INSIGHTS FROM NRF ASIA PACIFIC 2025

Learn our key takeaways from the NRF Asia Pacific 2025 event.

IGD recently attended the NRF Asia Pacific 2025 event in Singapore, and here are some our key takeaways:

AI as a disruptor and an opportunity

As expected, AI was the major buzzword at NRF.

The adoption of AI such as generative AI has accelerated in recent years.

This has helped retailers and brands improve the efficiency of various aspects of their operations, by saving time and helping enhance systems integration.

Although at the same time it has resulted in making some human jobs redundant.

Various solution providers showcased their AI capabilities at booths in the exhibition area.

Meanwhile, brands like Coca-Cola delivered a speech about how they use AI to optimise ranges in stores to improve overall revenue and profitability.

Going digital to improve efficiency and shopping experience

Very closely overlapping with AI is the digitisation of the store, as retailers strive to improve operational efficiency, while delighting shoppers by infusing experiential elements.

FairPrice is among the retailers that has showcased digital solutions it is experimenting with in its stores.

It has started trialling smart carts in a store with younger shopper demographics, and will be experimenting with biometric face and palm pay services.

It has hopped onto the generative AI bandwagon too, incorporating it into its digital wine sommelier to enhance the shopping experience.

On the operational aspect, it is tapping into generative AI to boost efficiency in areas such as inventory management and in detecting safety issues and shop theft.

Lotte Shopping is all about “exceptional shopping experience and putting customer needs, wants and their desires in front of everything”.

At the core of Lotte’s transformation is a major investment in digital and AI capabilities.

It includes a partnership with Ocado Solutions on a generative AI-app to help shoppers build their baskets.

In its liquor business, AI agents will recommend pairings to match food.

The personalisation is then powered by Lotte’s loyalty programme, which boasts more than 43 million members.

The art of human connection

While there has been a lot of focus on how technology makes shopping faster and more seamless, the value of human connection remains more important than ever.

At Mecca, the largest beauty chain in Australia, beauty advisors are trained to build trust, not just sell more products.

They listen carefully to shoppers’ needs and provide personal recommendations.

In China, Sam’s Club has one core target – an affluent shopper (or member in Sam’s Club terminology) who drives a continental car like BMW or Mercedes, is interested in better quality products and has no time to shop around for good value.

Instead of overwhelming members with multiple brands at various price points with differing quality, Sam’s Club only sells the best of its kind.

Understanding the Gen Z customer

As more in generation Z enter the workforce, they take up a growing proportion of shopper spending in store.

Retailers who can best understand and cater to the needs of this group of young shoppers stand to benefit most.

DFI’s 7-Eleven Singapore shared about how it targets this young shopper demographic segment through expanding its assortment to include the latest top collectibles from Pop Mart.

It also holds sharing sessions for younger employees to teach the experienced ones about the latest trends, ensuring all are well equipped to understand meet the needs of young shoppers.

Meanwhile, Coupang talked about how understanding the shopping behaviour and needs of its generation Z shoppers has helped out it strengthened its delivery service offerings to provide both speed in delivery and flexibility in its cancellation policy.

Making convenience cool via different media channels

Top convenience players shared their insights on how to differentiate and win in this competitive space.

Instead of copying competitors, they are thinking out of the box by introducing new ranges and driving visibility through different marketing efforts.

FamilyMart has recently launched new rice balls with Bongo, Japan’s most famous rice ball restaurant.

To drive visibility, it engaged world-famous baseball player Shohei Ohtani as an ambassador for the new collaboration.

The retailer also has a successful range of apparel called “Convenience Wear”, which has risen to popularity through fashion shows and being worn by celebrities on social media.

7-Eleven Singapore is collaborating with Tan JianHao, Singapore’s most popular Youtuber, on its new 7-Eleven jingle to drive usage of its mobile app on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Apart from influencers, it also engages its employees to share content in an authentic manner, so they can create a variety of messages and target different audiences.

Amidst the overall talk of AI replacing human jobs, here is a memorable quote from a speaker who mentioned that human jobs will not be replaced by AI, but rather by other humans who best use AI.

This is a reminder to us to turn the AI disruption into an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

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