In recent years, artificial intelligence has shifted from buzzword to foundational pillar in modern commerce, enabling retailers to deliver personalised experiences, optimise operations, and deepen customer engagement.
Published on Oct 6,2025 at 1:56 PM | Updated on Dec 16,2025 at 11:39 AM

Analysts suggest that generative AI, agentic systems, unified data platforms and responsible AI deployment will define the competitive edge in retail in 2025 and beyond. Yet these innovations do not emerge in a vacuum. They demand strong organisational culture, mature data practices, and trusted partnerships.

It was in that spirit that the Breakout Session on Thursday 18 September (11:30–12:00) at NRF Europe became a revealing highlight. With a title evoking ambitions to “revolutionise” the shopping journey and build new alliances between solution providers and retailers, the session brought forward some of the most senior and thoughtful voices in European retail transformation.

Accessed only by All-Access Pass holders, the panel included:

  • Mitch Van Deursen, CEO of Shoeby
  • Raphaël Kattan, Retail Transformation Advisor, MADDYNESS
  • Anika Vooes, Chief Acceleration Manager, Rewe Digital
  • Rafael Pires, Head of Tech Experimentation, MC Sonae (moderator/MC)

They framed AI not as a quick fix but as a long journey—one that must rest on three foundational pillars: culture, data quality, and trust.

 

Data quality is non-negotiable

 

Anika Vooes struck an early chord: “AI doesn’t work without data — it’s all about data quality. Pick-and-go stores, for example, would not work without it; otherwise, computer vision could not manage the checkout.” She cautioned against viewing AI adoption as a linear progression; instead, she likened it to slow beginnings that can accelerate once the foundations are in place.

Vooes also flagged the need for “structured curiosity” within organisations: letting teams explore and experiment, but within guardrails that maintain standards and clarity of accountability. Without that structure, she warned, “you will get stuck.” Crucially, she touched on the question of accessibility and customer trust: for example, in Rewe’s trials of facial recognition, the company invested in explanatory content (videos shown in stores) to familiarise customers and reduce unease.

 

Culture, buy-in and governance

 

Rafael Pires offered a complementary perspective: “Data governance, consistency, it’s not an IT project. You need buy-in, financial and human resources. People across the company need to understand it.” His account of Sonae’s approach was pragmatic — begin with lower-risk use cases, build confidence and partnerships incrementally, and insist that new recruits adopt an “AI-first mindset” from day one.

Mitch Van Deursen, meanwhile, emphasised the cultural shift that must accompany strategy and structure. “If we want to become an AI-native company, we need to change a lot — culture, strategy, structure. You need to set the culture first. People are sometimes scared, but they need to not be scared to fail.” At Shoeby, he has mandated bi-monthly training sessions that use real use cases to demystify AI and highlight tangible gains.

Raphaël Kattan, as moderator and transformation strategist, wove together these inputs — underscoring that the role of advisors and external partners is less to deliver silver bullets than to guide retailers as they build internal capacity, interoperability and resilience.

 

Key takeaways & implications

 

The discussion made it clear that AI is far from a plug-and-play solution. It demands deep preparation, and without robust data infrastructure and governance, retailers will struggle to unlock its full potential. Data quality is not a technical afterthought but the essential foundation upon which all AI applications are built.

At the same time, the speakers highlighted that culture change must precede technology deployment. Introducing new systems without fostering a mindset of openness, learning and experimentation can easily backfire. Retailers must invest in staff training, internal communication, and the kind of psychological safety that allows teams to test, fail, and improve. For AI to succeed, everyone in the organisation, not just IT specialists, needs to understand both the purpose and the potential of these tools.

A recurring theme was the value of starting small and scaling gradually. Rafael Pires’s account of Sonae’s early AI journey reflected this pragmatic approach: by focusing first on less risky projects, the company built trust with technology and partners before expanding its scope. This methodical, step-by-step progression allows retailers to learn from mistakes, refine processes and build long-term confidence across the business.

Finally, the conversation highlighted the issue of trust, both inside and outside the organisation. Trust is critical to consumer acceptance, particularly around sensitive technologies such as facial recognition. It is equally vital within teams, who must trust that AI is being used responsibly and transparently. Open communication, clear ethical guidelines and visible leadership commitment were all cited as essential to maintaining credibility while embracing innovation. As we look back on this session several weeks later, two things stand out. First, the ambition is real: European retailers no longer debate whether to adopt AI, but how to do so in a way that is sustainable, ethical and meaningful. Second, the path forward remains challenging: legacy systems, data silos, skills gaps, regulatory complexity, and cultural inertia all loom large.

Leaders such as Van Deursen, Vooes and Pires remind us that in 2025, the promise of AI in retail will not be won by those who deploy the shiniest models, but by those who master the human, organisational and ethical dimensions that enable those models to deliver real value.