As the retail industry braces for another year of rapid innovation and transformation, the Retail Technology Show (RTS) 2025 returns as a key fixture in the sector’s calendar. Taking place on 2nd and 3rd April at its new home at ExCeL London, RTS is set to welcome over 15,000 senior retail professionals for two days of insight, inspiration, and hands-on technology exploration. Whether you’re a major high street chain, a fast-growing digital brand, or a start-up scaling operations, RTS 2025 offers something for every part of the retail ecosystem.
This year’s event marks an exciting new chapter with an expanded show floor, over 400 exhibitors, a packed conference programme featuring more than 125 speakers, and multiple new initiatives designed to foster collaboration and spark innovation. In keeping with its carnival theme, RTS promises not only cutting-edge business content but also a celebratory atmosphere where retail’s creative energy is front and centre.
Here are five standout reasons why RTS 2025 should be firmly in your diary.
1.Hear Directly from Retail’s Most Influential Voices
This year’s conference programme brings together over 125 retail leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts from some of the UK’s most recognisable brands, ready to share practical insights and future-focused strategies.
Chairman of Marks and Spencer, Archie Norman, headlines Day 1 with a keynote at 10:20am, offering insight into the retailer’s digital transformation, omnichannel innovation, and use of its Sparks programme to deepen customer loyalty. He’ll be joined on stage by Customer Whisperer, Kate Hardcastle MBE.
Later that morning, Joe Wicks MBE, the fitness entrepreneur behind The Body Coach, will appear in conversation with Hardcastle to discuss brand building, motivation, and wellness in the workplace. On Day 2, Dragon’s Den alumnus Theo Paphitis shares his leadership lessons and how to build retail resilience in turbulent times.
The programme continues across multiple stages, with sessions tackling sustainability, social commerce, digital transformation, and employee engagement. Stuart Trevor, founder of All Saints and a sustainable fashion advocate, will speak on building a circular brand with no physical inventory. Meanwhile, The Sole Supplier’s George O’Sullivan presents five content strategies to stand out in increasingly competitive digital channels.
Further highlights include:
- Steve Hewitt, former CEO and Chair of Gymshark, on scale-up culture and brand loyalty
- Henrik Nordvall, UK CEO at H&M, discussing local strategy and global transformation
- Maria Hollins, CEO at Ann Summers, on reinvention and customer connection
- Sarah Welsh, Co-CEO of retailer N Brown, sharing insight on diversity and digital agility
- Paul Kendrick, CEO at Studio Retail, offering practical advice on ecommerce growth
- Peter Cowgill, ex-Chair of JD Sports, on operational excellence and global expansion
- Dr Amna Khan, Retail Analyst & Senior Lecturer at MMU, moderating panels on consumer trends and behavioural shifts
From future of trading and workforce transformation to AI, data, and omnichannel innovation, each session is designed to offer applicable strategies and firsthand perspectives from the people shaping the retail sector.
The full RTS 2025 conference agenda, including timings, stage locations and speaker bios, can be viewed at:
https://www.retailtechnologyshow.com/conference-programme-2025
2. Connect with the People Who Matter Most
RTS is designed to bring the retail community together, offering a host of networking opportunities beyond the show floor. The highlight is undoubtedly The BIG Retail Party, taking place at the close of Day 1.
This year’s theme, Carnival Wonderland, promises a colourful, high-energy celebration with live music, fireworks and entertainment. It’s also the setting for the RTS Innovation Awards, which spotlight technologies poised to reshape retail—from AI-powered returns management to next-generation digital merchandising.
Elsewhere, the Retailers Lounge offers a vendor-free space to recharge and engage with peers, while bars and café areas across the venue are perfect for impromptu meetings and casual conversations.
3. Step Inside Retail’s Most Innovative Storefronts
For those eager to hit the ground running, RTS 2025 kicks off a day early with a curated Store Tour of London’s most forward-thinking retail spaces. Led by retail expert Ian Scott and sponsored by XY Retail, the tours offer first-hand insight into how the capital’s flagship stores are using technology to enhance customer experience and store design.
Split into morning and afternoon sessions on 1st April, the tours are exclusively available to retailers and brand attendees, offering a valuable pre-show glimpse into what’s working in real-world retail.
4. See the Industry’s Biggest Tech Names, All in One Place
One of the major advantages of RTS is the opportunity to see – and compare – a wide range of retail technology providers under one roof. With over 400 exhibitors, the event showcases both established global leaders and emerging innovators delivering solutions across payments, ecommerce, customer experience, AI and analytics, logistics, supply chain, store operations, and more.
Across the two days, attendees can explore live demonstrations, engage directly with product experts, and evaluate solutions tailored to every stage of business growth—from early-stage disruption to enterprise-scale integration. It’s an unparalleled opportunity for retailers to benchmark technologies and gain a comprehensive view of the tools shaping the future of the industry.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates from the biggest names exhibiting at the event.
5. Celebrate Innovation at the RTS Innovaation Awards
Innovation is at the heart of RTS, and the annual RTS Innovation Awards champion the technologies reshaping the retail experience. Ten shortlisted companies—including Akeneo, Pricer and Profitmind—are in the running, with winners announced live during The BIG Retail Party on Day 1.
Whether it’s shelf-edge connectivity, AI-driven insights, or tools that streamline customer journeys, the awards highlight solutions that deliver measurable impact in competitive retail environments.
Register for your free Retail Technology Show Ticket
Retail Technology Show 2025 brings together the critical ingredients for future-ready retail: insight, innovation, interaction and inspiration. Whether you’re there to learn, network or source the latest tech, RTS offers a unique chance to experience it all in one place.
Now in its latest chapter at ExCeL London, the show has seen remarkable growth and momentum under the stewardship of Event Director Matt Bradley. His leadership has helped shape RTS into a must-attend destination for the entire retail ecosystem – uniting global brands, disruptive startups, and industry experts in one high-energy, content-rich environment.
What began as a tech-focused trade fair has now evolved into a full-scale retail celebration – combining serious business with the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and community. From the dynamic show floor to the headline conference sessions and Carnival-themed celebrations, RTS 2025 captures the energy and ambition of an industry in transformation.
As long-time supporters of the show, 365 Retail is proud to exhibit once again (find us at Stand N90). We’re looking forward to reconnecting with the industry, discovering the latest innovations, and joining the Carnival atmosphere that makes RTS truly unique.
We’ll see you at ExCeL on 2nd and 3rd April—this is one retail experience you won’t want to miss. Register for your free pass here.
