New Retail Summit 2025 program

How can 24/7 stores offer customers a comfortable shopping experience while ensuring maximum safety and effective oversight? The key lies in artificial intelligence. This presentation will showcase advanced technologies that simplify self-checkout operations using product recognition through cameras, while also analyzing customer behavior to detect risky situations in time. See how AI, integrated into video servers and monitoring applications, is transforming operational standards in modern always-open stores.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we design new products, explore customer needs, and share information within the company. With AI, we can test ideas faster, analyze markets more precisely, and improve collaboration across teams. I’ll present specific tools and approaches that help us deliver solutions with real business impact.

The introduction of artificial intelligence into research and market analysis has significantly accelerated and simplified data processing and interpretation. This presentation will cover our approach to trend analysis, moderated discussions, and new product testing.

Slovak buyers are facing new challenges resulting from consolidation measures, and at the same time they are exposed to the impacts of developments at the global level. Not only these external factors, but also wishes, life situations, health and, last but not least, trends shape how the buyer behaves and buys.  Let's take a look together at households in Slovakia and how the challenges of recent times have resonated in their purchases.

What changes has customer behavior undergone in recent years? In the latest trend report, we will introduce you to the key trends and changes in customer behavior that are transforming the role of brands in their lives. Based on four experiential identities and examples of well-known and local brands, we will show how to meaningfully enrich the portfolio of products and services or bring innovations based on the expectations of target groups and their future needs.

The patient and customer are changing, and so are we. Come and hear how Dr. Max is redefining the pharmacy concept and bringing a revolutionary retail experience to the world of healthcare. At the New Retail Summit, the CEO of Dr. Max Slovakia, Ing. Marián Jánoš, MBA, will review the year since the opening of their spacious and modern pharmacy of the future. You’ll find out what worked well, where there is room for improvement, how customers responded — and, on the other hand, what didn’t work. Dr. Max will also share business results and plans for the further development of next-generation pharmacies. Don’t miss this inspirational presentation about how Dr. Max is shaping innovation in pharmacy retail and delivering comprehensive, modern care to its customers.

Mastercard Retailer of the Year 2024: Innovation of the Year

Martin Dolejš, Business Development Director CZ/SK, Mastercard, will introduce the competition showcase of three projects nominated by the expert jury.

The winner will be decided by audience vote.

Munch App: A Solution for Reducing Food Waste

Katarína Klíčová, Marketing manager for Slovak market, Munch

Adriana Samek, Country Sales Lead, Munch

The Munch app connects food businesses with conscious consumers and helps reduce food waste, which is responsible for 8–10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to the Munch initiative, over 31,000 food packages were saved in Slovakia last year—equivalent to 26 tons of food and over 233 tons of greenhouse gas emissions prevented.
The app already works with nearly 200 partners and plans to expand further into supermarkets and new locations. The main goal is to cover all of Slovakia to make the app accessible to as many users as possible.
Munch is currently active in four European countries and fully established itself in Slovakia last year, starting operations in Bratislava. In the coming years, it aims to expand its presence to as many Slovak cities as possible and make its services available to a wider audience.

Niceboy Pay: A Revolution in Contactless Payments

Michal Čarný, CEO, Niceboy

Niceboy Pay brings an innovative solution for cashless payments to the Slovak market through wearable electronics. The project includes the Niceboy ONE smart payment ring, the stylish Infinity bracelet in collaboration with the Furiosa brand, the ONE Spark children’s payment wristband, and the Niceboy WATCH smart watch.
The first payment ring appeared on the market in June 2024, developed in cooperation with Mastercard and several Slovak and Czech banks. In a short time, the devices gained over 25,000 customers who appreciate their simplicity and practicality.
The project proves that innovation in electronics is not just the domain of multinational brands—local players can bring it too. Future plans include new designs, the use of precious metals, and the development of a smart ring that combines payments with health functions.

COOP Jednota Slovensko: 24/7 Stores of the Future

Renáta Peťovská, Director of Commerce and Retail Network Development, COOP Jednota Slovensko

COOP Jednota is the first retail chain in Slovakia to launch self-service stores operating 24/7, offering flexible shopping without limitations. Customers access the store through the COOP Jednota Klub app, where they verify their identity and receive a QR code for entry. Security and smooth operation are ensured by a sophisticated AI-powered camera system that monitors shopping activity and handles unusual situations.
The first store of this kind was opened in May 2024 in the village of Šalgočka, followed by branches in Šaľa, Nové Zámky, Handlová, Rabča, and others. This model benefits not only customers but also retailers and employees—allowing for cost optimization, sustainability, and store accessibility even in smaller towns.
COOP Jednota operates nearly 2,000 stores in Slovakia and plans to expand the 24/7 store concept to at least 20 new locations in 2025. The efficiency of the concept is being tested in various settings, including urban and rural areas.

The amount of product data in the retail world is constantly and rapidly growing, and more and more emphasis is placed on its quality. In 2022, GS1 Slovakia, in cooperation with GS1 Czech Republic, started the activities necessary for the implementation of the global GDSN standard in Slovakia and the launch of the 1st certified Slovak e-catalog SYNFONY. Currently, GS1 Slovakia cooperates with several retail chains in order to connect to SYNFONA. Find out what advantages GDSN and SYNFONY the Slovak retail chain TERNO sees, and why TERNO decided to receive product data from their suppliers electronically.

The presentation will focus on the challenges facing the beer category today and outline how we at Plzeňský Prazdroj, together with Kaufland, respond to them directly on the sales floor. We will look at two key areas: clarity and emotion. Clarity and intuitive navigation allow for quick orientation, saving time for the shopper and potentially a larger cross-shop. With modernization and a pleasant appearance, we convey positive emotions and moments on the sales floor that we naturally associate with responsible beer drinking. We will present specific initiatives that we are successfully implementing together with Kaufland and thanks to which we believe that beer will maintain its attractiveness and relevance for future generations.

Is price the holy grail of retail? The store is a stage for the customer. In addition to a "fair" price, the goal is to provide customers with a shopping experience, listen to their needs, adapt to external circumstances and bring a personal approach and advice.

Business is not just numbers. These are emotions and they make customers loyal customers who come back. A positive customer experience is built over the long term. It is based on the availability of stores, a positive attitude of staff, a comfortable environment, a quality assortment and customer service. In our domestic retail network, we build on the traditional values of trade and proximity. COOP Jednota stores are not only a place for regular shopping, they also provide the opportunity to pay for postal orders, cheques, bank orders and, when paying by credit card, cash withdrawal. In 2024, it was the first food chain in Slovakia to open a 24/7 automated store, which is a revolutionary form of shopping. New trends, innovations and new technologies are part of the COOP Jednota stores and will continue to develop and implement them.

In the dynamic world of marketing, making the right strategic decision is anything but simple. While we have access to theoretical approaches, numerous studies from various markets and industries, and insights from past campaigns, the overall complexity of the issue is immense, with countless factors influencing the final decision. We will introduce a solution that provides concrete answers for optimizing your marketing budget and maximizing the efficiency of your investments.

Mastercard's goal is to ensure maximum security and user-friendly payment experiences for online shopping. Our vision is to completely eliminate the need to manually enter Mastercard card details in European e-commerce by 2030, thanks to 100% tokenization – a solution that protects customers’ sensitive data while also simplifying the payment process.

As part of this effort to enhance security, we are also taking a comprehensive approach to protection against cyber risks, which are becoming an increasing challenge for the retail sector. We will present Mastercard tools for assessing and mitigating these risks, as well as solutions that help retailers meet the requirements of the new NIS 2 directive and strengthen their cybersecurity resilience in Slovakia.

Despite the fact that the number of people with some form of health disadvantage represents 15% of the population, this group is hardly visible in society. However, these are people who also have their desires and their dreams, their needs. All of these people are potential customers. How to better know their needs, what to do so that we understand them and also so that they understand us.

We will introduce you to examples from the practice of a retail chain that employs more than 7% of people with disabilities and creates an inclusive shopping environment for deaf customers and people on the autism spectrum. We believe that these initiatives will improve the shopping experience while strengthening equity in access to customer service.