providers, to be a true partner to you and help you optimise. It’s our job to make sure your solutions are running as efficiently as possible.” — Eric Horgan, Elavon
Packed with actionable insights and forward-thinking perspective, this episode is essential listening for retail leaders who want to protect against disruption, eliminate hidden costs, and ensure their payments strategy is working as hard as they are.
Retailers can rarely measure the cost of missed opportunities. But they can catch up by optimising their equipment. How? To find out on this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we sat down with Dmytro Visyn, Chief Business Development Officer at Modern Expo - a company that has been providing solutions for UK retailers for 10 years.
“We usually think that optimization requires extra effort, but in reality it saves a great deal of time and money if you know your client. For example, refrigeration takes from 40 to 60 percent of a store's total energy consumption. Cutting energy costs by 20 percent might be equivalent to increasing sales by 5 percent. Practice shows that a typical convenience store can save around £80,000 over the lifespan of its refrigeration systems,” says Dmytro.
The main focus of the conversation is the balance between the cost of equipment and the profit it brings in the long run. Specifically, we are talking about:
- space-saving modular fixtures
- seamless checkout zones
- energy-efficient refrigeration systems
- smart grab-and-go micromarkets and more.
For a deeper dive into Modern Expo’s solutions, download the presentations with detailed information for both large chains and small convenience stores.
In this episode of Retail Unpacked, we sit down with Zara Gentles, customer engagement manager at Monsoon Accessorize, who brings more than 25 years of hands-on retail experience inside the company to the table.
From the shop floor to leading global CX strategy, Zara has seen firsthand how the customer experience has evolved – and how technology, particularly AI, is now reshaping it once again.
We discuss how AI can enhance, rather than replace, the human side of service – improving both customer and employee experience when applied with purpose. In a world where AI has become a buzzword, Zara shares how Monsoon Accessorize approaches innovation by working backwards from the customer’s needs. Expect a frank and insightful conversation that touches on the real use cases for AI in retail, how to avoid tech for tech’s sake, and why the future of great CX is still, fundamentally, human.
On this week's episode of Retail Gazette's Unpacked, we sit down with John Trenchard, who is the vice president of commercial and supply chain at DP World Ports and Terminals UK, leading strategic initiatives at two of the UK's busiest ports, London Gateway and Southampton.
The conversation covers DP World's innovative sustainability programmes like the Modal Shift Programme, significantly reducing truck journeys and emissions by shifting freight to rail, and the recently launched Carbon Inset Programme, which aims to revolutionise the way retailers manage their environmental impact.
In 2023 alone, cyber attacks and fraud cost UK retailers a staggering £11 billion in lost revenue. That’s a huge chunk of money to lose for any business, but with retail margins currently razor thin, for many it could be the difference between a healthy turnover, and ceasing training.
Retailers need protection from bad actors looking to commit nefarious acts. But with the evolution of criminal tools moving at lightning speed, how is it possible to stay ahead?
To answer that question, we’re turning to Eric Horgan, the chief product officer for Europe at card transaction experts Elavon. In the latest episode of Retail Gazette’s Unpacked podcast, Horgan sits down with host Kieran Howells, and gets into the nitty gritty of stemming return policy abuse, combatting online payment fraud, stopping phishing attacks in their tracks, and understanding AI’s role in fuelling fraud.
The conversation offers definitive answers on how you, as a business leader, can protect yourself and your customers from devastating losses, and what being perpetually protected from cyber criminals really looks like.
For more insight into protecting your business from fraud, download Elavon’s latest report, ‘Five ways retailers can combat the rising threat of fraud’.
Many consumers have had the frustrating experience of seeing that perfect item of clothing online or in a shop window, only to have it arrive or try it on and it doesn't fit. This is a common complaint for shoppers across the UK and doesn't just lead to a disappointing customer experience but also impacts sustainability schemes through high return rates. N Brown have taken an innovative approach to this particular problem, utilising tech and data as part of their Fashion for All campaign, which aims to make it easier for people to enjoy fashion and the confidence and wellbeing boost it can bring.
On this episode of the Retail Inside Out podcast we're joined by Sarah Ewens-Smythe, head of buying, N Brown, to find out how and why they developed Fashion for All and what they've learned and achieved from its successful deployment. Having achieved accolades including the Fashion Game Changer award at the 2023 Retail Gazette Awards, we discover what feedback N Brown have had from their customers, and how their return rate has declined and sustainability increased as a result of the steps they've taken.
Also joining us on this look deep into the world of fashion, we hear from Lewis Rhys Davies, senior account executive, from loyalty scheme experts SheerID. Lewis weighs in on the hot topic of personalisation, and how retailers can convert shoppers into loyal customers.
Stream the episode through the player on this page, or listen on Spotify, Apple or your preferred podcast platform.
In difficult economic landscapes the brands that connect with consumers on a deeper level are the ones that succeed and build strong brand affinity. How do retailers manage to achieve this with their customers increasingly looking at more factors than ever when choosing where to shop? From omnichannel to personalisation and AI, to sustainability and brand purpose the marketplace is more challenging than ever for retailers who are looking to connect and build lasting relationships.
Joining the Retail Gazette Retail Inside Out Podcast to discuss the topic and share there unique perspectives are Christina Downend, head of climate change, Dunelm and Marcus Henley, senior account executive, enterprise, Yext. Dunelm are the recent winners of the Best Retailer Over £500m award at the Retail Gazette Awards 2023, and have put sustainability at the heart of their business success. Yext are leaders in the world of digital experience, and have a broad view of what brands can do to connect with their customers and achieve success. Both provide an excellent insight into the steps retailers can take to build their customer proposition and deepen their relationships with their audience.
Join us for a fascinating discussion on the latest Retail Inside Out podcast.
Sleep experts' Dreams became the Official Sleep Partner of Team GB in 2019, supporting the team at the Olympics in 2020, expanding the partnership to include ParalympicsGB shortly after. A massive marketing partnership is a challenging endeavour at the best of times, but the pandemic and subsequent delay of the Tokyo games added an extra level of complexity to the mix. What can marketing professionals learn from Dreams partnership at the Olympics, and how they utilised a truly multi-channel approach to maximise their campaign impact?
To find out we're thrilled to be joined by Dreams' director of marketing Simon Moore, the winner of this years Retail Gazette Awards Marketing Gamechanger category, to hear the ins and outs of running a complex and impactful marketing campaign. Adding further insight is Andy Houstoun, chief commercial officer for Crimtan who shares his perspective on the metrics and benchmarks brands need to keep in mind to truly measure their campaigns to judge their success.
From geotesting to where to spend to deliver the results you need, we go for a deep-dive into the fundamentals that all marketing professionals, from brands big or small, can apply to help them achieve success.
About Dreams
Established in 1985, Dreams are the UK’s most loved bed retailer – backed by Tempur Sealy and led by CEO Jonathan Hirst.
Headquartered at their ‘Bedquarters’ in High Wycombe, they have around 2300 colleagues across the UK, and sell around 14,000 mattresses, bases and headboards per week to customers nationwide through their store network of 208 sites and online.
They're a proudly British business, committed to continue making their products in this country, at their Dreams Workshop in Oldbury. Currently Dreams makes 290,000 mattresses and over 200,000 divan bases & headboards a year before delivering to customers across the UK through its 11 delivery centres and fleet of 155 home delivery vehicles.
About Crimtan
Crimtan was founded in 2009 with the purpose of delivering maximum performance for their clients, with the reassurance of complete compliance.
They've continued to grow year-on-year since, winning awards such as RAR Best Online Media Buying, achieving Gold Standard certification by the IAB, DTSG Brand Safety certification by JICWEBS and featuring in Raconteur/The Times Future CMO marketing report.
Moving into the future, their mission is to be a trusted partner, delivering the most relevant, consented programmatic advertising, driving exceptional incremental ROI across every stage of the customer lifecycle. And helping more brands reach customers who need and want what they sell.
In 2023 most consumers would say they care about sustainability. The impact of the products we buy on our planet and the connection between the actions we take and our impact on our environment are clear for all to see. As sustainability becomes a way for businesses to demonstrate their value to customers, we ask what it means to be truly sustainable. To find out we couldn't imagine a better retailer to speak to than this years Retail Gazette Awards Sustainability Game Changer award winner, Lush.
Lush are no newcomers to the sustainable space, with the business holding ethics and reducing their environmental impact as key core values for the entirety of their 27-year existence. What challenges do they face, how do they bring their staff with them as sustainability stakeholders, and how do they ensure their supply chains are complying with their mission? We're thrilled to be joined by Ruth Andrade, Earth Care Strategy Lead for Lush to find out answers to all of those questions and more.
Also joining us to give us a wider view of the retail world and how brands are upping their sustainability game is Caroline Sajas, UK Business Director, Locala. Together they share insight into the challenges, opportunities and paths that retailers can take to become truly sustainable.
About Lush
Lush was founded in 1995 by six co-founders; Mo Constantine, Mark Constantine, Rowena Bird, Helen Ambrosen, Liz Bennett and Paul Greeves.
Emerging from the demise of a previous mail order business called Cosmetics To Go – a massive success that collapsed through a combination of over-trading and flooding – it was the same team that created and inspired this new venture called Lush.
Lush is 10% Employee Owned and our people are the heart and soul of our business.
About Locala
Trusted for more than a decade by the world’s top retailers, restaurants, and auto brands, Locala is the recognized leader in driving consumers to stores and measuring the results. Locala’s powerful and complete suite of digital marketing tools provides unmatched visibility into shoppers and competitors while delivering complete control over where and when brands can reach high-potential consumers and drive them to buy. Founded in 2011, the company has offices in the United States, France, Belgium, the UK, Switzerland, Singapore, Italy, Canada, Mexico, and the UAE.
Customers are demanding more than just a place to purchase goods from their ecommerce experience. We want personalisation, we want to understand the benefits of the products we choose, the impact they will have on our lives and our homes. It's no longer good enough to offer a simple portal to buying products, savvy ecommerce brands are going the extra mile by offering thought leadership, curated recommendations and adding value that goes beyond a one-time transaction.
In this episode of Retail Inside Out we speak to Tom Sloan, Head of Ecommerce and Digital at Silentnight, winner of this years Retail Gazette Awards Ecommerce Game Changer award to discover how they've revolutionised the shopping experience for their customers. From their sleepunique mattress algorithm to their plans to be the sleep experts that shoppers can rely on, we find out how they embarked on their current ecommerce journey and the learnings they've discovered along the way.
We're also joined by Kath Brameld, Industry Solutions Adviser - Retail and Wholesale, Oracle NetSuite to hear how the landscape is changing for retailers in the ecommerce space, and where brands should spend their money to weather the storm in 2023.
About Silentnight
Silentnight is the UK's most trusted sleep brand, helping the nation sleep better for over 75 years. Their mattresses have won awards from trusted bodies such as Which? And Mother&Baby, and most recently won the 2022 Retail Gazette Awards Ecommerce Game Changer award.
About Oracle NetSuite
Oracle NetSuite is the number one cloud business ERP solution. It gives businesses the visibility and control to make the right decisions, now. NetSuite’s flexibility lets you do it all, quickly and easily. With every NetSuite upgrade, your configurations and customisation migrate seamlessly.
About Retail Inside Out
Retail Inside Out is a new podcast series from Retail Gazette. Each episode will focus on the topics, trends, news and personalities that are changing the face of retail. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform to hear every episode as soon as it goes live.
Up and down the UK our once-bustling high streets are becoming overrun with unused retail space. A combination of the pandemic lockdowns and the convenience of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shopping has created a situation where many retailers simply can't commit to long leases and expensive rents on the high street.
However, as lockdown restrictions eased and people returned to meeting in person, the lack of physical retail outlets has created a hole in our communities. With many high streets now functioning as community hubs and consumers yearning for in-person experiences, could the advent of shared flexible retail spaces create a revitalised high street built around brands that were once DTC only?
To discuss the changing face of DTC we're joined by John Hoyle, founder and CEO of Sook, winner of this year’s Retail Gazette Awards Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Game Changer Award and Ian Moore, head of services for DTC experts Excellent Zephyr. We'll find out how the DTC world is changing, how flexible digitally fitted-out spaces that can be hired by the hour could save the high street, and what the future holds for the UK’s hybrid retail ecosystem.
About Sook
Sook is on a mission to revolutionise the high street. Founded by John Hoyle in 2019 from an empty restaurant in Cambridge, Sook now offers flexible, sustainable, digitally-enabled 'pop-up' space to any brand, business or community who needs it - whenever they need it - in prime retail locations.
Sook transforms empty shops into adaptive, ‘pop-up’ spaces, which are rentable by the hour. It does this by installing a modular digital fit-out, which occupiers can design and curate online. The Sook model removes the inefficiencies and cost of a traditional fit-out and allows multiple occupiers to use the space throughout the day.
About Excellent Zephyr
ExcellentZephyr’s core mission is simple: to deliver the best solutions and services that transform, innovate and grow retail businesses.
The Excellent Zephyr approach is built upon years of experience and countless projects within the NetSuite and Retail sector, so the team understands retailer challenges, needs and ambitions.
About Retail Inside Out
Retail Inside Out is a new podcast series from Retail Gazette. Each episode will focus on the topics, trends, news and personalities that are changing the face of retail. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform to hear every episode as soon as it goes live.