Last week, Stockholm hosted the very first edition of Disrupt Retail, a two-day event dedicated to the future of shopping. With brands like LYKO, Rituals, McDonald’s, KICKS and Søstrene Grene on stage, the conversations revealed a clear theme: retail is evolving beyond transactions into experiences. Charlotte Lefevre, Fredrik Grufman, and Niklas Ahlund from ZetaDisplay joined the discussions to explore what this means for stakeholders and customers alike.
The Store as an Experience Destination
If you want people to step into your store, you need to give them a reason that goes beyond buying products. Speakers across industries agreed: the physical store is a destination where customers should feel meaning, identity, and belonging. Søstrene Grene spoke about creating small but memorable moments in the customer journey, while Rituals described their stores as “breathing spaces” in everyday life. Oscar Jacobson reminded us that physical spaces capture invaluable “non-data” – the human interactions you can’t track online.
This is where digital signage, sound, design, and aesthetics come in. When orchestrated well, they activate the senses and create lasting emotional connections – something we at ZetaDisplay believe is central to retail success.
Technology and the Changing Role of Staff
Technology is reshaping how stores operate, but not in the way you might think. Self-service, apps and automation are reducing queues and freeing staff from checkout duties. Digital screens enable updates of advertising campaigns without the need for employees to exchange printed material. Jula even predicted that staffed checkouts could disappear within the next decade. McDonald’s demonstrated how technology can give employees more time for personal, local encounters with customers.
The message is clear: staff are not being replaced, they are being repositioned. Their role is shifting from transaction and administration to inspiration, guidance, and service. For you, that means investing in tools that simplify the routine, while empowering employees to focus on relationships.
The Rise of Retail Media
Another strong theme was Retail Media. What was once a buzzword is fast becoming a standard part of the media mix. Stadium and LYKO highlighted that the real gold lies in data – but only if you choose the right tech partners, and build a shared understanding of what Retail Media means across the organisation.
As retailers increasingly act like media houses, communication inside the store becomes a strategic asset. At ZetaDisplay, we help you connect campaigns, data, and customer experience in one smooth flow.
Sustainability and the Courage to Experiment
No conversation about retail is complete without sustainability. From ARKIVET’s second-hand model to the H&M Foundation’s vision of climate-resilient retail, the message was that innovations only matter if the infrastructure supports them.
Across all topics, one word kept resurfacing: courage. Courage to test and learn. Courage to stand out. Courage to make mistakes and enjoy the process. For us, this is a reminder that progress in retail comes when you and your partners co-create, experiment, and adapt.
Looking Ahead
Disrupt Retail made one thing very clear: the future of retail is about experiences, not transactions. Stores need to blend sensory design, digital tools, and human empathy into one cohesive journey to stay relevant in today’s retail landscape.
Curious to learn more? Find out how to design retail experiences that stick.