News 14.05.2025

News

World Retail Congress 2025 daily recap, Hawaii introduces climate-driven tourist tax and why Gen Z are buying into supplement subscription services.

World Retail Congress 2025: Why trust is retail’s strongest currency

Ikea, UK Ikea, UK
Ikea Hus of Frakta, UK Ikea Hus of Frakta, UK
A Life at Home at Ikea Festival Milan 2022 A Life at Home at Ikea Festival Milan 2022

UK – The first day of World Retail Congress 2025 in London revolved around the theme Faster, Bolder, Smarter. Opening the day, Ken Murphy, CEO of multinational supermarket chain Tesco, set the tone by stating: ‘In an age of uncertainty, discord and division, trust carries a higher currency than ever.’ His keynote address placed human needs at the centre, emphasising that brand trust will be the most valuable asset for retailers navigating the next economic cycle.

Simon Pakenham-Walsh, chief information officer of multichannel retailer River Island, shared how radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has helped the brand achieve 98–99% stock accuracy. In a standout session on connected retail experiences, he highlighted the roll-out of RFID-enabled smart fitting rooms – now live in 30 River Island stores – which offer shoppers tailored, in-the-moment advice. This elevated touchpoint enhances the consumer’s emotional journey, echoing themes we explored in our EQ-Commerce macrotrend.

Retail growth was a central theme in a panel featuring Stefan Vanoverbeke, retail markets manager at Ikea. He discussed the brand’s new city format strategy, highlighting the recent opening of a concept store on London’s Oxford Street. Vanoverbeke emphasised that every touchpoint is designed with customer-centricity in mind. This aligns with insights from our Modular Retail report, which explored how flexible, modular store formats can help retailers stay agile in the face of rapidly shifting consumer expectations.

Elsewhere, the growing power of the Meno-economy was brought to light by Heather Jackson, co-founder of GenM, a menopause partner for brands. The brand has created the MTick, a universal symbol for menopause-friendly products, delivering choice, trust and visibility to the underserved menopausal consumer. As we explored in our Menopause Travel microtrend report, the global menopause market is experiencing significant growth and is predicted to increase from £14.5bn ($18.6bn, €17.2bn) in 2025 to £21.6bn ($27.6bn, €25.4bn) in 2033, at an average annual rate of 5.1% (source: Global Newswire). Jackson highlighted how this market is underserved, saying: ‘This is about legacy-building, category-making and giving women the power to search, source and shop with confidence.’

Strategic opportunity

Retailers should invest in adaptive store formats, inclusive services and tech-enhanced personalisation to build trust, address underserved audiences and future-proof customer relationships in an era of economic and social flux

Hawaii introduces climate-driven tourist tax

Head & Shoulders by Procter & Gamble, France Head & Shoulders by Procter & Gamble, France

Hawaii – Hawaii is making climate history with a landmark bill that raises tourist taxes to fund environmental protection and climate resilience projects.

Backed by Governor Josh Green, the legislation introduces a 0.75% increase to the existing 10.25% lodging tax on hotels, timeshares and holiday rentals, alongside a new 11% tax on cruise ship stays, prorata-ed by port days. Officials predict the initiative will generate nearly £75.4m ($100m, €89.6m) annually, funding projects such as Waikiki beach replenishment, wildfire prevention and hurricane defences.

As rising visitor numbers put a strain on fragile eco-systems, we are entering a new era of purpose-led tourism governance – one increasingly shaped by community-led activism, regulatory shifts and travellers’ appetite for responsible experiences, a topic explored in our Anti-tourism Market. By implementing this new bill, Hawaii joins the ranks of businesses and organisations using legalities and governance to protect the environment and even electing nature as a stakeholder.

Strategic opportunity

Brands and businesses in tourism and hospitality should turn climate levies into visible, participatory initiatives, inviting guests to engage in local environmental projects and transparently showcasing the tangible outcomes their contributions enable

Stat: Gen Z turn to daily supplements as wellness becomes an everyday routine

Gen Z Supplement daily intake, UK/US Gen Z Supplement daily intake, UK/US

UK/US – Wellness is no longer a trend for Gen Z, it’s a daily ritual. According to the latest Gen Z State of Beauty 2024/2025 report from Kyra, 80% of Gen Z in the UK and the US now take between one and six supplements every day, with multivitamins (41%) and vitamin D (24%) leading the pack. Headspace, Bloom, MyProtein, Olly and Lemme are cited as Gen Z’s favourite brands. 

Supplements are increasingly viewed as non-negotiable, with 15% of 18–24-year-olds in the UK and the US subscribing to regular deliveries. Social media is a key driver: 36% have purchased wellness products more than once after seeing them through creators, and 5% say they shop from influencer recommendations all the time. 

‘Subscription models are working well for Gen Z, and influencer marketing, especially with an educational angle, drives acute discovery,’ the report notes. 

As Kyra puts it: ‘There are (literal) gateway drugs for this audience.’ For wellness brands, the opportunity lies in positioning products not as quick fixes, but as enduring lifestyle choices. 

LS:N Global has previously explored the growing health supplements market, particularly its focus on longevity and anti-ageing innovations, in our Breakthrough Biohacks report

Strategic opportunity

Position wellness as an integral daily ritual by offering habit-stacking product bundles and flexible, reward-led subscription models that build long-term loyalty and embed your brand in Gen Z’s everyday routines

Previous News Articles
Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

News

Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

Polaroid has launched The Camera for an Analog Life, a campaign designed to push back against screen fatigue and AI overload. The initiative celebr...
Technology : Design : Advertising
Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

News

Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

Zalando is rethinking how it sells beauty with the launch of Insider’s Edit, a new shoppable content series that blends expert advice with curated ...
Beauty : Retail : Fashion
Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

News

Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

As AI agents begin making purchases on behalf of consumers, retailers must redesign websites and rethink advertising strategies to remain visible a...
Technology : Retail
Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

News

Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

At Paris Haute Couture Week, Iris van Herpen unveiled Sympoiesis, a collection steeped in material innovation.
Couture : Fashion : Bioluminescent Algae
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about.
Fashion : Luxury : Pop Culture & Media
Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

News

Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

A new report by Boston Consulting Group reveals that the global leisure travel market is set to triple in value, growing from £3.51 trillion ($4.25...
Travel : Hospitality : Tourism
Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

News

Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

Tripadvisor has unveiled a major rebranding led by creative studio Koto, marking its evolution from a pioneering travel guide into a global booking...
Travel : Hospitality : Design
Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

News

Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

Jolene Jolene, Atlanta’s first-ever women’s sports bar, is proof that interest in women’s sports is reshaping the traditionally male-dominated spor...
Hospitality : Sports : Leisure
Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

News

Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

New research challenges the narrative that Gen Z are the sober generation.
Statistic : Generation Z : Alcohol
Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

News

Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

Tracee Ellis Ross has launched Pattern Beauty’s first ever tv commercial, a 60-second spot that blends humour, nostalgia and a celebration of textu...
Haircare : Pattern Beauty : Beauty
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN