It’s that time of year again. Retail Technology Show (RTS) is back and it looks set to be bigger and better than it’s ever been before.
Slight disclaimer is that I used to work for a magazine affiliated with the show and I am on the conference agenda this year, but those biases aside it really is the event of the year where retailers and those associated with this great industry get to learn, network, do business and, well, have a good time.
As has been the case since launching Green Retail World in 2020, I’m looking at the show through green-tinted spectacles and keen to explore some of the environmental-focused sessions, hear about tech companies supporting the ESG agenda, and gauge the general mood of the industry in regard to sustainability in a challenging economy.
Below, I’ve picked out five things I’ll be sure to check out during my visit to London’s ExCeL on 2-3 April. It should be noted the wider conference programme is jam-packed with some of the biggest names around in retail and there’s going to be 400-plus tech exhibitors on the show floor highlighting innovations of all types to help retailers succeed in today’s market, but hopefully my list below will guide those who are attending the two-day event with a sustainability mission.
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How to bake responsibility into retail without killing profit
At 13:15 on 2 April, on the Wondrous Stage, James Rutter, chief creative officer at food retailer Cook, will present a session offering the secrets and missteps of this B Corp business.
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Tech companies with green missions
Claiming sustainability credentials is always fraught with danger of greenwashing. The eight businesses below are all exhibiting over the course of the two days, and – in my view – they offer retailers options that could support sustainability strategy.
On stand G82 will be Yocuda, a provider of digital receipts that removes the need for paper till rolls across a retail organisation, while over on stand E40 Shopopop is a crowd-shipping delivery solution that aims to help retailers make last-mile deliveries with the aid of a network of people in the community – the idea being that these people were already travelling nearby so why not get them to make a delivery instead of putting extra wheels on the road?
Paris-based asset manager Meridiam said it invested in Shopopop because it “democratises a strong social and environmental positioning to the delivery industry”.
Elsewhere, on stand F88, centralised data platform provider LoweConex allows retailers to observe, analyse and control assets, empowering better decision-making including helping to identify factors such as ways to reduce energy consumption. L’Occitane is a customer, and has reported energy savings as a result of the partnership.
And on Q8, GS1 UK will be asking the question ‘are you ready for the next generation of barcodes?’ and talking about the QR codes it powers that help retailers prove traceability, safety, and sustainability of their products.
Over on N88 is Tomra Collection which offers reverse vending options to retailers preparing for deposit return schemes, and on G18 will be food waste redistribution marketplace Too Good To Go.
The final two to look out for are Faume (stand E40), a resale solution provider for fashion and luxury brands, and public EV charging network company Allego on stand C18.
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New Look and Newlife
New Look’s senior head of ESG sourcing & quality Sue Fairley and disabled children’s charity Newlife’s CEO Fiona Robinson, will be interviewed by experienced retail tech and supply chain leader (and founder of Quercus Advisors) Julian Burnett on the Wondrous Stage at 11:40 on 3 April.
Among the retail sustainability topics up for discussion include how donating surplus stock to charities can contribute to a retailer’s green goals and social impact.
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Joseph’s CEO and her innovation, sustainability, experience vision
I know a few of the Joseph team and see them out and about at sustainability-related events on a regular basis, so this session at 15:15 on 3 April on the Wondrous Stage will be interesting to listen in on.
Barbara Campos, CEO of women’s fashion retailer Joseph, will spend 45 minutes on stage chatting about the company’s strategy and its approach to sustainability. She’ll be in conversation with Cathy McCabe, CEO & co-founder of tech company Proximity.
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Sustainability morning conference session hosted by yours truly!
I cannot avoid marketing my own appearance at the event, can I? Having been announced like some sort of Fifa superstar by the RTS team on LinkedIn, I feel like the session I’m chairing on Thursday 3 April needs to live up to high expectations.
I’m sure it will. As reported on these pages previously, we’ve got Nobody’s Child founder Andrew Xeni, AllSaints founder turned sustainable fashion brand builder Stuart Trevor, Asos managing director Jag Weatherley, Currys’ chief people, communications & sustainability officer Paula Coughlan, and the British Retail Consortium’s sustainability policy adviser Sophie De Salis taking part – be it a presentation, an interview with me, or in a panel debate.
I look forward to seeing lots of my network there. The Retail Technology Show is a bit of a misnomer; there’s something for everyone in retail on offer at the event and not just technologists. And – increasingly, I’m pleased to say – lots more to do with retail sustainability.
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Ben Sillitoe, editor, Green Retail World (@bsillitoe)
[main image credit: Retail Technology Show]
