NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe: Thinking beyond omnichannel

France – In Paris, on the third and final day of NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe, conversations shifted toward the future of retail and the opportunities unlocked by mass AI adoption.

Speakers explored how technological innovation is driving a new era of commerce, enhancing everything from hyper-personalisation to supply chain optimisation. While importance was placed on gathering data from all channels (in-store, online, social and mobile) to create a comprehensive profile of each customer, the consensus was clear: ecosystems are only as strong as their data.

In a panel on the potential of AI, Rafael Pires, head of tech experimentation at MC Sonae, stated, ‘Your AI solution will only be as good as the data you have.’ This was echoed by Anika Vooes, chief acceleration manager at Rewe Digital, who added that ‘the less quality you put in, the less results you get out’.

Continuing to unpack the notion of unified commerce, Simone Dominici, CEO of Kiko, described how the Italian cosmetics giant is thinking beyond omnichannel. He shared how personalised engagement, frictionless checkout and flexible fulfilment are reshaping how beauty is discovered, purchased and delivered, referencing the brand’s 2024 loyalty programme, which rewards customers with exclusive gifts and beauty sessions.

Dominici stressed that technology must be deployed with empathy. ‘It’s about the quality of the engagement and the way you reach them in a very personalised way,’ he said. We highlighted similar trends in our EQ-Commerce macrotrend, which explores how retailers are using technology to create intelligent, empathic commerce journeys.