What does the CEO of Morrisons actually think about AI, shopper loyalty, and the pace of change? Retail analyst Natalie Berg shares five direct learnings — then River Island's Tech Director reveals how fashion is fighting the same battle.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie shares frontline intelligence from the Richmond Retail and eCommerce Directors' Forum, including rare direct access to Rami Baitieh, CEO of Morrisons (and former CEO of Carrefour France). Then Meriel Neighbour, Director of Technology at River Island, unpacks how fashion retail is navigating Gen Z's demand for speed, the returns crisis, and AI's real-world role on the shopfloor.

From Morrisons:

• Why Rami believes "the bigger the store, the bigger the problem"
• How AI personalisation is driving Morrisons' e-commerce growth
• "Customers are loyal to their pocket" — what shopper promiscuity means for grocery and beyond
• The £200m+ tax burden threatening retailer pricing power and long-term planning

From River Island (starts at 11 min):

• How social commerce and Gen Z's "I need it now" mindset are making speed-to-market a survival strategy
• The returns crisis: why inconsistent sizing across brands is the root cause — and how virtual try-ons could fix it
• River Island's internal AI platform that cut service desk calls by 80%
• Meriel's bold vision: AI that spots a mannequin on the street, adds the outfit to your basket, and has it at your desk before you arrive

For retail leaders navigating disruption — this is essential listening.

🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% global podcast hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionise Commerce.

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Snapchat is no longer just a messaging app — it's Gen Z's discovery engine, digital changing room, and social shopping hub, and it's transforming how forward-thinking retailers must think about the purchase funnel.

90% of UK Gen Z are on Snapchat. Only 5% describe themselves as impulsive shoppers. And 73% still visit a physical store at least once a week.

If those numbers challenge what you thought you knew about the next generation of consumers, this episode is required listening.

Natalie Berg sits down with Rachel Levy, Head of Retail & Lifestyle at Snapchat, to decode the Gen Z shopper — and what every retail leader needs to understand about augmented reality, authentic advertising, and why the changing room is going digital.

In this episode:

• Why Gen Z are budget-conscious and considered, not impulsive (the data will surprise you)
• How AR virtual try-ons are reducing returns and building purchase confidence
• The "changing room becomes Snapchat" thesis — and what it means for physical retail
• Why Gen Z don't mind ads (as long as you're not faking it)
• How to structure a full-funnel Snapchat strategy across all tabs
• Social commerce strategies: the first step every brand should take

Connect with Rachel Levy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-levy-48450414/

About Retail Disrupted

Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce. Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast for leaders navigating the future of shopping.

👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted

👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Traditional ROI is broken. If you're still measuring success with quarterly numbers and like-for-like sales, you're flying blind into the next decade of retail.

In this episode, host Natalie Berg is joined by Martin Newman — "The Consumer Champion", author of ROI Reimagined, and a 40-year retail veteran who has shaped strategies for brands like Burberry, Harrods, and Ted Baker.

Together, they dismantle the "96% Problem" (why 96% of website visitors don't buy) and introduce the ROI Reimagined framework — a set of 11 critical metrics designed for the future of shopping, where innovation and failure are inextricably linked.

In this episode, you will learn:

The 96% Problem: Why retailers are obsessed with conversion rates but ignore the massive opportunity in those who leave empty-handed.
CX vs. CC: The strategic difference between Customer Experience (what happens to the customer) and Customer Centricity (what the business must do to deliver it).
The 11 Future Metrics: A breakdown of the "new" ROI, including Return on Integrity, Inclusion, Inspiration, and Innovation.
The "Monday Morning" Challenge: A simple framework to re-energize your leadership meetings and shift focus from reporting to problem-solving.
Tech-Led Trade-Ins: Lessons from brands like Suit Supply and CDLP on bridging the gap between digital and physical retail.

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👉 Follow Natalie Berg on LinkedIn: Natalie Berg | Retail Analyst

Retail Disrupted™ is a Top 5% Global Podcast for retail leaders. If you found this episode valuable, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.