VIENNA, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hanshow, a global leader in digital store solutions, hosted a CGF Roundtable titled "Smart Cart Revolution in Physical Retail" at the 2026 Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit, bringing together senior leaders across the retail value chain to examine how Smart Carts are redefining the future of physical stores.
Reframing the Challenge: Three Paradoxes of Physical Retail
The Special Session was moderated by Philippe Brochard, Chairman of the Advisory Board at Hanshow, who opened the discussion by positioning Smart Carts not as a standalone device, but as a strategic response to deeper industry misalignments between operational challenges, shopper expectations, and brand requirements.
Philippe outlined three unresolved paradoxes shaping the future of stores: digitally empowered shoppers navigating in physical store environments; the need to deliver trusted, contextual guidance without intrusive selling; and growing demand from brands for measurable, proof-based retail media.
Retailers are facing growing pressure from loss prevention challenges, labor shortages, and operational complexity; Smart Carts offer a practical response to these challenges while unlocking something larger: reconnecting physical stores with digitally empowered shoppers by embedding digital intelligence, contextual guidance, and measurable retail media capabilities into the shopping journey. Achieving this shift elevates Smart Carts from a single innovation to a transformation platform, enabled through collaboration across the in-store value chain.
When Ecosystems Win: Reimagining the In-Store Value Chain
Turning this vision into everyday retail execution requires more than a single technology layer. It depends on the close integration of reliable hardware, advanced software, real-time personalization, retail media capabilities, and seamless store operations. The panel brought together leaders from retailer operations, software platforms, and retail media to provide a full value-chain perspective on how Smart Carts can move from an innovation concept to a scalable in-store deployment.
Michel Itié, Director of Transformation at Infomil (E.Leclerc), shared operational insights from scaling Scan & Go and in-store digitalization in physical retail environments. He highlighted the importance of reliability, store readiness, and execution discipline to ensure Smart Carts deliver value for both shoppers and store teams.
"Scan & Go is already deeply embedded in shopper behavior, with strong adoption and high-value baskets in physical stores. However, there is still a significant gap between usage and monetization," said Michel Itié. "By evolving into a retail media platform, it can unlock new value for both retailers and brands, directly at the moment of purchase where decisions are made."
Florian Burgstaller, CEO of shopreme, focused on the role of a Smart Cart operating system as the connective layer between digital shopper expectations and the physical realities of store, enabling advanced loss prevention, frictionless checkout, and contextual engagement without overwhelming the shopper.
"The future of brick-and-mortar retail cannot be built on isolated solutions anymore, retailers need connected ecosystems that make innovation scalable and give them the flexibility to respond to continuously changing environments," said Florian. He highlighted that shopreme's collaboration with Hanshow and Lucky Cart "bring digital precision into the physical store and help retailers move beyond silos, creating scalable, measurable experiences directly at the point of sale."
Romain Charles, CEO of Lucky Cart, addressed the "proof paradox" from the brand perspective, explaining how Smart Carts now enable online-level retail media precision inside physical stores, with measurable outcomes and deployment-ready technology available today.
"The future of retail is 'Smart Commerce', where digital precision enables a personalized in-store experience," added Romain. "A shopper-first strategy means technology serves, never intrudes - a true co-pilot. By re-enchanting stores with intelligent, meaningful experiences, we bring the best of both online and in-store, creating incremental value for brands and retailers."
Together, the speakers reinforced a shared conclusion: the Smart Cart revolution extends far beyond the cart itself. The next step is coming together: a joint reimagination of the in-store value chain through ecosystem collaboration in a way physical retail has not been able to do before.
From Vision to Action: Re-enchanting the Intelligent Store
Extending the discussion beyond the stage, Hanshow showcased its Store Digital Twin at its exhibition booth, demonstrating how real-time intelligence connects shoppers, products, operations, and retail media into an integrated ecosystem.
"Smart Cart with Retail Media stack embedded and immediately activable is the ultimate bridge between online and offline, delivering the same level of shoppers targeting and experience," said Philippe Brochard, Chairman of the Advisory Board at Hanshow. "With Store Digital Twin, we move from isolated touchpoints to a living, real-time representation of the store ecosystem. This is how we truly re-enchant the physical retail experience and restore its relevance and resilience in an era of digital-first, agentic commerce."
Building on this vision, Hanshow will continue to strengthen ecosystem power, enabling retailers to transform physical stores into adaptive, performance-driven, and experience-led environments.
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