With just 50 days to go until NRF Europe returns to Paris Expo between 15 – 17 Sep 2026, we’ve scoured the conference programme to bring you our top picks of the keynote sessions and panel discussions you won’t want to miss at Retail’s Big Show Europe.

1. Currys’ Alex Baldock on why purpose & profit go hand-in-hand

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 | 2.15pm | Vusion Theatre

Currys has been an active voice in championing several green retail initiatives and campaigns to encourage consumers to extend the life of their electricals and make it easier for shoppers to recycle or repair e-goods and devices.

This includes its Cash For Trash scheme, a key part of the retailer’s sustainability mission to give tech a longer life, where electronic items are collected by Currys and then either repaired, refurbished, harvested for parts or responsibly recycled.

Last month it also launched its ‘Track the Tech’ campaign, which highlighted that Brits hoard £880m worth of unused tech in their homes and outlined what happens to old devices which are brought in for recycling.

Speaking at NRF Europe, its outgoing CEO, Alex Baldock, will outline how purpose and profit can co-exist.

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2. Pets at Home & Bolt on rebuilding supply chains for unified commerce

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 | 12.15pm | Breakout Session 2

With ‘Next Now’ running as NRF Europe’s 2026 theme, this session will explore how supply chains need to adapt, requiring data-driven decision-making, agile distribution and real-time consumer insights to drive performance.

Pets at Home’s Head of Supply Chain Transformation, Mariusz Kwiatkowski, and Audrey Ceuppens, Global Head of Grocery & Retail at Bolt, join Iki Lietuva’s Nijole Kvietkauskaite to highlight the supply chain’s central role in unified commerce, from faster delivery to reverse logistics and demand planning.

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3. Aroma Zone, H&M & KFC on store strategies for next-gen shoppers

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 | 4.15pm | Breakout Session 1

With younger generations driving the physical retail revival – from Gen Alpha mall rats to Gen Z’s digital fatigue prompting them to search for authentic real-world experiences, this session will shine a light on the future of the store.

Aroma Zone’s CEO, Sabrina Herlogy Rouget, H&M’s Nicola Faliva and KFC’s Malak Hamamsi will join Retail Unwrapped’s Mark Faithful for a panel discussion exploring how brands are looking to reinvigorate their physical retail offerings to meet the very different needs of next-generation shoppers.

From evolved physical environments to new ways to engage consumers and rethinking store formats and locations, the discussion will showcase innovative ideas, technological solutions and omnichannel inspiration for bricks-and-mortar best practice.

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4. LEGO & Primark on co-creation & customer engagement

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 | 11.45am | Breakout Session 2

Welcoming The Lego Group’s Rossana Mastrosimini and Primark’s Sarah Jackson to the stage, NRF Europe will host a deep dive into cultural relevancy in its panel session, “Marketing with a Twist: Co-Create, Play, Remember.” 

It will explore how forward-thinking retailers are making engagement and experience a key strategic priority, leveraging imagination, play, co-creation and powerful licensing partnerships to win share of mind among next-gen consumers.

This trend for “active engagement” which defines Gen Alpha’s key demands from brand relationships was highlighted by WGSN’s Carla Buzasi during NRF Europe’s 2026 Roadshow in May.

She identified play as a key component of active engagement, requiring retailers to build in creativity and co-creation to their offerings. “They want that sense of community, they want play, and retail has a real opportunity here… Play gives them that sense of confidence and autonomy,” she said.

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5. Mango & L’Occitane En Provence on how AI is solving new retail pain points

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 | 11.45am | Breakout Session 1

While retail businesses are rapidly embracing AI, many are yet operationally set-up to effectively scale the technology and unlock its full potential. A recent poll by Amperity showed that while 45% of retailers are already using AI in day-to-day operations, only 11% are fully prepared to deploy AI at scale.

In this session, Mango’s Chief Online & Customer Officer, Marlies Hersbach, and L’Occitane En Provence’s EMEA Ecommerce Director, Dorian Candavoine, will join Bastian Sehnert, Head of Data & AI at Media Markt Saturn Retail Group, to discuss how retailers are now using AI.

From solving operational and customer challenges to strengthening the role of human talent, they will explore how the next generation of AI is augmenting retail’s frontline, improving decision-making and driving sustainable performance.

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NRF Europe takes place between 15 – 17 September 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

To find out more or register for your pass: NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe.