Retailers Have Showcased Technology Transformations
Debenhams, Westwing, and Zabka Group highlighted new business models and AI tools at NRF Europe 2026.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Retail
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Major retailers presented significant technology and business model overhauls during the NRF Europe 2026 event held in Paris. Companies demonstrated how shifting to modern tech stacks and AI-driven automation is helping them boost operational efficiency.
Why it matters
Retailers are increasingly turning to technology transformations to refine their business models and improve margins. By adopting automation and data-centric strategies, these companies aim to scale operations while better managing their diverse product inventories.
Debenhams manages products from 25,000 different brands without holding physical warehouse inventory. Meanwhile, Zabka Group maintains a footprint of 13,000 stores across Poland and 300 locations in Romania.
The players
Debenhams
This major retailer operates as a platform selling products from 25,000 brands without maintaining its own traditional warehouse stock.
Westwing
The home and living retailer has shifted its technology infrastructure to Shopify and relies heavily on own-label products for its profit margins.
Zabka Group
This retail operator manages a large network of thousands of convenience stores across Poland and Romania using automated data systems.
The details
Debenhams has overhauled its technology stack over two years to enable AI-powered price updates across thousands of products. Similarly, Westwing has migrated to Shopify, while Zabka Group utilizes data lakes to automate store-specific planograms.
Timeline
The NRF Europe 2026 event occurred in Paris in 2026.
Market Landscape
These shifts reflect the broader industry move toward agentic commerce where companies prioritize automated monetization and advertising-based services. This strategy positions these retailers to outpace competitors by reducing manual overhead while increasing pricing agility.
Customers may experience more consistent product availability and dynamic pricing as retailers automate their inventory and store planning. These internal technology upgrades are intended to create a more efficient shopping experience while potentially narrowing price fluctuations.
The takeaway
Retailers are proving that modernizing digital infrastructure is now essential for maintaining high profit margins and operational flexibility. Implementing AI and data-driven tools allows companies to react faster to market changes while simultaneously reducing legacy logistical costs.
Further reading
For more on industry evolution, visit the Retail section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Computer Weekly.
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