EuroShop has always been a useful snapshot of where retail is heading, but this year the shift felt particularly clear. The conversation is no longer about whether physical retail has a future – it’s about how stores are evolving into smarter, more adaptable and more experience-driven environments.

Walking the halls in Düsseldorf, five themes stood out.

1. The store is becoming an intelligent environment

Retail technology was everywhere, but the difference this year is how seamlessly it’s being integrated into the physical environment. Instead of isolated screens or gimmicky interactions, brands are embedding intelligence into fixtures, shelving and service points. From AI-assisted product discovery to smarter stock visibility and digital merchandising tools, the store is increasingly behaving like a connected system rather than a static space.

2. Flexibility is now a core design principle

Retailers are under constant pressure to evolve their offer, and the store environment needs to keep up. Across EuroShop there was a clear move toward modular display systems, reconfigurable fixtures and adaptable lighting solutions. The best concepts allow brands to refresh storytelling, seasonal campaigns or product launches quickly – without the cost and disruption of a full refit.

3. Experience is the new competitive advantage

Convenience is largely owned by ecommerce, which means the role of the store is shifting toward engagement and discovery. The most compelling environments on show were those designed to be explored: tactile materials, sculptural forms and layouts that invite customers to interact with the brand rather than simply browse shelves.

4. Sustainability is becoming a technical discipline

Sustainability has been a talking point for years, but what stood out this time was the growing focus on practical implementation. From recycled materials and lightweight fabrication techniques to more efficient lighting systems, sustainability is increasingly being engineered into store environments rather than simply communicated through messaging.

5. Stores are becoming content platforms

Perhaps the most interesting shift is how brands now think about stores as media spaces. Retail environments are increasingly designed with photography, video and social sharing in mind. Whether it’s a striking feature installation or a highly curated product moment, the store is becoming a place where brands create content as well as transactions.

If EuroShop 2026 made one thing clear, it’s that physical retail is far from standing still. The most successful stores will be those that combine intelligence, flexibility and experience – creating environments that can evolve as quickly as the brands they represent.

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By Richard Potter, CEO and Co-founder at Peak, a UiPath company

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and this year it coincides with a shift towards more agentic, AI-driven retail. While many mothers may wish they had an agent at home to help juggle the daily chaos, retailers now have the opportunity to harness AI agents to do just that for their operations.

UK retail and e-commerce sales are climbing, driven by discounting and sales. But rising demand and sales doesn’t automatically mean stronger margins. The retailers set to win will be those using AI to predict demand accurately, make smarter pricing and promotional decisions, and act quickly on stock allocation.

But how can brands turn AI from concept into measurable commercial impact? Here are three moves retailers should prioritise to deliver precision across stock, pricing and performance ahead of Mother’s Day.

1. Predict demand for stock

Spreadsheets are still widely used by retailers. But they inhibit a dynamic, real-time approach that can adapt to consumer demand and the range of variables that impact stock levels. If retailers can implement an AI system that is able to integrate with critical business applications, however, they can adjust their strategies as demand changes.

The first move is to use AI to predict demand for stock. AI models can analyse real-time and historical data to detect patterns and surface any risks or opportunities. Through collecting and processing a range of data like inventory, sales and availability, for example, AI can precisely forecast demand and suggest optimal stock levels, both for online and specific store locations and regions. 

1. Optimise pricing and promotions

Demand predictions need to be joined by optimising how products are priced and whether to apply any promotions. Through assessing a variety of historical data, like a store or product’s previous performance, coupled with real-time demand signals (e.g. what items are most popular in the run up to Mother’s Day so far this year) AI is able to estimate the price elasticity for each product.

Price elasticity is how much a change in price will impact demand for a product. A highly elastic product only requires a small markdown in price, whereas an inelastic product needs a more substantial decrease. To suggest the optimal price, AI can simulate various discount levels and what these are likely to do to units sold, the margin recovered and to stock remaining. This eradicates the need for retailers to choose prices and discounts based on precedent or guesswork.

1. Put AI agents to work

Normally, even with AI, humans would have to perform the next steps like reallocating stock or pricing products manually. But the arrival of agentic AI significantly transforms this process. Using the AI-generated suggestions for stock and pricing, AI agents can take decisions and carry out actions autonomously on behalf of humans to achieve a desired goal, as opposed to teams spending their time downloading spreadsheets and manually applying discounts for various products.

The AI agents’ actions are relayed back to humans, so that teams can maintain oversight and control, and the agents are able to continuously learn from outcomes. Tasks that might take hours can suddenly be performed in minutes.

The perfect Mother’s Day gift

In a global market hindered by low growth, retailers have been challenged with unlocking new ways of finding profit and achieving more for less. And Mother’s Day presents a key opportunity to maximise their margins. To do this, they need to accurately predict demand to optimise their stock levels and also understand the optimal price elasticity of their products.

AI is essential for making these predictions accurately – there are simply too many variables and real-time fluctuations for humans to produce these insights manually and at speed. But agentic AI takes this to the next level, performing tasks on behalf of human teams and adjusting strategies in real time. It’s no exaggeration to claim that the retailers using agentic AI will be achieving margins way above any competitors for Mother’s Day and beyond.

The post Three AI moves retailers should prioritise ahead of Mother’s Day appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

By Karoline Nader-Gräff, Expansion & Development Director at Ingka Centres

Retail is shifting at extraordinary speed. People expect physical destinations to offer more than shopping, they look for places that contribute to daily life, reflect their values and connect them with their local communities. And while many behaviours are global, what people need, appreciate and prioritise can vary profoundly from place to place.

At Ingka Centres, we see this every day across our meeting places in 14 countries. Our global competence combined with deep local experience is what shapes our approach. Our development strategy is built on a simple belief: the more deeply we understand how people live, work, eat and play in our local communities, the better we can proactively respond to their needs and wishes. From Stockholm to Shanghai to Noida, each project reflects a unique culture, shaped through close collaboration with local communities & partner-organisations.

Designing with people at the centre

Our upcoming developments in India show how this approach becomes reality. Lykli Noida and Lykli Gurugram are being designed as vibrant, multigenerational destinations where social life, leisure, wellbeing and community naturally come together. Our ambition for these Meeting Places is to become true anchors in their local neighbourhoods.

Lykli Gurugram, for example, integrates strong themes of health, sport, nature and sustainability. Spaces are being designed to encourage relaxation, movement and belonging, while its development targets leading environmental and wellbeing certifications. Both destinations are designed for today’s needs but planned with tomorrow in mind.

Creating experiences worth choosing

Our global footprint gives us a front row seat to how people decide where to spend their time. Despite different cultures and lifestyles, one insight is consistent: convenience, location and a strong offer remain essential but what truly differentiates a destination is the quality of experiences we create. This includes atmosphere, services, events, food, culture, community activation, and the blend of functions people can engage with in one visit.

Livat Shanghai, our largest investment in China, demonstrates the power of experience-led, mixed-use environments. Since opening in 2024 – with more than 120,000 visitors on its first day – it has maintained strong engagement by blending retail, workplaces, cultural experiences and community spaces in a way that captures Shanghai’s unique urban energy.

When destinations reflect the lives, rhythms and expectations of their communities, people naturally choose to spend time there.

Embedding sustainability from the start

As people increasingly prioritise responsibility alongside experience, staying relevant also means shaping places that contribute positively to everyday life and local communities. Sustainability is not an addon, it is embedded in everything we do. The upcoming Ingka Sustainable Mall extension at Matkus in Finland is one example: a circular ecosystem combining a reuse-focused shopping centre, a material sorting facility and a hands-on learning centre. The same ambition guides Livat Xi’an, where photovoltaic panels, groundsource heat pumps and other efficient technologies already enable 100 percent renewable heating and cooling. The project’s recent LEED Gold Certification underscores the progress we are making on our journey towards fully circular, climate positive operations.

Staying ahead by staying close to life in our communities

Retailers who thrive will be those who pair a global perspective with a local heartbeat – understanding broad behavioural shifts while honouring the uniqueness of every community. By shaping meeting places that grow from real life and evolve with it, we create destinations people return to again and again.

The post How retailers can stay ahead in a shifting market appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

By Ben Ings, Chief Operating Officer at Invisible Systems

Recent warnings from the Cold Chain Federation that severe disruption could threaten UK food security and waste billions in chilled and frozen goods have pushed temperature control firmly up the risk agenda. Against that backdrop, even the smartest packaging can’t compensate when temperatures slip out of range. Packaging remains a vital protective layer, but it now has to work in lockstep with real-time data to keep product quality on track.

The reality is that no matter how advanced the packaging, it cannot rescue a product that has already been exposed to unsafe temperatures. To maintain uninterrupted control across the cold chain, manufacturers need technology that can detect issues long before packaging becomes the last line of defence.

Smarter temperature control through IoT

Live temperature monitoring provides a complete, verifiable record of conditions from production to delivery, and can feed directly into platforms such as transport management systems (TMS) and warehouse management systems (WMS). Rather than depending on manual checks, which are slow and can still overlook key fluctuations, businesses receive instant notifications whenever temperatures drift out of range. This allows any at‑risk products to be identified and removed long before they reach store shelves, safeguarding profitability and protecting consumer confidence.

An increasing number of food and drink companies are adopting Internet of Things (IoT) tools to reinforce cold‑chain reliability. This includes everything from NB‑IoT sensors and live data‑logging devices to smart tags built into reusable packaging loops used in fresh and grocery operations. When temperature sensors are combined with asset‑tracking capabilities, every touchpoint becomes accountable. The outcome is improved food safety, reduced operational waste, both in product and energy, and clearer progress toward sustainability goals.

IoT-powered packaging can’t carry the load by itself

Despite its growing sophistication, smart packaging only prevents spoilage once products reach it in the right condition. Manual temperature readings, while still common, introduce delays and inconsistencies that can compromise cold‑chain reliability from the outset. When these early lapses occur, the effects quickly ripple, leading to wasted stock, product recalls, and lost revenue to energy inefficiencies and sustainability setbacks.

Automated compliance reporting could streamline adherence to food‑safety standards, while better temperature control would support ongoing reductions in energy consumption. This scenario illustrates how IoT solutions can eliminate operational blind spots and deliver measurable benefits.

The rise of predictive, intelligent packaging

Maintaining the integrity of chilled and frozen foods depends on many moving parts – from distribution partners to in‑store equipment – but manufacturers can exert the greatest influence in their production environments and packaging design.

The boundary between packaging and IoT will continue to blur this year. Emerging solutions will embed sensors directly into packaging materials, sending live condition data into supply‑chain platforms. These integrated systems will merge temperature oversight with asset‑tracking capabilities, enabling brands to detect developing risks earlier and intervene before quality is compromised.

Packaging will remain essential, but its impact now depends on being paired with real-time intelligence. Businesses that unite strong physical protection with continuous monitoring will keep chilled and frozen goods safe, compliant and commercially resilient.

The post The cold chain can’t keep up – smart packaging needs real‑time intelligence appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

By Abdelkader Keddari, VP Strategic Solutions at Fluent Commerce

Even though the January sales have come and gone, many retailers are still wrestling with significant volumes of unsold inventory. Despite heavy discounting, excess inventory is lingering well beyond the clearance window, tying up cash and putting pressure on already-thin margins.

Consider this scenario: A retailer enters January with strong seasonal inventory across its store network. Discounting drives volume, but sales figures vary by location: some stores clear key lines quickly, while others are left with high residual stock.

By early February, certain stores are carrying excess units of slow-moving seasonal SKUs, tying up cash and occupying valuable floor or storage space. Head office can see total inventory levels, but doesn’t necessarily have the insight required to rebalance efficiently. Meanwhile, online demand continues, but orders are often fulfilled from the closest location rather than the most overstocked one

As a result, high-risk inventory remains stranded in low-demand locations, leaving further markdowns as the only realistic short-term strategy, even though they erode margins and condition customers to wait for lower prices. From a business perspective, it can become a frustrating and expensive problem.

Rebalancing inventory through smarter fulfilment

But let’s be clear, this all-too-common problem isn’t just about poor buying and inventory strategy; it’s more directly related to the levels of control retailers have and how that stock is deployed across channels.

A big part of the problem is that most retailers route online orders based on factors such as proximity, speed and basic availability – a process that minimises delivery time but does not consider margin exposure. As a result, slow-moving inventory remains stranded while other locations continue to sell through, leading to growing inefficiency over time.

What’s needed instead are processes that apply tiered sourcing logic based on commercial priorities, such as routing fulfillment from locations with the highest inventory levels. The oldest stock should be provided first to reduce the risks associated with ageing inventory, with these and other efficiency rules integrated with operational logic, such as avoiding split shipments and managing store capacity.

The overall objective should be to turn online demand into a tool that rebalances inventory across the network and significantly reduces the current, widespread reliance on recurring phases of blanket discounting.

Revisiting the earlier scenario, the difference lies not in the volume of stock, but in the level of control applied to how it is deployed. So, in this version, the same retailer enters January with strong seasonal inventory across its network. Sales still vary by location during the clearance period, but in this case, head office has real-time visibility of inventory at the location level.

Instead of focusing on speed and basic availability indicators, online orders are routed using tiered sourcing rules aligned to inventory risk, so stores with the highest residual stock are prioritised for fulfilment.

As a result, excess stock is reduced through controlled redistribution of demand rather than deeper discounting, leading to fewer cancelled orders because availability reflects real-time stock levels. Moving into February, inventory levels are more balanced across the network, leading to stronger margins and a significantly reduced emphasis on clearance activity. The result is a win-win for retailers that want to fully commit to the January sales while also minimising the financial risks.

The post From markdown to margin: Rebalancing inventory after January sales appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

By Andrew Scanlon, Head of Sales and Marketing at Staci

Valentine’s Day is increasingly becoming a prime opportunity for retailers. No longer just about couples, the rise of ‘Galentines Day’ – people celebrating with friends, and the ‘self care/treat yourself’ movement for individuals opens up a large new market segment for the traditional holiday. People are even buying themed gifts and treats for their pets.

For brands, seasonal peaks like Valentine’s Day can be make or break. Get it right, and you solidify relationships with existing loyal customers, while also reaching entirely new ones.

There are several key strategies retailers are adopting to ensure they are capitalising on this moment to drive sales and just as importantly, build a customer base that lasts beyond seasonal peaks.

1. Making life easy for new customers

Seasonal peaks often bring a surge of first-time shoppers, but converting them into repeat customers needs careful attention. Retailers must first capture interest by ensuring the most relevant products are in stock and prominently featured on their website.

Once attention is secured, retailers should make the experience as effortless as possible. Dedicated seasonal landing pages that showcase key offers, curated bundles and delivery information in one clear view help guide shoppers. Keeping navigation intuitive, checkout smooth, and ensuring the site performs flawlessly on mobile, helps first-time buyers to move from browsing to purchasing with minimal friction.

2. Embracing personalisation

As brands compete for sales in busy periods such as Valentines Day, even with the best marketing strategies and products it can be difficult to cut through the noise. That’s where personalisation becomes invaluable.

With close alignment between webshop platforms and fulfilment systems, brands can access real-time insight into customer behaviour. This allows offers, recommendations and communications to be shaped around individual preferences rather than broad assumptions. When done well, personalisation adds emotional value, makes the experience more memorable and supports repeat purchasing long after seasonal peaks like Valentine’s Day have passed.

3. Creating a memorable unboxing experience 

Personalisation no longer stops at the online journey. Increasingly, brands are using packaging to create moments that feel considered and memorable once an order arrives. Handwritten notes or small signature touches add an element of surprise to the unboxing, helping customers feel valued, building familiarity with the brand and leaving a stronger overall impression.

In a social media-first environment, these moments have wider reach. A well-executed unboxing can encourage sharing, strengthen emotional connection and support cross-sell or upsell opportunities without feeling forced.

By working closely with e-commerce brands, order data can be analysed to understand what drives conversion and what sits behind peaks in demand. These insights inform the messaging placed inside each order, shaping personalised packaging that feels relevant to the individual shopper. Late-stage printing enables customised text or creative to be added at scale, while in-pack inserts can deliver tailored offers or messages that feel timely and personal rather than generic.

4. Delivery speed and accuracy as non-negotiables

Valentine’s Day often arrives sooner than shoppers expect, driving a sharp rise in last-minute purchases. In this context, fast and reliable delivery becomes central to customer satisfaction. Shoppers increasingly expect orders to arrive quickly, on time and exactly as described, with little tolerance for delays or errors.

To meet these peaks, retailers need fulfilment partners that can stay agile under pressure. Those using machine learning, robotics and advanced automation have a clear advantage, delivering higher accuracy throughout the picking and packing process even as volumes rise.

Proprietary warehouse management systems help by optimising stock placement and streamlining order flow. Keeping products in prime locations enables rapid, accurate dispatch as soon as orders are placed, reducing errors, improving first-time accuracy and protecting the customer experience in a way that supports repeat purchasing.

5. Continuing customer engagement with remarketing schemes

When the earlier stages are delivered well, customers, both new and returning, are far more likely to feel confident and satisfied with their purchase. This creates a natural opportunity to introduce remarketing activity or loyalty programmes while the experience is still fresh.

Reaching customers at this point, shortly after delivery, is especially effective. The product has arrived on time, expectations have been met, and the emotional value of a Valentine’s Day purchase is still present. Thoughtful follow-up, whether through tailored offers, loyalty rewards or timely reminders, can help retailers turn a positive first experience into repeat purchasing and longer-term loyalty.

Love is in the ware(house)

Loyalty is built in the details. Personalisation, unboxing, delivery speed and customer engagement all work together to create a perfect match for customers.

With upcoming peaks like Valentine’s Day 2026, retailers have an opportunity to put this into practice. Curated bundles, personalised gifts and well-timed delivery matter just as much as the product itself, whether shoppers are buying for partners, friends or even pets. The brands that win will be those that treat fulfilment as part of the experience, not the final step.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Jesse Goll.

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By China L’One, Founder of We Run The World, a UK-based, Black-owned, all-female DJ agency

January is often a quieter trading period, but it is also one of the most strategic moments in the retail calendar. With customers more selective about how and where they spend their time, physical spaces need to work harder to feel welcoming, relevant, and memorable. That said, one of the most effective – and frequently underestimated – tools available to retailers is music. When used intentionally, it does far more than fill silence; music shapes how customers feel, how long they stay, and how they remember a brand.

In my experience, delivering music programming for retail spaces and live activations, sound is one of the fastest ways to influence behaviour without changing layout, stock, or staffing. Here, I share my insights to help businesses improve their sound strategy, thereby increasing footfall, dwell time, and brand loyalty from January onward.

Using music to shape mood and dwell time

Tempo, genre, and volume all affect customer behaviour. Slower, warmer music can encourage browsing and increase dwell time, while more upbeat selections can energise a space and support higher footfall during peak moments. The key is alignment: music should reflect the pace you want customers to move at and the emotional tone of your brand. In January, when shoppers are often cautious but open to inspiration, music that feels optimistic and considered can create a sense of ease and encourage longer visits.

Why live DJs create stronger engagement

While playlists are convenient, live DJs bring a level of responsiveness that recorded music cannot. A skilled DJ can read the room, adjust energy in real time, and create moments that feel personal rather than programmed. For launches, sales periods, or in-store experiences, this human element often translates into higher engagement and stronger brand recall. Customers notice when something feels ‘alive’, and that sense of occasion can turn a routine visit into a memorable one.

Common in-store sound mistakes and how to avoid them

One of the most common issues we see is music that feels disconnected from the brand or the audience. Too loud, too generic, or poorly timed sound can distract rather than enhance. Another frequent oversight is treating music as an afterthought rather than part of the customer journey. The solution is simple: plan music with the same intention as visual merchandising. Consider who your customer is, how long they are likely to stay, and what you want them to feel when they leave.

Building loyalty through values-led music choices

Music is a powerful way to express brand values. Thoughtful programming that reflects inclusivity and cultural awareness can help customers feel seen and understood. For example, choosing female DJs not only brings fresh perspectives and energy to a space, but also signals a commitment to gender diversity and representation. This simple yet intentional choice can enhance brand perception, create stronger emotional connections with audiences, and reinforce loyalty – all while supporting broader industry equity.

Budgeting for music as part of the experience

Music should be viewed as an investment in experience, not an optional extra. Budgeting early allows brands to test formats, measure impact, and refine strategy over time. Even small, well-planned activations can deliver meaningful returns when sound is integrated into the wider customer journey.

January is the ideal time to rethink sound strategy. It offers space to test new ideas, gather insight, and plan music-led experiences that support footfall, dwell time, and loyalty throughout the year. When music is treated as a strategic tool rather than background noise, it becomes one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and set the tone for the months ahead.

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By Michelle Kelly, Retail Expert at 8×8

The end of the year has always been a defining period for retail, but what happens after the festive rush is becoming just as significant as the golden quarter itself. With high streets and shopping destinations seeing a welcome uplift in footfall in late December, UK retailers enter January with momentum, but also with a new challenge. The month now widely referred to as ‘Returnuary’ has evolved from an operational headache into a pivotal moment that can shape customer loyalty for the year ahead.

For many retailers, Christmas represents the culmination of months of planning, investment, and engagement. Stores are busier, online orders spike, and brands work hard to create memorable experiences that cut through in a crowded marketplace. Yet the relationship between retailer and customer does not end when the last gift is unwrapped. In fact, it is often in January that this relationship is truly tested. How brands handle returns, exchanges, and post purchase support can determine whether a shopper remains a loyal customer or quietly drifts elsewhere.

Consumers today have higher expectations than ever before. They want flexibility, transparency, and convenience, whether they are shopping in-store or online. A smooth, human, and responsive aftersales experience is increasingly seen as part of the overall brand promise rather than an optional extra. When retailers get this right, they do more than just process a return. They demonstrate that they value the customer beyond the point of sale, even as NRF projected returns to reach nearly $850 billion (around £635bn) in 2025, representing roughly 16 percent of total retail sales.

Why Returnuary is now a loyalty moment

Returnuary therefore presents both a risk and an opportunity. Poorly managed returns can create frustration, add pressure to operations, and undo the brand loyalty built up during the festive period. Conversely, thoughtful aftersales engagement can strengthen trust, reduce friction, and even deepen the connection between a brand and its customer. In many ways, January is becoming a second peak season, not for sales, but for service.

Retailers are also recognising that the post purchase journey is about more than logistics. It is about communication, reassurance, and support. Whether a customer needs help setting up a product, understanding how to use it, or simply feels uncertain about their purchase, timely and empathetic engagement can make all the difference. This shift reflects a broader evolution in retail, where success is increasingly measured not just by transactions, but by relationships.

Technology has a growing role to play in enabling this more customer centric approach. Digital tools can help retailers stay connected with customers after purchase, offering assistance in ways that feel personal rather than automated. When used thoughtfully, these solutions can make aftersales support more proactive, more accessible, and more human. They allow retailers to meet customers where they are, rather than expecting them to navigate complex processes alone.

Turning January into a competitive advantage

At the heart of this transformation is a simple idea. The best retail experiences do not stop at checkout. They continue throughout the entire customer journey, from browsing to buying and beyond. By embracing this mindset, retailers can turn Returnuary from a period of strain into a moment of differentiation.

The proactive mindset is key. It’s about not waiting for customers to come to you after the sale. Increasingly, retailers are using aftersale assists, support and follow-up touchpoints to check in, offer help, and understand how customers are really feeling. Monitoring social channels plays a role here too, giving brands early visibility into questions, frustrations, or dissatisfaction, before they escalate unnecessarily.

As the returns market continues to grow and consumer expectations rise, the brands that thrive will be those that view January not as a problem to be managed, but as a chance to reinforce loyalty. In doing so, they can ensure that the strong footfall seen at the end of December translates into lasting relationships throughout the year ahead.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: RoseBox.

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As attacks on retail workers rise across the UK, New York’s decision to mandate panic buttons for frontline staff prompts Alex Jay, CEO of Little Green Button, to ask whether similar protections should be written into UK law.

Attacks on retail workers in the UK have, unfortunately, progressed from the odd isolated incident, to what’s now a routine feature of working life on the shop floor.

According to a recent Retail Trust survey, as many as 77 percent of British retail workers experienced abuse last year, while 23 percent suffered physical assault. And for too many it’s a worryingly frequent reality – 43 percent said they were being abused or attacked every week, and 45% felt the abuse had gotten worse in the last two years.

Despite the escalating scale and regularity of these incidents, the guidance in the UK remains largely generic. Worker safety is governed by the Health and Safety at Work Act and Health and Safety Executive guidance on violence and aggression at work, but these apply across all sectors and don’t reflect the specific risks faced by frontline retail staff.

The result is a system heavily relying on voluntary measures and individual employer judgement, leading to uneven safety outcomes across the sector. This isn’t necessarily due to bad intentions or lack of care – many employers take staff safety seriously and invest accordingly – but where guidance is non-specific and compliance optional, protection often depends on the size, resources and maturity of the organisation. Smaller retailers, in particular, are left to interpret broad legislation and adapt it to high-pressure, high-risk environments with little sector-specific support.

The approach others are taking – and tech’s role

When it comes to abuse statistics within the retail sector, the UK’s far from alone. Approaches to protecting frontline staff, however, differ markedly.

New York’s a key example. Its recently passed Retail Worker Safety Act doesn’t just advise, but mandates policies, training, and procedures designed to keep workers safe, giving companies a clear framework to manage risks that are often left to chance under voluntary guidance.

A key element of the legislation is also technology-based. By 1^st January 2027, large retail employers with 500 or more workers in New York State must provide employees with access to silent response buttons for emergencies. As a proven de-escalation and violence reduction measure, often seeing quicker resolution and response times to other alternatives, UK retail workers should be provided with similar technology, alongside post-incident follow-up, such as CCTV, reporting, HR and other security tools.

However, where precautions are not mandatory, levels of protection often come down to budget. That doesn’t mean meaningful action has to start with a huge investment. An updated risk assessment – asking what risks your staff currently face and whether you have the right process and training in place – is free and a great place to start. From there you can evaluate what technology might help with de-escalation and deterrence.

For me, all staff deserve the same level of protection, regardless of their organisation’s size or location, which is why I believe the UK should follow New York’s lead, not only in terms of legislation, but also in considering the powerful role technology can play.

The post Should the UK take New York’s lead and make panic buttons for retail workers mandatory? appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

By Katrina Anderson, Principal Associate at national law firm, Mills & Reeve

The new rules targeting “subscription traps” – originally slated to launch in April next year as part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act 2024) – now look set to be delayed until Autumn 2026. While this buys businesses a bit more time, retail brands still need to move quickly to review and adapt their practices.

What’s the DMCC Act?

The DMCC Act covers everything from digital markets to competition law. It brings sweeping updates to consumer protection rules while strengthening the CMA’s ability to investigate breaches and impose fines (of up to 10 percent of global turnover or £300,000 – whichever is higher) directly on companies without needing to go through the courts.

Why target subscriptions?

According to the government, unwanted subscriptions are thought to cost households around £1.6 billion each year.

The DMCC Act therefore sets out a range of measures that are designed to stamp out “subscription traps”. Companies will be expected to remove what regulators consider deceptive tactics – things like “dark patterns” and “sludge” (deliberate obstacles) – that mislead people into subscribing or make it unnecessarily difficult for them to cancel.

This, of course, represents just one aspect of the DMCC Act that will affect retail brands, and several others overlap subscription rules and are already in effect. That includes clampdowns on drip pricing, the handling of customer reviews, and high-pressure sales tactics.

What should retail brands do?

There’s no getting around it – reviewing and updating existing systems will bring short-term costs and complexity for retail brands. To get ahead of the upcoming subscription rules, companies in the sector should focus on:

• Mapping out the extra pre-contract information that’ll be needed for each subscription offering – covering essentials like pricing, contract length, how to end the agreement, and cancellation rights.
• Working out how to present this new pre-contract information to customers, keeping in mind that there are specific display requirements depending on whether the subscription is set up online, face-to-face, or by phone.
• Setting up processes for sending the required renewal notifications – including mid-term reminders and alerts when discounted periods are ending. An automated email system is likely the most practical solution.
• Training team members on the new cooling-off rights that let customers cancel when a free or discounted period expires, or when their contract auto-renews.
• Creating an online system that makes it simple for customers to end or cancel their subscriptions.
• Putting in place a procedure to confirm cancellations and handle refunds. An “end of contract” confirmation. Any overpayments will need to be returned without delay.

The CMA is also focused on combating dark patterns such as drip pricing. So, it’s also worth reviewing for compliance with the latest guidance on displaying prices, including:

• Reviewing all advertised prices to ensure they include any compulsory charges (such as sign-up fees). If customers can register online, audit the entire sign-up journey for misleading pricing or instances where full cost information is missing.
• Ensuring any optional add-on charges are displayed clearly and kept separate from mandatory fees. Take care not to present them in a way that suggests they’re required.
• When using “from” pricing or indicative prices, only do so if they’re genuinely available to a meaningful number of customers, and be transparent about any conditions – for example, discounted rates for students.

Take action now

Whilst the new subscription rules won’t land for some months yet, other provisions – like the ban on drip pricing – are already in force, so retail brands need to move on these points now.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Brandable Box.

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