"Run Faster To Stay In Place" – ICL Services Has Released A Podcast On The Future Of Russian Retail

The experts in this episode were: Galina Musina, Head of Retail Solutions and Services at ICL Services; Sergei Shcherbakov, Head of Data Analytics and Machine Learning at ICL Services; and Evgeny Mamayev, Head of the Electronics Design Center at ICL Services, who moderated the discussion. They discussed how the Russian retail sector has changed over the past five years, which modern technologies and regulatory requirements are shaping the industry, and what developments to expect in modern retail stores in the near future.

During the discussion, special attention was paid to the practical application of artificial intelligence: the experts explained how AI technologies are already being used at self-checkout counters and in video analytics. Changing consumer behavior was another important topic addressed during this discussion. The experts explained why neighborhood stores continue to grow rapidly, how hypermarkets are changing, which new retail formats are gaining popularity, and what the theory of generations has to do with it.

To wrap up the discussion, the experts shared their views on what the retail sector will look like over the next 5-10 years. They believe that offline stores will continue to evolve by combining traditional formats with innovative technologies. "Physical stores are not going away. They will continue their long, but much more modest, lives, and will truly be transformed," notes Galina Musina.