Hi Reader,

I'm thrilled to announce a major milestone—300 episodes of the Retail Transformation Show podcast! Your support and engagement have been key to this incredible journey, filled with insightful discussions, expert interviews, and valuable content tailored to help navigate the ever-evolving retail landscape.

To further enhance your experience, we're launching a new podcast: The Retail Show. This podcast is designed to help you stay up to speed with the rapidly evolving industry. The Retail Show acts as sister content to this Retail Transformation Briefing and transforms the written insights into audio form, diving deeper into key stories and providing additional relevant perspectives on the retail industry. All this to keep you informed and engaged wherever you are.

Find The Retail Show on your usual podcast app and click subscribe, or listen online at TheRetailShow.uk.

Thank you for being part of this community. I'm always excited to hear your perspectives, and I can't wait to embark on this new chapter with you and continue delivering thought-provoking content.

Retail transformation news headlines

🪙 Shein filed paperwork for a London-based IPO. Shein's listing has been one of the most hotly anticipated IPOs of recent times, with an initial company value forecast to be £50bn. There has been lots of speculation about location (and lots of campaigning against the IPO) and whilst nothing is fully confirmed and approved just yet, this is the strongest signal we've had yet about how this could look.

📦 Amazon is setting up a discount marketplace with orders shipping directly from China. Amazon recognises the threat posed by Chinese discounters like Shein and Temu and is looking to counter their growth with an equivalent proposition that allows them to offer lower-priced goods and potentially avoid the import taxes on individual orders.

🛒 Tesco has agreed to a partnership with GroupM, the world's largest media-buying business. The deal is described as a "landmark" move and will significantly strengthen Tesco's retail media network while making the supermarket an attractive proposition for brands. The deal covers online and in-store, including digital screens, printed signage, and even in-store radio. GroupM will have more access to Tesco's rich shopping data, and there will be more collaboration and strategic planning between the two companies.

🤝 THG and Frasers Group have forged a new partnership with many collaborations and cross-overs between the two companies. Frasers Group will access elements of the THG Ingenuity platform, starting with elements like courier management and fulfilment and logistics planning. Meanwhile, the Frasers Plus credit offering will be integrated into the Ingenuity systems, allowing other THG Ingenuity customers to quickly adopt the payment solutions. Luxury retailer Coggles is transferring from THG to Frasers Group, whilst THG's Myprotein will be stocked at Sports Direct. This feels like a major partnership that could also expand in many different directions.

📈 Matalan have focused on reducing promotions and discounting activity and has seen 92% growth in EBITDA. Sales have reduced by 6% but by focussing on gross margin and operational efficiencies, they have seen a brilliant boost to the bottom line. Weaning off the promotional cycle can be supremely tough, and this is an excellent example of a company that is making the hard choices and seeing positive results.

🏷️ Danish retailer Netto is deploying smart electronic shelf labels. The digital labels, powered by Vusion Group, will help the supermarket streamline pricing operations and ticket changes while improving pricing integrity. Many retailers are making strong moves into electronic shelf labels right now, and the developing technology and feature set means they can unlock a wide range of benefits, in turn improving their financial viability.

🎶 And finally, Amazon has partnered with rapper Megan Thee Stallion to release a Prime Day song. The tongue-in-cheek song features benefit-rich lyrics such as "With just one click you could have anything" or a clear call to action like "Sign up to be a member if you want free shipping". It also has a surprisingly catchy beat - don't say I didn't warn you!

New on the Retail Transformation Show podcast: Reflections and evolutions - #300

There have been huge industry developments since the Retail Transformation Show podcast launched back in 2018. In this episode, I'm sharing my experiences of setting up the podcast and my four key learnings from 300 episodes.

Listen to episode 300 of the Retail Transformation Show and discover:

• Why retail is both simple and complicated.
• How change happens (and the one example that bucked the trend).
• And more about the new podcast, The Retail Show.

Plus, check out these recent episodes:

​#299: Why simplifying is hard (and how to approach it)

​#298: Flagship stores: strategic play or vanity project​

​#297: The great workplace debate – WFH vs RTO​

And finally, with The Retail Show podcast launching, I'd love your support to:

1. Refine and develop - if you've got feedback, I'd love to hear your thoughts and get your help to evolve the format and content. Message me on LinkedIn or email me.
2. Spread the word - sharing with colleagues, team members, contacts, your whole family, pets and anyone else that is enthusiastic and passionate about retail. Please encourage them to tune in and subscribe.

And there is a lot more to come with The Retail Show, so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend and keep transforming better,

Oliver