Retail Gazette

30: How FMCG suppliers are recovering lost profit in a tougher retail market

FMCG suppliers are operating in one of the most pressured markets in recent memory. Consumers remain highly price conscious, retailers are focused on protecting their own margins, and challenger brands are forcing established names to fight harder for space, loyalty and volume. In the latest episode of the Unpacked Podcast, we sit down with Ben Lewis, chief revenue officer at Salitix, to explore how suppliers can protect their bottom line in a trading environment where every pound counts. Lewis says the squeeze on branded suppliers has intensified as own-label ranges continue to grow in strength. “The businesses currently supplying retailers are clearly feeling a lot of pressure because of market conditions,” he says. “Recent analysis shows that own-label products are on a par in terms of volume and sales to branded products. “That’s an interesting development as it’s brands who are leading the way, innovating and investing. That’s indicative of a marketplace that’s seen a lot of change, courtesy of the cost pressures we’ve seen. It’s been one crisis after another and as a result, we’ve seen price rise significantly.” For many suppliers, the pressure isn't only coming from the market around them. There may also be money sitting within historic agreements, trading terms and commercial processes that has never been recovered. That's where Salitix comes in. The business helps suppliers identify misallocated profit, review commercial contracts and recover revenue that may have been missed through legacy oversights or reconciliation gaps. In the episode, Lewis explains how Salitix combines retail experience, forensic auditing and commercial contract expertise to help brands claw back margin without adding disruption or risk. The sums involved can be significant. “Let’s say you have a quality British company with brands that you recognise on the shelf,” Lewis says. “It’s not uncommon, if we do the reconciliation with the retailer, that we may find a quarter of a million pounds to half a million pounds. “When you’re getting that money in and it’s net money, that’s amazingly potent money to have in the bank, especially when you have all of those external pressures.” The conversation explores the changing relationship between FMCG suppliers and retailers, the growing power of own-brand, and why profit recovery is becoming a sharper priority for businesses looking to defend margin without simply pushing prices higher. For suppliers navigating cost pressure, retailer demands and a more competitive shelf, it's a timely discussion about where efficiency may already exist inside the business. Listen now to the latest episode of the Unpacked Podcast with Ben Lewis, chief revenue officer at Salitix.

29: Is AI the key to retail's spiralling loss problem?

Retail loss has swiftly become one of the most pressing and expensive challenges facing the UK retail industry.  From theft and stock shrinkage to the growing pressure placed on frontline staff, the issue has far surpassed simply being an operational headache, and is now major drag on retail profitability. In this episode of the Unpacked Podcast, host Kieran Howells speaks to Dominic Brynholf, vice president of sales at Trigo, about how retailers can take a smarter, more strategic approach to loss prevention.  With more than 25 years of experience across retail technology, AI and business transformation, Brynholf offers a clear-eyed view of why loss is escalating, where traditional prevention methods are falling short, and how new technology can help retailers respond more effectively. The conversation centres on the intersection of a worsening loss problem and the growing potential of AI-powered retail technology.  Rather than presenting loss prevention as something that requires a huge systems overhaul, Brynholf explains how retailers can begin making meaningful progress by using assets many already have in place, particularly existing CCTV infrastructure. The discussion explores how AI can help retailers identify risk earlier, improve visibility across stores, reduce pressure on colleagues and support better decision-making without requiring major changes to existing tech stacks or heavy upfront investment. While there is no single fix for loss, this episode looks at the practical steps retailers can take to minimise its impact, protect staff and unlock meaningful financial upside for the wider business. Listen now to learn more!

28: Euroshop 2026, the best bits with Toshiba

Euroshop 2026 is once again behind us, and this year over 81,000 visitors descended on the show from 141 countries.  The show, which takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany, featured over 1,840 exhibitors from 61 nations. It’s a dizzying affair with so much to do and see, and it’s easy even for those in attendance to see just a tiny portion of the innovation on offer.  That’s why, in this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we sit down with Martin Ward, senior retail consultant at Toshiba, to discuss the very best that Euroshop had to offer, and his key takeaways, through the eyes of a true industry expert.  Ward takes us through the innovations that truly caught his eye, the big talking points throughout the show, and his own experience of walking the many halls.  Listen now to find out what you may have missed, and what may well be the standout innovations of 2026.

27: Beyond the booth: How EuroShop shapes global retail leadership

EuroShop is just around the corner. As in previous years, Euroshop 2026 is the go-to event where retailers from across Europe and around the world come together to define the global direction of retail.  More than an simply an exhibition, Euroshop has become a strategic platform for market leadership. In this episode of the Retail Gazette Unpacked podcast, we speak with Taras Pylypyuk, CEO of Modern Expo Europe, toexplore how events like EuroShop are evolving into powerful instruments of brand leadership, and what it signals to the global retail industry when a Ukrainian company becomes the largest partner of such a landmark event. We discuss the key trends shaping retail over the past three years and why exhibitions are shifting from deal-driven marketplaces to trust-building ecosystems. The conversation also looks at how retail leaders should approach networking, ROI, and strategic goal-setting to extract real, long-term value from EuroShop 2026. We also discuss Modern Expo, which is a global provider of retail infrastructure and last-mile solutions, with over a decade of presence in the UK market, and what the company has in store for retailers at the 2026 show.

26: Agentic AI is retail's next huge evolution - here's why

Agentic is undoubtedly one of the buzzwords of our time. However, the lightning-fast speed at which it's impacting the retail industry shows no signs of slowing. Much like the advent of ecommerce as a pivotal channel, it shows promise of genuinely fundamentally changing how much of the retail ecosystem operates.  The question is, what will that look like? In today's episode of Retail Gazette's Unpacked podcast, we sit down with AI guru and CEO of 7Learnings, Felix Hoffmann to dig into the realities that many retailers will have to face as soon as this year.  With his unmatched experience from within both retail and evolving technologies, Hoffmann explains in no uncertain terms how agentic AI will augment the shopping experience, and what will be the commonalities within the retailers who come out on top.  To truly tune into potentially retail's next big evolution, listen now.