Retail Disrupted

Natalie Berg
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Business
  • Weekly

Learn from the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, Retail Disrupted is a weekly podcast unpacking the biggest trends in retail and e-commerce. We explore how technology is reshaping the industry, how consumer expectations are evolving, and what brands need to do to stay relevant. From agentic AI and reimagined stores to social commerce, the resale revolution and on-demand delivery, we examine all the forces transforming how people shop. Each episode offers practical insights, sharp analysis, and big-picture thinking to help you navigate the evolving retail sector with confidence. Based in London, designed for a global audience. Signal Award Winner (2026): Gold for Thought Leadership.

  1. 1d ago

    Inside Direct Selling: Community, Trust and Social Commerce

    Retail made shopping frictionless. Now shoppers want it to feel meaningful again. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, host Natalie Berg speaks with Susannah Schofield OBE, Director General of the Direct Selling Association, to discuss the future of direct selling.  It's come a long way since the Tupperware days! Susannah discusses the importance of trust, community-led selling, and human connection in an AI world - and what retailers need to do to stay relevant to discerning consumers. ABOUT OUR GUEST Susannah Schofield OBE is the Director General of the Direct Selling Association, the industry body for direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail in the UK. Prior to her appointment as leader of the Association, Susannah spent 18 years at Royal Mail, culminating in her holding the Board-level role of Commercial & Innovation Director, where she led a team of 300 A passionate advocate for women and young people in business, Susannah was awarded an OBE for her work in this area in the 2015 Queen's Honours List. She continues to champion women in business, and is a regular speaker on the importance of flexible working and portfolio careers. As well as being a published author (of business strategy book Mind the Gap), Susannah has lectured for The University of Kent and City, University of London, and also served as an advisor to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).  ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com  ------------------- AI IN RETAIL EVENT Register here with discount code RDPODCAST20 for 20% off https://aiinretail.co.uk/

    Inside Direct Selling: Community, Trust and Social Commerce

  2. Oct 28

    What Every Retailer Should Know About Accessible Shopping | Mark Webb

    What if your store is turning away loyal customers without realizing it? Accessibility isn't just a social responsibility — it can directly impact customer loyalty, spending and retail revenue. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg speaks with Mark Webb, former retail leader and disability advocate, about living with multiple sclerosis and what retailers can learn from his experiences as both a customer and industry insider. Prior to medical retirement, Mark held senior comms and social media roles at Disneyland Paris, the Walt Disney Company, David Lloyd Leisure, Dixons Retail and Shift.ms. Mark shares how flexibility and compassion from his employers helped him stay in work after his MS diagnosis — and why he believes many retailers are still getting accessibility wrong. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    What Every Retailer Should Know About Accessible Shopping | Mark Webb

  3. Oct 22

    Inside Manhattan Exchange: Supply Chains Get an AI Upgrade

    AI deployed into fragmentation does not create intelligence; it amplifies complexity. Recorded at Manhattan Exchange in Milan, this episode features regular guest Ben Sillitoe to break down what retail leaders shared on the ground about moving beyond AI pilots. Exchange is Manhattan Associates' flagship European event. Last year, the emphasis was on "unleashing the agents". 12 months on, what have we learned? The focus in Milan was on AI agents inside existing workflows: transportation planning agents. Omnichannel specialist agents. Shipment tracking agents. Tools that identify problems and proactively resolve them. But an AI agent is only as useful as the information and rules available to work with. Solid foundations are everything. For example, pulling inventory from one system, customer details from another, fulfilment from a third and carrier data from a fourth creates multiple versions of the truth — and an agent that can confidently give the wrong answer, fast.  The takeaway from Milan: the aim is not to create smarter machines, but smarter organizations — powered by people, unified by technology, accelerated by AI, and unburdened by complexity.  Featuring examples from JD Sports, Asda, L'Oreal, Co-op, Bauhaus, Foot Locker, CIA Conad, and more.  📺 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/c08ExOWFl90  For more, visit https://www.manh.com  ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    Inside Manhattan Exchange: Supply Chains Get an AI Upgrade

  4. Oct 15

    Why Your Store is a Marketing Channel | Jack Stratten

    Your store is no longer just a place for transactions – it's your best marketing channel. Jack Stratten, Director of Insider Trends, sits down with Natalie Berg to explore how to repurpose stores for a digital era. Jack shares what he is seeing on the ground, from Gentle Monster building stores where marketing is a main KPI to brand takeovers in Sephora Barcelona where, alongside traditional sales metrics, the retailer is also assessing dwell time, traffic and conversion.  You'll learn why Sostrene Grene is among Europe's fastest growing physical retailers and how winning retailers design their stores for content creation, build treasure-hunt discovery, and connect store and digital teams to drive engagement that online alone cannot deliver. Connect with Jack on LinkedIn. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    Why Your Store is a Marketing Channel | Jack Stratten

  5. Oct 6

    The Body Shop at 50: CEO Mike Jatania on the Comeback Plan

    The Body Shop is in transformation mode. Two years after its rescue from administration, the globally renowned ethical beauty business is moving from stabilization to its next phase of growth under Mike Jatania - Co-Founder of Aurea Group and CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop. Mike joins Natalie Berg to discuss what it takes to revive one of the world's most recognizable and purpose-driven brands.  📺 You can also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRM5IbolyHw&t=1s  Retail leaders will learn: Why loyal customers were never the problem and how to win new customers in a disrupted market. The 5-pillar turnaround: brand positioning, meeting shoppers where they are, data-led decisions, speed to market, and operational focus. Why stores still matter: creating relaxed, personalized, experience-led spaces and a seamless online to in-store journey. The digital growth plan: growing D2C e-commerce from 15% to 40% of sales within the next 3 years - and getting the assortment right for marketplaces and quick commerce.. How The Body Shop returned to the US exclusively through e-commerce and Mike's plans to selectively return to bricks & mortar in the future. The opportunity in wholesale and travel retail. One of The Body Shop's best performing stores in Germany? A railway station in Cologne. How The Body Shop is using AI across marketing, supply chain, demand planning, legal, and more. What Gen Z really wants: purpose plus performance, backed by clinical proof. ABOUT OUR GUEST Mike is CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop and Co-Founder of Aurea Group, a specialist private equity firm focused on beauty, wellness and longevity. A seasoned entrepreneur and a visionary leader in the beauty and personal care industry, Mike previously served as CEO of the Lornamead Group where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a global powerhouse, managing a portfolio of more than 30 personal care brands distributed across 50 countries. In 2021, Mike Jatania co-founded Aurea Group with former UBS Vice Chairman, Paul Raphael. In September 2024, through Auréa, Mike led a consortium of investors to acquire The Body Shop, where he now serves as Executive Chairman and CEO. Mike aims to usher in a new chapter for The Body Shop, driving growth and enhancing its global presence while preserving its core values and ethos. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    The Body Shop at 50: CEO Mike Jatania on the Comeback Plan

  6. Sep 25

    How a £40 TikTok Order Turned Into £10K a Week in Wholesale

    How did a third-generation butcher from Wolverhampton use TikTok to become one of the UK's most recognisable halal brands?  Manny Malik from Malik Butchers joins Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Manny explains the Halal Family Series that hit up to 9 million views, how they ship fresh meat across the UK via TikTok Shop, and why TikTok Shop buyers became inbound wholesale leads.  He also shares how customers now travel from as far as the US and Australia, just to visit their counter. For retail leaders, this is a practical look at content to commerce, TikTok Shop as an extra revenue stream, and how social can build national distribution from one store. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321  👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM  👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    How a £40 TikTok Order Turned Into £10K a Week in Wholesale

  7. Sep 22

    How Cheeky Wipes Built a Daily TikTok Live Strategy

    Live every day for 18 months: how Cheeky Wipes turns awkward questions into sales on TikTok. In this mini episode, Helen Rankin, founder of Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants, shares how daily TikTok Lives build community and remove barriers to buy. She speaks to Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants is a reusable hygiene brand founded by Helen Rankin in 2008 after she struggled to find baby wipes suitable for eczema-prone skin. What started as Helen packing boxes in her garage has grown into a team of 20. The company sells reusable wipes, period products, cloth nappies and incontinence solutions, helping consumers reduce waste and save money. On TikTok, the brand has built a loyal community through educational livestreams, sustainability content, and product demonstrations. The focus is on educational and relatable content, demystifying sensitive topics and creating a space where customers feel comfortable asking the awkward questions they might not ask elsewhere. For retail leaders, Helen explains why consistency beats virality, how live Q&A helps shoppers try education-heavy products, and how TikTok and cheekywipes.com work together. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBKrO5D-mk8  🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

    How Cheeky Wipes Built a Daily TikTok Live Strategy

  8. Sep 17

    How TikTok Drives People Back to Shops

    TikTok is sending shoppers back to stores, not away from them. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, this episode features Paul Mears, Group Vertical Director of Retail and E-Commerce at TikTok, on why discovery on TikTok is driving footfall and sales to independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. We open with analyst reaction to the Primark news: Primark plans to launch home delivery in the UK after years of resisting online. Read Natalie's comments on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89jdl0j5x4o  Paul then shares new data on TikTok's £10 billion contribution to the UK economy, why TikTok live shopping doesn't need to be overly produced - just authentic - and what retailers can learn from sellers winning beyond beauty and fashion. Even butchers and veg box suppliers are finding success on the platform. Listen to the end to hear how TikTok plans to use AI to enhance the customer experience.  You can also watch this discussion on YouTube  Mentioned in this episode: 📄 Transporeon Whitepaper: Retail Logistics Trends & Transportation Solutions 📺 Webinar with Tesco: Managing Retail Logistics in the Era of Uncertainty

    How TikTok Drives People Back to Shops
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5
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About

Learn from the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, Retail Disrupted is a weekly podcast unpacking the biggest trends in retail and e-commerce. We explore how technology is reshaping the industry, how consumer expectations are evolving, and what brands need to do to stay relevant. From agentic AI and reimagined stores to social commerce, the resale revolution and on-demand delivery, we examine all the forces transforming how people shop. Each episode offers practical insights, sharp analysis, and big-picture thinking to help you navigate the evolving retail sector with confidence. Based in London, designed for a global audience. Signal Award Winner (2026): Gold for Thought Leadership.

Information

  • Creator
    Natalie Berg
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    148
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Retail Disrupted

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