The Retail Influencer

End of the month, as usual, Elisa Servais and Vincent Panneels revisit what happened during the last month. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

That was one of the key takeaways from my conversation with Michèle Boockoff-Bajdek, Chief Marketing Officer at Sitecore, in the latest episode of The Retail Influencer. We discussed Sitecore’s Digital Authenticity Index and what authenticity really means in an AI-driven retail environment. A few highlights: ·       68% of consumers say digital interactions carry as much or more weight than real-w...

What if alcohol excise duties were costing Belgium more value than they generate? That is the question I put to Geert Van Lerberghe and Étienne Bouillon from Vinum et Spiritus in this new episode of Retail Influencer. Since the major increase in excise duties in 2015, price differences with neighbouring countries have become significant for certain categories. And the issue goes far beyond the bot...

Elisa Servais was in Paris for the second edition of NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe. Naturally, in this episode of the Retail Influencer, we take a look at what she saw, heard… and, above all, what caught her attention. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Maison&Objet is not a retail show. And that is precisely why retailers should pay attention to it. In this new episode of the Retail Influencer, Elisa Servais talks to Vincent Panneels about her visit to Maison&Objet in Paris. A show that we instinctively associate with decoration, design, home and lifestyle. But which, according to Elisa, is becoming increasingly interesting for anyone wo...

September was clearly not a quiet start to the retail season. Quite the opposite. Between the Carrefour and Delhaize trade shows, new concepts such as ShopeeZ and CRAVY, the transformation of Cora, the trends emerging for the end of the year, wine fairs, NRF Paris, Maison&Objet… there was certainly plenty going on. In this new Monthly Recap, Elisa Servais and I look back at what stood out to u...

I don’t know if you saw it, but there has been quite a bit of noise around Delhaize’s checkout system, and more specifically around the one at the Delhaize store in Braine-l’Alleud. So I looked into it. I searched. And I couldn’t find any official statement from Delhaize on the subject. That struck me as quite surprising. Because if Delhaize were officially testing a new checkout system in one of...

For a new episode of the Retail Influencer, I met with Alain Pardoms to talk about Delhaize’s September Wine Festival. The event, its commercial approach, market trends and how Delhaize aims to remain a reference in wine in Belgium: we take a closer look at the key elements of this year’s edition. Here you get the highlights. For the original conversation with Alain, head to the french stream of t...

In this new episode of the Retail Influencer, I look at Delhaize’s approach to fresh produce: assortment, Belgian growers, innovation, convenience, in-store experience and affordability. I spoke with Géraldine Pieters, Category Director Fruits & Vegetables at Delhaize, about the challenges facing a category that plays an increasingly important role in consumers’ everyday lives. In this episode...

SIAL Paris 2026 is approaching… and of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk about it with Jean-Gabriel Mollard, Director of SIAL Paris, in a new episode of The Retail Influencer. According to Jean-Gabriel, SIAL is a bit like the World Cup of food. Thousands of exhibitors, professionals from all over the world and, above all, a concentration of trends, innovations and new concepts to disc...

As every year, Carrefour Belgium is launching its Wine Fair, with a month dedicated to discoveries, promotions and wine tasting. The 2026 edition runs from 9 to 28 September and offers, in participating Carrefour hypermarkets, a selection of award-winning wines, exclusive references and various promotional offers, including 1+1 free and 2+1 promotions. Wine lovers can also enjoy tastings organised...

What if the price of a product also told us how much the person who produced it actually earns? In this new episode of The Retail Influencer by 20/CENT Retail, I speak with Anne-Françoise d’Aoust about Allez, a Belgian initiative aiming to bring more transparency to the relationship between producers, retailers and consumers. It all starts… with a Belgian melon. But behind that melon lies a much b...

What if food waste wasn’t just a sustainability problem… but also a store efficiency problem? That’s the question I put to Fredrik Andershed from Deligate in this new episode of The Retail Influencer by 20/CENT Retail. Retailers already have an enormous amount of data. They forecast, order, track inventory, manage promotions and deal with products approaching their expiry dates. So why do so many...

Do consumers really choose the retailer they believe is the cheapest… or simply the one they perceive to be the cheapest? I had the opportunity to welcome François Bernard from Carrefour Belgium on the French-language stream of The Retail Influencer podcast. Here are some of the key insights from our conversation. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

End of summer, end of the month… which means it’s time for another recap on The Retail Influencer with Elisa and Vincent. So, what did we talk about in this episode? August was the month of holidays. But we didn’t completely switch off: we kept publishing and keeping an eye on what’s happening in retail. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Is online commerce about to undergo its biggest transformation since the rise of e-commerce itself? In this new episode of The Retail Influencer by 20/CENT Retail , Vincent Panneels welcomes Bernardo Caldas from Mollie to explore a concept that is rapidly moving from theory to reality: agentic commerce. The idea is simple, yet its implications are profound. Tomorrow, consumers may no longer browse...

Retailers are investing heavily in self-order kiosks, self-checkouts, mobile apps and checkout-free shopping. The objective is clear: make shopping faster and more convenient. But by simplifying the experience for the majority, are we making it more difficult for part of our customer base? In this new episode of The Retail Influencer by 20/CENT Retail , Vincent Panneels and Elisa Servais explore o...

The beer market is evolving—but probably not in the way you think. Behind Carrefour Belgium's 2% growth lies a profound shift in consumer behaviour. Purchasing power, the rapid rise of alcohol-free beer, the success of "easy drinking" beers, and Generation Z's changing preferences are reshaping the category. In this episode, we explore the key trends transforming the beer aisle and what they revea...

The Retail Influencer Monthly Recap is out. July may be a holiday month, but retail certainly didn't slow down. In this new episode with Elisa Servais, we look back at the stories that shaped the past month and discuss what they mean for the industry. Highlights: ·      Carrefour Belgium returns to growth after months of transformation and bold initiatives. ·      Colruyt Group confirms its stabil...

Amazon Go may be gone, but is the "Just Walk Out" concept really dead? During my Retail AI Tour in Portugal, I visited the Continente supermarket powered by Sensei's technology. A deep dive into a solution that works in a real supermarket, with real customers, and could reshape the future of automated retail. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if your next meal was prepared in your own home… by a chef booked through Carrefour? That is exactly the concept currently being developed by Carrefour Belgium. Revealed exclusively by Arnaud Lesne on  The Retail Influencer , the new service could launch before the end of the year and represents another step in Carrefour's service-driven strategy. The idea is straightforward: go far beyond si...

For years, retailers focused their efforts on their stores. Today, some are going a step further: bringing the store directly to consumers. Festivals, sporting events, tourist destinations... Carrefour Belgium is multiplying its temporary retail formats to stay true to its promise of being the "favorite neighborhood store," even when that neighborhood happens to be a festival campsite or the paddo...

In this episode of  The Retail Influencer , I share with you my chat with Elise Bastien, Communications Manager at Chicory Leroux. Together, we discussed the replacement of the Pacha brand in Belgium, the company's strategy to revitalize the chicory category, and how evolving consumer trends are creating new opportunities for this historic product. A conversation about innovation, rebranding, and...

In this new episode of the  Retail Influencer , Vincent Panneels and Elisa Servais look back at the highlights of June. On the agenda: Key takeaways from the  New European Bauhaus Festival A store tour in Brussels Parallels with  Colruyt's  latest results Trends emerging from the  DIY Summit The transformation of Carrefour's non-food business An inspiring initiative discovered in London And a prev...

Today, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a particularly interesting transformation at Carrefour Belgium. I recently visited the Drogenbos hypermarket, which is currently serving as a pilot store for a complete redesign of the retailer’s non-food offering. During my visit, Jochen Meuwis guided me through the different concepts being tested, the thinking behind the changes, and the first results a...