World Retail Congress looks forward

British firm Dalziel & Pow presented its take on the future of fashion stores. The concept does away with till points — instead, customers could approach “enabled” staff walking the floor, who would complete the transaction with chip-and-pin terminals worn on their belts. Stores would have lightweight, moveable display walls to allow staff to reconfigure them quickly to create space for product launches and catwalk shows.

Creative director David Dalziel believes that architects need to deliver long-life, loose-fit interiors. “Looking around Barcelona, stores built three years ago look out of date. They were built too expensively and too permanently. Retailers will want to spend less, but will invest in a system that can make changes — so they don’t feel bad about changing it in two years time.”

Meanwhile, retail consultant Fitch believes that supermarkets can use the sustainability agenda to reposition themselves as pillars of the community. Eco-friendly stores would be day-lit from internal light wells and covered with green roofs where customers would tend allotments and grow their own produce. Supermarkets could set up partnering arrangements with local suppliers and blur their own selling space with outdoor markets.

“Supermarkets have a clear opportunity to lead the march [on sustainability] in a bottom-up way,” says Simon Threadkell, Fitch’s creative director.