London Tech Week: Panel hosted by retail influencer Andrew Busby asks, what do customers want in 2025 and beyond?

A panel of retailers considered what consumers are looking for from retailers in 2025 - and beyond - at London Tech Week 2025.

Andrew Busby, Senior Industry Adviser at technology provider BOXTEC, hosting the panel, told delegates that consumers are fickle and not always sure themselves of what they want from retailers. He shared the example of the iPhone, which no consumer was asking for in 2006 yet went on to become incredibly popular, changing the mobile phone market forever.

George Mudie, Chief Technology Officer at the H&M Group, said the fashion retail group had seen a raft of changes in consumer behaviour since the Covid-19 pandemic. “The biggest surprise for me was in how much it varies by country,” he shared, adding that in some countries online sales had continued to grow while in others they were left wondering if their e-commerce sites had broken due to the sudden fall in online sales. 

Having joined H&M from Asos, Mudie flagged e-commerce as being where he was always most comfortable working, although new technology has made tracking consumer behaviour in stores much easier to track and analyse. 

Photo courtesy of Andrew Busby.

“We’re not recording the movement of people around our stores,” Mudie explained, citing concerns around privacy, “But we are tracking when garments are picked up and if they are put back down.” He shared that thanks to this, and other tracking devices, H&M now has more data about its physical stores than online. 

One growing concern for H&M’s customers is sustainability and traceability. The H&M app now offers consumers scannable codes that track exactly where each item was made and the materials used. “We encourage every retailer to have that transparency,” he added.

More recently, cybersecurity has become a top concern, particularly in the wake of high profile attacks on retailers, with M&S announcing yesterday it has reopened its online store after weeks of disruption following a cyberattack on its systems. “We know what we’re up against,” Mudie said, but added the retailer was feeling “quite robust” thanks to its separate security centres.

Mudie also said H&M is a “a little cautious” at the idea of building hyperpersonalised experiences for its shoppers as it doesn’t want consumers to feel they are being watched too closely.

Tom Barber, Head of Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics at Virgin Atlantic, also expressed concerns around making customers feel uncomfortable with the level of knowledge it has when they arrive for their flight.

Instead, Virgin Atlantic is focusing on using its customer database to reduce food waste on flights, hoping it can better predict preferences onboard. “It’s really challenging for us as a lot of our customers only fly with us once every few years,” Barber explained.

He added that the difference between personalisation being welcomed or found uncomfortable by customers is made by staff. “It’s all about human interaction,” he shared.

Hayley Ward, Director of User Research and Insight at delivery app Deliveroo, said human interaction was also at the heart of its business, despite its focus on technology. “The whole reason for our existence is connecting business with customers,” she commented. “We’re a tech company first and foremost, but we also really passionately believe in human contact.”

Looking ahead, Ward said she sees Deliveroo focusing on creating a tailored experience for its users. This could include saving their dietary preferences and using AI to make better recommendations. 

Deliveroo also recently launched a pilot scheme testing drone deliveries in Dublin, Ireland, through a partnership with Manna. It will use the initial weeks to assess how drones can help serve suburban and harder to reach locations, with the ultimate aim of unlocking new customers through fast deliveries, complementing its rider network. 

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Customer experiences will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.