What does it take to stay relevant when technology, media and consumer behaviour keep changing? The fifth edition of House of Retail brought that question to the stage. From human connection in an increasingly digital world to the realities of retail media and new ways to discover, choose and connect with brands.
More digital. More human.
Joost Meininger of KPN, the leading telecom and connectivity company in the Netherlands, opened the day with a paradox: the more customers can handle on their own through digital services, the more valuable real human help becomes.
“Automate the routine. Augment the employee. Elevate the human moment.”
Technology can take care of routine tasks and give employees the right tools, leaving more room for employees to listen, advise and build trust.
Retail media beyond the hype
Four perspectives, four very different environments. Rachel Scheffers of Bidfood Media Services, Maurice Ridder of Basic-Fit, Marvin Vacquier Droop of adpaq and Tom van Dalen of Jumbo shared their experiences with retail media across B2B commerce, fitness, in-store media and supermarkets.
One thing became clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A successful proposition brings together the right audience, data, technology and commercial approach.
New revenue is part of the opportunity, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of the customer experience. Retail media should do more than monetize the store. It should add value to the entire retail experience.
From fragmentation to connection
Jack Stratten zoomed out to a rapidly changing consumer landscape. Social media, creators, AI and entertainment platforms are changing where people find inspiration and who they trust.
So how can physical retail respond? Premiumisation, content-creating stores and curation. With almost endless choice online, curation becomes a value in itself.
At the same time, Jack pointed to growing digital fatigue. That creates new opportunities for physical retail: a place for discovery, curated choice and real-world experiences.
In a way, that brought the day back to where it started. As consumer behaviour becomes more fragmented across digital channels, creating relevant physical experiences becomes even more important.
When digital becomes material
Daan Berends, Collin van den Bos and David Hermans introduced WHAT.EVER.WALL for the first time. It started with a simple question: what if digital technology wasn’t added to a space, but became part of the material palette?
WHAT.EVER.WALL is a living architectural surface that can continuously change the character of a space. Real-time generated materials can evolve and respond to their surroundings, allowing the same physical space to take on a different atmosphere without rebuilding it.
“Not another screen, but a new material for spatial design.”
Instead of asking what should play on the screen, the idea is to think about what the space itself should feel like.
Better together
House of Retail 2026 showed how quickly retail keeps evolving. Technology creates new possibilities. Media opens new revenue streams. And digital content can change how a physical space feels and performs.
The opportunity isn’t to choose between technology and physical experience. It’s about using technology with purpose. To create smarter stores, more relevant experiences and stronger human connections.
Physical retail isn’t standing still. It’s becoming more dynamic.
Want to relive House of Retail 2026? Watch the aftermovie.