The retail world has plenty of conferences. But this September, all eyes were on Paris.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) brought its iconic Big Show to Europe for the first time. The event set the stage for bold ideas to move from vision to reality and shaped how retail will evolve next.
NRF 2025 Europe at a Glance:
Three days in Paris: September 16–18 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
NRF’s Global reach: 480 exhibitors and 200 speakers from around the world.
Dynamic agenda: 100+ sessions sparking debate, showcasing technology, and pushing strategy forward.
This year’s Paris stage revealed the real breakthroughs - AI, experiential stores, and collaborations that will define retail in 2026 and beyond.
Paris Retail Week 2025: Conversations That Stole the Stage
The theme this year was Retail Together, and the agenda lived up to it.
Paris Retail Week put technology, experience, and purpose at the heart of every retail strategy. The event showcased AI-led decision-making, with physical stores evolving into destination experiences. Sustainability shifted from a talking point to a strategic imperative.
Sessions That Left a Mark at Paris Retail Week
Decoding the Future: How Agentic AI Is Transforming Retail: A direct look at intelligent agents driving efficiency and rethinking operations.
From Department Stores to Lifestyle Destinations: A keynote exploring retail real estate evolving to match shifting consumer behavior.
Breaking Barriers: E-commerce Strategies for International Expansion: Practical insights for taking brands global without creating complexity for customers.
Pitch Startup Hub: 60+ startups competing to prove they have solutions that deliver value today, not five years from now.
What resonated was the balance. Strategy and vision sat alongside practical showcases and startup pitches. Attendees heard from C-suite veterans and immediately saw innovators challenging them.
Live Tech, Startups, and Strategy on Display
The show floor, the epicenter of Paris Retail Week, proved just as critical as the keynotes. Dedicated zones like the Startup Hub, Innovators Showcase, and House of Innovation engaged leaders with technology firsthand.
Expo Tours added another layer, guiding executives through solutions shaping unified commerce, customer intelligence, and supply chain agility.
Witnessing innovative ideas perform live was priceless. The true test was not delivering a pitch but solutions that worked and tackled real-world challenges on the spot.
For a deeper look at how AI is already transforming brand engagement, explore our take on AI redefining retail marketing and customer journeys.
Takeaways Leaders Can’t Afford to Miss
For global retail executives, NRF 2025 Europe delivered three signals that will define the next decade:
AI Taking the Driver’s Seat: AI spots patterns, anticipates customer needs, and tweaks operations so every interaction feels personal and precise.
Stores That Aren’t Just Stores: Stores are no longer just shelves and registers. They’re destinations blending interactive screens, sensors, and human touch into memorable experiences.
Winning Together, Not Alone: Nurture healthy collaborations. Retailers partnering with startups and peers solve challenges faster and deliver measurable business results.
Why This Show Will Shape 2026
Paris Retail Week proved that the future rewards bold action and rapid experimentation. The city saw retailers, startups, and innovators testing concepts live, learning fast, and proving what works in real settings.
Retail Signals to Watch:
Bold moves matter. Concepts show their worth when executed.
Real experiences win. Customers respond to moments that engage and delight.
Cultivate collaborations. Teams and startups together spark fresh ideas and deliver results.
At Tru, we design smarter workflows, create stores that resonate, and build partnerships that deliver tangible results. The trends in Paris show that brands already moving fast and experimenting thoughtfully will define retail in 2026.
Turn retail’s future into today’s advantage with Tru.
Contact UsFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The event was held September 16–18, 2025, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
AI-driven decision-making, experiential retail spaces, sustainability, and collaborative innovation were central to Paris Retail Week 2025’s agenda.
Paris Retail Week is one of the biggest global stages with 480 exhibitors and 200 speakers. It is where brands see live technology in action, test real solutions, and discover strategies shaping the retail future.
For the first time, NRF’s Big Show expanded into Europe, combining Paris Retail Week’s format with a global innovation spotlight.