New Retail Summit 2025 program

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.

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.

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.

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.