Retail Disrupted

Hosted by Natalie Berg

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147

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Learn from the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, Retail Disrupted® is a weekly podcast exploring the biggest trends in retail, e-commerce, and consumer behavior. Join us as we dive into the future of shopping — from AI-powered experiences and omnichannel strategy to reimagined stores, sustainability, social commerce, and more. We explore how technology is reshaping retail, how shopping habits will evolve in the future, and what brands need to do to stay relevant in this digital era. Each episode offers practical insights, sharp analysis, and big-picture thinking to help you navigate the evolving retail sector with confidence. Based in London, designed for a global audience.

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November 4, 2026Episode 15128 min

Inside Direct Selling: Community, Trust and Social Commerce

Retail made shopping frictionless. Now shoppers want it to feel meaningful again. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Susannah Schofield OBE, Director General of the Direct Selling Association, to discuss the future of direct selling. It's come a long way since the Tupperware days! Susannah discusses the importance of trust, community-led selling, and human connection in an AI world - and what retailers need to do to stay relevant to discerning consumers. ABOUT OUR GUEST Susannah Schofield OBE is the Director General of the Direct Selling Association, the industry body for direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail in the UK. Prior to her appointment as leader of the Association, Susannah spent 18 years at Royal Mail, culminating in her holding the Board-level role of Commercial & Innovation Director, where she led a team of 300 A passionate advocate for women and young people in business, Susannah was awarded an OBE for her work in this area in the 2015 Queen's Honours List. She continues to champion women in business, and is a regular speaker on the importance of flexible working and portfolio careers. As well as being a published author (of business strategy book Mind the Gap), Susannah has lectured for The University of Kent and City, University of London, and also served as an advisor to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com ------------------- AI IN RETAIL EVENT Register here with discount code RDPODCAST20 for 20% off https://aiinretail.co.uk/

October 28, 2026Episode 15033 min

What Every Retailer Should Know About Accessible Shopping | Mark Webb

What if your store is turning away loyal customers without realizing it? Accessibility isn't just a social responsibility — it can directly impact customer loyalty, spending and retail revenue. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg speaks with Mark Webb, former retail leader and disability advocate, about living with multiple sclerosis and what retailers can learn from his experiences as both a customer and industry insider. Prior to medical retirement, Mark held senior comms and social media roles at Disneyland Paris, the Walt Disney Company, David Lloyd Leisure, Dixons Retail and Shift.ms. Mark shares how flexibility and compassion from his employers helped him stay in work after his MS diagnosis — and why he believes many retailers are still getting accessibility wrong. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

October 22, 2026Episode 14917 min

Inside Manhattan Exchange: Supply Chains Get an AI Upgrade

AI deployed into fragmentation does not create intelligence; it amplifies complexity. Recorded at Manhattan Exchange in Milan, this episode features regular guest Ben Sillitoe to break down what retail leaders shared on the ground about moving beyond AI pilots. Exchange is Manhattan Associates' flagship European event. Last year, the emphasis was on "unleashing the agents". 12 months on, what have we learned? The focus in Milan was on AI agents inside existing workflows: transportation planning agents. Omnichannel specialist agents. Shipment tracking agents. Tools that identify problems and proactively resolve them. But an AI agent is only as useful as the information and rules available to work with. Solid foundations are everything. For example, pulling inventory from one system, customer details from another, fulfilment from a third and carrier data from a fourth creates multiple versions of the truth — and an agent that can confidently give the wrong answer, fast. The takeaway from Milan: the aim is not to create smarter machines, but smarter organizations — powered by people, unified by technology, accelerated by AI, and unburdened by complexity. Featuring examples from JD Sports, Asda, L'Oreal, Co-op, Bauhaus, Foot Locker, CIA Conad, and more. 📺 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/c08ExOWFl90 For more, visit https://www.manh.com ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

October 15, 2026Episode 14818 min

Why Your Store is a Marketing Channel | Jack Stratten

Your store is no longer just a place for transactions – it's your best marketing channel. Jack Stratten, Director of Insider Trends, sits down with Natalie Berg to explore how to repurpose stores for a digital era. Jack shares what he is seeing on the ground, from Gentle Monster building stores where marketing is a main KPI to brand takeovers in Sephora Barcelona where, alongside traditional sales metrics, the retailer is also assessing dwell time, traffic and conversion. You'll learn why Sostrene Grene is among Europe's fastest growing physical retailers and how winning retailers design their stores for content creation, build treasure-hunt discovery, and connect store and digital teams to drive engagement that online alone cannot deliver. Connect with Jack on LinkedIn . ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

October 6, 2026Episode 14735 min

The Body Shop at 50: CEO Mike Jatania on the Comeback Plan

The Body Shop is in transformation mode. Two years after its rescue from administration, the globally renowned ethical beauty business is moving from stabilization to its next phase of growth under Mike Jatania - Co-Founder of Aurea Group and CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop. Mike joins Natalie Berg to discuss what it takes to revive one of the world's most recognizable and purpose-driven brands. 📺 You can also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRM5IbolyHw&t=1s Retail leaders will learn: Why loyal customers were never the problem and how to win new customers in a disrupted market. The 5-pillar turnaround: brand positioning, meeting shoppers where they are, data-led decisions, speed to market, and operational focus. Why stores still matter: creating relaxed, personalized, experience-led spaces and a seamless online to in-store journey. The digital growth plan: growing D2C e-commerce from 15% to 40% of sales within the next 3 years - and getting the assortment right for marketplaces and quick commerce.. How The Body Shop returned to the US exclusively through e-commerce and Mike's plans to selectively return to bricks & mortar in the future. The opportunity in wholesale and travel retail. One of The Body Shop's best performing stores in Germany? A railway station in Cologne. How The Body Shop is using AI across marketing, supply chain, demand planning, legal, and more. What Gen Z really wants: purpose plus performance, backed by clinical proof. ABOUT OUR GUEST Mike is CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop and Co-Founder of Aurea Group, a specialist private equity firm focused on beauty, wellness and longevity. A seasoned entrepreneur and a visionary leader in the beauty and personal care industry, Mike previously served as CEO of the Lornamead Group where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a global powerhouse, managing a portfolio of more than 30 personal care brands distributed across 50 countries. In 2021, Mike Jatania co-founded Aurea Group with former UBS Vice Chairman, Paul Raphael. In September 2024, through Auréa, Mike led a consortium of investors to acquire The Body Shop, where he now serves as Executive Chairman and CEO. Mike aims to usher in a new chapter for The Body Shop, driving growth and enhancing its global presence while preserving its core values and ethos. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

September 25, 2026Episode 1469 min

How a £40 TikTok Order Turned Into £10K a Week in Wholesale

How did a third-generation butcher from Wolverhampton use TikTok to become one of the UK's most recognisable halal brands? Manny Malik from Malik Butchers joins Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Manny explains the Halal Family Series that hit up to 9 million views, how they ship fresh meat across the UK via TikTok Shop, and why TikTok Shop buyers became inbound wholesale leads. He also shares how customers now travel from as far as the US and Australia, just to visit their counter. For retail leaders, this is a practical look at content to commerce, TikTok Shop as an extra revenue stream, and how social can build national distribution from one store. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

September 22, 2026Episode 1457 min

How Cheeky Wipes Built a Daily TikTok Live Strategy

Live every day for 18 months: how Cheeky Wipes turns awkward questions into sales on TikTok. In this mini episode, Helen Rankin, founder of Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants, shares how daily TikTok Lives build community and remove barriers to buy. She speaks to Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants is a reusable hygiene brand founded by Helen Rankin in 2008 after she struggled to find baby wipes suitable for eczema-prone skin. What started as Helen packing boxes in her garage has grown into a team of 20. The company sells reusable wipes, period products, cloth nappies and incontinence solutions, helping consumers reduce waste and save money. On TikTok, the brand has built a loyal community through educational livestreams, sustainability content, and product demonstrations. The focus is on educational and relatable content, demystifying sensitive topics and creating a space where customers feel comfortable asking the awkward questions they might not ask elsewhere. For retail leaders, Helen explains why consistency beats virality, how live Q&A helps shoppers try education-heavy products, and how TikTok and cheekywipes.com work together. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBKrO5D-mk8 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

September 17, 2026Episode 14420 min

How TikTok Drives People Back to Shops

TikTok is sending shoppers back to stores, not away from them. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, this episode features Paul Mears, Group Vertical Director of Retail and E-Commerce at TikTok, on why discovery on TikTok is driving footfall and sales to independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. We open with analyst reaction to the Primark news: Primark plans to launch home delivery in the UK after years of resisting online. Read Natalie's comments on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89jdl0j5x4o Paul then shares new data on TikTok's £10 billion contribution to the UK economy, why TikTok live shopping doesn't need to be overly produced - just authentic - and what retailers can learn from sellers winning beyond beauty and fashion. Even butchers and veg box suppliers are finding success on the platform. Listen to the end to hear how TikTok plans to use AI to enhance the customer experience. You can also watch this discussion on YouTube Mentioned in this episode: 📄 Transporeon Whitepaper : Retail Logistics Trends & Transportation Solutions 📺 Webinar with Tesco : Managing Retail Logistics in the Era of Uncertainty

September 10, 2026Episode 14315 min

Kraft Heinz Europe's Chief Growth Officer on the Power of Partnerships

How does Kraft Heinz decide what shoppers actually want next — from a viral vodka pasta to zero sugar, zero salt ketchup? Karen Owen, Chief Growth Officer, Europe & Pacific Developed Markets, at Kraft Heinz, joins Natalie Berg to discuss how to turn consumer obsession into commercial growth — from spotting viral trends and building true brand partnerships to testing flavour and creative with AI as one tool in a bigger innovation engine. A playbook for commerce leaders on reading shoppers and scaling what works. 📺 Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXchNfFHWyU WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: • How Kraft Heinz reads consumer signals — Gen Z, singletons and QSR inspiration — before committing to launch • Inside the Ocado test-and-learn partnership: joint consumer data, co-developed ranges, and Ocado's role testing pack, range and on-shelf execution • From viral to bestseller: How Gigi Hadid's vodka pasta led to the creation of Heinz x Absolut tomato vodka pasta sauce — #3 in UK supermarkets at launch and Kraft Heinz's best-selling limited edition — and why Heinz Tomato Ketchup Zero is now +26% YoY • Where AI saves hundreds of hours (flavour profiling, creative pre-testing) and where human insight still leads, plus early signals on agentic commerce ABOUT OUR GUEST Karen Owen oversees innovation, marketing and brand strategy for Kraft Heinz' European and Pacific Developed Markets, united by the company's crown jewel, Heinz - a global brand icon with roots in Karen's hometown of Wigan, where her love for the billion-dollar brand began. A seasoned CPG executive with a passion for building high performing teams, Karen has a track record of spearheading innovation and creativity to drive top and bottom-line growth for global brands like LIPTON Teas and Infusions, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer prior to joining Kraft Heinz. Karen has also held leadership roles at Diageo, Coty Beauty and P&G. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

September 1, 2026Episode 14216 min

Inside Diageo's Digital Strategy: AI, Amazon Discovery & 15-Minute Delivery

70% of whiskey shoppers in Germany start on Amazon — even if they don't buy there. It's a powerful reminder that digital commerce is about more than the transaction; it's about discovery, inspiration and brand-building - important for a category like alcohol where just 6-7% of sales take place online. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Danson Huang, Global Vice President of Connected Commerce at Diageo, to explore how AI, quick commerce, retail media and digital discovery are reshaping the consumer journey. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS1z5pMKVAg&t=239s Danson and Natalie discuss: • Why consumers are prioritizing occasion-led thinking over product-led search • How brands should optimize for recommendations from LLMs and shopping agents • Why agentic commerce may make sense for some purchases (the weekly Guinness order) but not others (the single malt whiskey gift) • How quick commerce can turn live moments — from football wins to Eurovision — into real-time, relevant shopping occasions • The role of retail media in quick commerce and why brands needs to improve relevance here • The foundational data and organizational challenges holding AI projects back and why businesses should focus on outcomes — not "AI for AI's sake" 💡One of the key takeaways from Danson: "Consumers don't live in their CHANNELS. They live with their NEEDS." 🤝 This episode is part of our Shoptalk series, sponsored by Manhattan Associates. https://www.manh.com/ ABOUT OUR GUEST Danson Huang leads Diageo's global B2C digital transformation across pure-play, e-grocery, quick-commerce, D2C platforms, and brand ecosystems. With over 20 years of experience spanning China, Singapore, the US, France, and the UK, he has built and scaled digital commerce, innovation, and omnichannel growth capabilities across global consumer brands. Danson is recognized for his work in connected commerce, MACH-enabled transformation, and the integration of technology, data, and consumer experience to drive sustainable growth. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com