Retail Technology Show (RTS), the annual event focused on bringing retail changemakers and technology innovators together, unveiled its theme for RTS 2026 at its End of Summer Soiree.
Taking place at John Lewis’ Oxford Street Rooftop Bar, the RTS Soiree hosted retail leaders from brand powerhouses, including Currys, Frasers Group, Liberty, Tesco and Pentland Brands. It was also attended by key media partners, including 365 Retail, Retail Tech Innovation Hub, Internet Retailing, The Retail Bulletin and Green Retail World.
Eat. Sleep. Retail. Repeat.
Grooving to the beat of retail innovation, RTS will let the good times roll at ExCeL London on 22–23 April next year with a disco-themed retail extravaganza.
Bringing together the sector’s movers and shakers, the UK’s leading retail event promises innovation, energy, bold moves and good vibes, connecting retailers with the tools and tech they need to keep in step and never miss a beat.
From strut-worthy AI and move-busting metaverse experiences to omnichannel capabilities that help retailers ‘get phygital’ – the rhythm of retail will meet the future of innovation under the glittering lights of the RTS disco ball at next year’s show.
Funk and flair: get on down to retail town
RTS 2026 follows the event’s successful debut at its new home, ExCeL London, in April earlier this year, when it brought the carnival of retail to town. Transforming the exhibition into a giant retail funfair, RTS 2025 welcomed over 14,000 retail professionals – a +11% increase on the previous year – and delivered its biggest ever tech showcase of 438 leading solution providers.
Matt Bradley, Event Director at RTS, commented: “Off the back of an incredibly successful first event in our new home, London ExCeL, RTS 2026 is already shaping up to be bigger, bolder and better. With a new theme – but the same incredible energy that unites the sector – we can’t wait to bring the funk, flair and future of retail to life as we look ahead to next year’s show.”
Turning up the volume, visibility and vibe
As it gears up for 2026, RTS has also confirmed the appointment of Flagship PR as its official PR partner to turn up the volume, visibility and vibe for next year’s show.
Built on decades of deep retail tech expertise, Flagship is a specialist comms agency that delivers pioneering PR for retail technology businesses. Founded by retail tech comms expert, Sarah Cole, it combines big-agency experience, big-brand thinking and a laser focus on making tech brands unmissable within the retail ecosystem. This will mark the eighth year Cole has supported RTS, having first delivered PR for the event when it was branded as RBTE back in 2018.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Flagship on the PR for RTS 2026,” Bradley added. “As the leading retail technology event, we needed a PR agency that is as embedded in the industry as we are, and Flagship is exactly that. As RTS continues to grow and build on each year’s success, key strategic and trusted partnerships – like that which we share with Flagship – are the bedrock of that continued momentum.”
“It’s hugely exciting to be working with the team at RTS for an eighth year,” Sarah Cole, Founder of Flagship PR, commented. “RTS is a truly unmissable event for the retail sector. Where tech and retail intersect, it brings the electric energy and thirst for innovation that keeps the industry fresh, fast-paced and forward-thinking. We can’t wait to support RTS in delivering yet another standout celebration of retail technology in 2026.”
To register your interest for RTS 2026, visit: Retail Technology Show.
