SHERIDAN, WYOMING – August 26, 2025 – GS1 Germany and Meta are set to co-host the Retail Summit 2025 on November 5 in Cologne, bringing together leading retailers, technology providers, and brand executives to explore how artificial intelligence, retail media, and immersive experiences are reshaping commerce across Europe. Under the theme “Where Technology Meets Experience,” the event aims to highlight best practices from both established brands and Silicon Valley innovators.
A Platform for Retail AI and Emerging Technologies
The GS1–Meta collaboration positions the summit as a bridge between cutting-edge digital tools and practical retail deployment. Delegates will gain firsthand exposure to advances such as conversational commerce, loyalty campaigns via WhatsApp, and AI-driven personalization strategies. With exclusive product demonstrations, including the new Meta Ray-Ban AI Glasses, the event underscores the shift toward augmented customer interactions and digitally enhanced store environments.
Best Practices from Leading Retailers
A key feature of the summit will be retailer-led case studies that demonstrate measurable business impact. Douglas, a European leader in beauty retail, will present how retail media campaigns are generating performance gains while reinforcing brand equity. Other participating merchants will reveal how they leverage:
- AI-enabled loyalty programs for real-time engagement.
- Digital offer communication that improves conversion.
- App-based innovations to enhance “retail in your pocket.”
- Creator marketing to move from reach to measurable sales impact.
Industry Insights from Silicon Valley
The program draws directly from Meta Connect, ensuring attendees receive a forward-looking view of the technologies shaping consumer behavior. Sessions will address the role of compound brand building in fragmented media landscapes, as well as innovations in conversational commerce that promise stronger retention and lifetime value.
Quote from GS1 Germany
“Where Technology Meets Experience is more than a theme; it reflects the retail industry’s transformation journey. By combining GS1’s expertise in global standards with Meta’s innovation pipeline, we want to offer retailers actionable strategies that strengthen competitiveness in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace,” said a GS1 Germany spokesperson.
Strategic Impact for Retailers and Brands
For B2B stakeholders, the Retail Summit represents more than trend analysis—it is a forum for aligning operations, marketing, and customer engagement strategies with new realities. Retailers will walk away with insights into how AI can:
- Optimize customer retention through data-driven personalization.
- Reduce marketing spend while boosting campaign ROI.
- Improve cross-channel consistency in customer experience.
- Enable scalable, tech-driven loyalty initiatives.
Limited Access and Next Steps
With a restricted number of seats, the Retail Summit is positioned as an exclusive knowledge-sharing event for senior retail decision-makers. The combination of GS1’s standards expertise and Meta’s innovation leadership ensures practical takeaways for retailers aiming to future-proof their strategies.
Learn more about the Retail Summit 2025 and register at GS1 Germany.