Shrinking margins, labor shortages, and the complexity of omni-channel fulfillment are putting unprecedented pressure on grocery and convenience retailers. On the latest RETHINK Retail Podcast, recorded live at EuroShop, Renee Hartmann, Top Retail Expert, sits down with Zsuzsa Hordai of SPAR International and Aidan Mittra of OrderGrid to unpack these operational pressures, and what they demand from retailers next.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- Margins and workforce are the defining pressures: Declining profits and difficulty retaining staff at every level of the organization remain the industry's most urgent challenges.

- Technology should amplify people, not replace them: The best implementations automate low-value tasks so associates can focus on customer engagement and high-value work.

- Real-time data drives better decisions: Moving beyond lagging back-office systems gives retailers the visibility to act on out-of-stocks, expiring inventory, and margin risks before they escalate.

- Out-of-stocks damage more than revenue: In an omni-channel world, stockouts erode customer trust and long-term loyalty.

- Practical automation is already here: Computer vision, RFID, and human-in-the-loop systems are being deployed today to improve shelf availability and operational efficiency.

This episode explores how a real-time data foundation can reduce friction for shoppers and staff alike, and position the physical store as a driver of lasting growth.