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World Retail Congress 2024 daily recap: Elections anxiety and the 'world’s coolest stores'

Veja General Store, Paris, France

France – On the closing day of World Retail Congress 2024, retailers looked ahead to a year of global elections, readying themselves to navigate potential political turbulence. CEO of British Retail Consortium Helen Dickinson was cautiously optimistic about the impact of a Labour win on retailers during the UK general election. At the same time, across the pond in the US, the outcome is much less predictable for Mark Baum, CCO of The Food Industry Association. He called for global retailers to work together in this radically shifting political dynamics era.

During a keynote titled 'Retailing in a Time of Mass Distraction', Adidas and Instinct Laboratory tackled the arduous state of attention. When Head of Global Retail Andrea Dorigo joined the sportswear brand, he wondered how many consumers pay attention to the digital screens on display in physical stores. It turns out less, with retailers typically having three seconds to catch consumers’ attention in-store. To solve this tech-fueled attention deficit, brands were urged to reduce store clutter and implement more analogue concepts to incite excitement in overwhelmed consumers. An idea we explored in our microtrend report The Awe Economy.

‘The World’s Coolest Retailers 2024’ was one of the most anticipated talks of the whole conference. As part of a new report in partnership with Ebeltoft Group and Oresa, The General Store’s Matt Newell and Reid Nakou presented the top ten stores that meet their three criterias of cool: creativity, cult and commercial.

One of these retailers, already mentioned at World Retail Congress 2023, was eco-conscious accessory specialist Freitag. Its flagship store in Zurich champions circularity, offering a swap service for consumers and housing an e-bike rental service to explore the city. Another sustainable store making the cut for Newell and Nakou was Veja’s General Store, which opened in February 2024 in Paris. Its shoe repair services have already completed over 20,000 repairs since opening.

For more insights on World Retail Congress 2024, keep an eye on our Global Events section for the upcoming event analysts.

Strategic opportunity

Retailtainment has been a real buzzword at this year’s congress; make sure to leave space amongst the products in your stores for authentic consumer engagement

The Emory begins longevity and wellness members' club Surrenne

Surrenne at The Emory, London, UK

UK - Opening in April 2024, Surrenne at The Emory promises a holistic approach to wellness and longevity in a luxurious setting. The hotel offers 61 suites, a penthouse and the 'abc kitchens' restaurant featuring the freshest vegan, organic and local ingredients.

The venue spans over four floors, each offering a different energy. The wet zone offers a 22m pool, one of the UK’s first snow showers and a café menu curated by nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson. The fitness floor contains a gym with wellness sessions led by Earth and Sky and Fitbox, enhanced by Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) technology. On the longevity floor, users will find a range of spa offerings in partnership with leading surgeon and expert Dr Lara Devgan, facial sculpting specialist FaceGym and fashion designer Stella McCartney. In her inaugural UK studio, the fourth floor is dedicated to global fitness pioneer Tracy Anderson.

The cutting-edge club offers personalised and bespoke memberships dedicated to biohacking your health. The service is backed by Surrenne's own scientific advisory board, which includes Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr David Sinclair and Dr Shauna Shapiro.

In our Longevity Lifestyles macrotrend report, we discussed the growth of human optimisation centres and how consumers are increasingly craving science-backed, high-efficacy beauty and healthcare products.

Strategic opportunity

Consumers are now focused on hyper self-improvement. Consider using science-based research and new technologies to allow consumers to feel they are making well-informed decisions about their health

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Photography by Anna Shvets

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, deputy foresight editor Dan Hastings dives into the Ozempic era, eating insects and Dua Lipa.

: I never expected Ozempic and semaglutide to become my new reading obsession. Every day, I find myself diving deeper into the multitude of future scenarios that this weight-loss medication could inform. Is the injection on its way to start a new class war between a thin elite and an overweight working class? According to Dazed's Serena Smith, who wondered Why don’t rich people eat anymore?, this chapter has already started. She writes: 'This trend isn’t really about food or health. It’s about performance. It’s a way for the moneyed classes to signal their wealth and status and posture as above us mere mortals who debase ourselves by eating'

: Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, is found in many parts of Asia and Africa but is rare in the Western world. As someone who grew up on Réunion Island, where fried wasps are the best snack ever, I'm excited to see Yum Bug, the world’s first insect restaurant, opening in London. According to our Adaptive Appetites macrotrend report, you should get used to eating insects

: In other news, the UK music industry is urging young people to vote, #SmutTok is bringing sexy back and pushing Gen Z to be 'horny on main', and why are French athletes wearing cabin crew Berlutti outfits for the Olympics?

Quote of the week

'Whether I'm performing or going out, if it's not fun, I don't want it. You have to make room for joy. The world can be burning down but goddamn… if you didn't spend any of your life trying to be happy, I don't know what you've done'

Dua Lipa to ELLE Magazine

Stat: Extreme tourism market set to soar in coming years

Global – A new report by Allied Market Research forecasts a remarkable surge in the extreme tourism market, projecting it to soar to £72.96bn ($91bn, €85.28bn) by 2032, increasing at an average annual rate of 14.4%. This growth reflects a notable shift in travel preferences, as adventurers increasingly gravitate towards high-intensity, high-risk experiences that defy conventional tourism norms.

Extreme tourism has evolved into a distinct segment within the travel industry, catering to thrill seekers who crave adrenaline-fuelled escapades and unconventional encounters, as revealed in Skiing’s New Frontiers. Activities such asmountaineering in challenging terrains, diving in extreme conditions and adventurous expeditions have become emblematic of this burgeoning niche, offering participants opportunities for personal growth and profound connections with nature.

The allure of extreme tourism lies in its ability to provide a blend of excitement and self-care, appealing to health-conscious adventurers seeking holistic wellbeing, a topic we explore further in Sports Tourism Market. As individuals prioritise transformative experiences, the demand for adrenaline-pumping activities in remote and challenging environments has surged, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z, who value authenticity, adventure and meaningful connections.

Strategic opportunity

As extreme sports holidays surge in popularity, consider investing in next-gen wellness amenities such as cryo chambers, saunas or red light therapy rooms to help bodies recover from said extreme sports practice