Shoptalk took place in its new home in sunny Barcelona this past 9-11 May, where more than 3,000 retail and brand changemakers from the likes of Adidas, Cartier, Chanel, Carrefour, H&M, Ikea, Nike, Sephora, Tesco, The LEGO Group, Unilever, Zara and so many more united to reimagine tomorrow’s boldest in-store and digital innovations.
Most exciting this year was the introduction of Meetup, delivering Europe’s biggest and most senior retail meetings programme that’s ever existed. An industry record breaking 20,000+ one-to-one, mutually matched business meetings were facilitated across the entire ecosystem, connecting the world’s biggest and rising retailers, brands, startups, tech players, analysts, media, and more.
As one decision maker from Zalando put it, Meetup was an “incredible opportunity to network with brilliant people and make meaningful friendships. The quality of the event exceeded all expectations and provided us with invaluable insights into the fashion and retail industry.”
But Meetup wasn’t the only huge success at Shoptalk Europe.
Shoptalk Europe’s agenda was packed with 187 world-class speakers with Founders, CEOs, and Presidents from the likes of Ahold Delhaize, Amazon, Carrefour, FARFETCH, The Coca-Cola Company, Decathlon, Diageo, Pull & Bear, and countless other leaders revealing the latest tactics and strategies shaping what’s next in retail’s digital transformation.
What’s more, the show floor was buzzing with more than 250 of the industry’s most cutting edge tech providers including the likes of Google, Intuit Mailchimp, Mastercard, Microsoft, Commercetools, Shopify Plus, and Uber Eats showcasing their latest products to shape how consumers buy, sell and discover.
And it wasn’t just grown ups that experienced all the magic of Shoptalk Europe! This year, the show introduced an onsite crèche offering free child care for all attendees - something no other retail show globally has done before. As Bike Club’s Founder expressed, Shoptalk Europe is “not just the future of retail, but the future of the workplace. I hope the kids had fun in the crèche, whilst I had fun on stage.”
As if that wasn’t enough to pack into three days, it wouldn’t have been Shoptalk Europe without throwing an epic industry party. And what a party it was with Craig David bringing his epic TS5 set to Barcelona’s exclusive Go Beach Club.
In summary, Shoptalk Europe returned with a bang, truly delivering Europe’s greatest and most senior retail show. Or as the Co-Founder and CEO of radd. said:
"Why was Shoptalk the best event I have been to? Because it was organized to the very last detail. From the healthy food stands, to thought through pitches and sessions, to making sure you are never lost or confused about where you need to be next. I have never before experienced so many incredible meetings with top industry leaders, in just three days.”
Shoptalk Europe will be returning to the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona on 3-5 June 2024. And if you can’t wait till then, Shoptalk US will be returning to Las Vegas on 17-20 March.
Check out the highlights...
