World Retail Congress: What Did We Learn?

Andrew Busby joins Natalie live from the World Retail Congress to reflect on key takeaways from the event. They discuss why AI is only as good as the data you feed it and why Gen Z shoppers are loyal to trends and not brands, picking up on insights shared by Estee Lauder and Albert Heijn. For the second half of the conversation, they turn to sustainability in fashion retail. Are we doing enough in the West? Is the ease of buying preloved online encouraging shoppers to actually buy more clothes? And whether it's charging for returns, banning serial returners, or educating consumers, how can retailers stem the tide of returns? Andrew's bio: A well-known retail industry expert, speaker, and writer, Andrew Busby has extensive experience and knowledge in the retail sector, particularly in areas such as retail technology, customer experience, and emerging trends. He is Senior Industry Adviser at BOXTEC, Board Adviser at The Industrious and founder of Redline Retail Consulting (formerly Retail Reflections), a retail consultancy firm that provides strategic advice and insights to the industry community. He is a retail writer at Fortune Magazine and also a regular contributor to various media outlets, including retail trade publications and national news media where he is known for his expertise in analysing and commenting on the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in the retail industry. Author of the best-selling retail book, 'Harry Was Right All Along', and 'Breathless – Covid, Two Metres and Me', Busby is recognised by the industry as a global thought leader and is a member of the exclusive global retail community ReTHINK Retail. In a retail career spanning over 25 years, he held senior positions at Kingfisher and Superdrug before joining a number of leading technology partners to bring innovative solutions to many retail businesses. In addition to publishing many retail blogs and articles, Andrew is a member of the IORMA Advisory Board, Advisory Board member at Retail Week, Founder of the Retail Advisory Board and is also editor at large for Retail Technology magazine. Check out Andrew's articles at Fortune and Substack.