{"id":37329,"date":"2025-03-04T12:41:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T07:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/04\/rai-rls-2025-shaping-the-future-of-retail-and-d2c-success\/"},"modified":"2025-03-04T12:41:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T07:11:30","slug":"rai-rls-2025-shaping-the-future-of-retail-and-d2c-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/04\/rai-rls-2025-shaping-the-future-of-retail-and-d2c-success\/","title":{"rendered":"RAI RLS 2025: Shaping the Future of Retail and D2C Success"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 03:<\/strong> <\/span>The Retail Leadership Summit 2025 (RLS 2025), organised by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), successfully brought together the brightest minds in the industry at Hall No. 6, Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai on February 27 and 28, 2025. As India\u2019s premier retail event, RLS 2025 served as a dynamic platform for thought leadership, innovation, and collaboration, addressing the evolving landscape of the retail sector.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s summit focused on\u00a0customer-centricity, value creation, new-age leadership, sustainability, and future paradigms,\u00a0<\/strong>sparking insightful discussions among\u00a0industry leaders, policymakers, and technology pioneers.\u00a0<\/strong>With\u00a0keynote sessions, expert panels, and knowledge reports\u00a0<\/strong>from\u00a0BCG, Deloitte, GPTW, PwC, and Vector,\u00a0<\/strong>RLS 2025 emphasised the need for\u00a0innovation, adaptability, and strategic value creation\u00a0<\/strong>to navigate the future of retail.<\/p>\n

Speaking about RLS 2025,\u00a0Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI),<\/strong>\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cRetail is evolving rapidly, and success lies in staying relevant, agile, and consumer-focused. At RLS 2025, we explored how retailers can create real value \u2013 by improving format relevance, accelerating new revenue streams, and delivering superior consumer experiences. Technology is redefining the way we work, but at the heart of it, retail is still about understanding and serving consumers better. The industry must embrace AI, personalization, and innovation while staying rooted in trust and collaboration. The future belongs to those who don\u2019t just adapt to change but lead it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Key highlights of RLS 2025 were a keynotes and special addresses by Ashwin Khasgiwala, Director, Reliance Brands Ltd. and Chief Business Operations Controller, Reliance Retail Ltd.;\u00a0<\/strong>Dilip Asbe, Managing Director & CEO, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI); and T. Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the growth and impact of ONDC,\u00a0T. Koshi, MD and CEO of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC),<\/strong>\u00a0said, \u201c<\/strong>This is an initiative by the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce, bringing to reality a vision by our Honourable Prime Minister for digital enablement and democratization of commerce. We started about two years ago, and we have had a good run. Last month alone, we completed more than 16 million transactions across grocery, food, mobility, fashion, and more. While we started with mobility, grocery, and food, in the last few months, we have seen other segments emerging. We have also added key building blocks of commerce, such as logistics and credit. Hyper-local logistics on the network has already made a huge difference in grocery and food, and we believe it will be a game-changer for D2C companies and small businesses seeking digital exposure. From zero transactions two years ago to 16 million a month today, we expect a similar growth trajectory in the coming year. Currently, over 71,000 merchants are leveraging ONDC, and we anticipate that number to double by next year. I encourage everyone to take the initiative and join this open network. As the years go by and this becomes the primary mode of digital commerce, you will already have established your presence there<\/em>.\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commenting on the growth and impact of UPI and digital payments in India,\u00a0Dilip Asbe, MD & CE, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)\u00a0<\/strong>highlighted how the democratization of payments has transformed financial accessibility for both consumers and retailers.\u00a0\u201cThe retailers are the backbone of our country, and I think UPI has been envisaged to serve as this backbone. Before UPI, only the very large and very rich retailers could accept digital payments. People like you and me were given credit cards and debit cards, but small retailers had limited access to digital transactions. With the vision of Prime Minister Modi and the RBI, over the last 10 years, there has been a huge democratization of the payment system, both for consumers and retailers. We must give credit to them for driving such a large-scale, wide digitization process.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today, it\u2019s so simple to download an app, scan a QR code, and make a payment to anybody\u2014even a tea stall or a vegetable vendor. But behind this ease of use, there has been painstaking effort from the country\u2019s stakeholders, including the government, RBI, and banks, in building such a large-scale infrastructure. The fintech and startup ecosystem played a key role in developing apps and distributing them at a massive scale. I must mention PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, BharatPe, and many other fintech players who took charge of last-mile distribution\u2014both for consumers and retailers. As a result, today, even a \u20b95 snack, a \u20b910 tea, or a \u20b910 vada pav can be purchased digitally, showcasing the true impact of this transformation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the next five to ten years, as India\u2019s digital financial services ecosystem continues to evolve, the key focus will be on ensuring that credit reaches every Indian. This is where the government and RBI\u2019s efforts are headed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

RLS 2025 featured the unveiling of key industry reports, offering valuable insights into the evolving retail landscape.\u00a0The RAI \u2013 BCG report,\u00a0Winning in Bharat & India: The Retail Kaleidoscope<\/em>,<\/strong>\u00a0explored the dual dynamics of India\u2019s retail market and strategic growth opportunities.\u00a0The RAI \u2013 Deloitte report,\u00a0India\u2019s Discretionary Spend Evolution: A Roadmap for Brands<\/em>,<\/strong>\u00a0analyzed changing consumer spending patterns and their impact on retail strategies.\u00a0The PwC report,\u00a0Retail Reinvention Paradigm<\/em>,<\/strong>\u00a0examined the transformative shifts shaping the future of retail. Additionally,\u00a0Vector Consultancy report,\u00a0From Threads to Trends: Navigating Supply Chain Complexity in Apparel Retail<\/em>,<\/strong>\u00a0provided a deep dive into optimizing apparel retail supply chains. Furthermore, the\u00a0Best Retail Workplaces 202<\/em><\/strong>5<\/em>\u00a0report by\u00a0RAI \u2013 Great Place to Work\u00a0<\/strong>was unveiled, recognizing outstanding workplaces in the retail sector.<\/p>\n

Sharing his perspective on the challenges in the fashion industry, Kulin Lalbhai, Vice Chairman, Arvind Fashions Ltd., emphasised the importance of product differentiation and customer value.<\/strong>\u00a0He stated, \u201cOne of the biggest challenges in our business is that if you are just copying each other, you are not really creating customer love. If that happens, the customer can shop from anybody, and the only power you are giving them is based on price. I think that\u2019s the slippery slope this business is going down. If you can\u2019t truly hold value with the customer, then you\u2019re only fighting on price.\u00a0I truly believe the fashion business is all about the product, everything else is just embellishment. If you don\u2019t get the product right, no matter how good your business model is, you are going to fall flat on your face<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sharing his insights on the evolving growth trends in the kitchen appliances industry, Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, MD & CEO, TTK Prestige, highlighted the resurgence in demand driven by innovation and premiumisation.<\/strong>\u00a0He stated,\u00a0\u201cThe category saw accelerated growth during COVID, followed by a period of muted growth. Of late, we\u2019ve seen demand come back driven by innovative products and the premiumization trend in urban markets. The retail segment appears to be the harbinger of this growth, with our retail performance remaining very robust. We believe this bodes well for the category, and we hope RLS showcases both the current momentum and the potential for future growth.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Sharing his insights on the evolving retail landscape,\u00a0Sankar Chatterjee, CEO, Decathlon India<\/strong>, emphasised the growing significance of OmniCommerce and the changing channel mix in consumer purchasing behavior. He stated,\u00a0\u201cOmniCommerce is one of the key channels, and we believe our channel mix is changing with time, it will keep changing. Ultimately, it is the customer who decides where they want to buy. The choice between online and offline often depends on the product category, but I believe offline retail will become more experiential rather than just transactional. At the same time, online can also deliver experiences\u2014whether through seamless payments, virtual reality, or influencer-led brand storytelling. The shift in consumer behaviour started even before COVID, and the pandemic only accelerated digital adoption. Moving forward, the future lies in a hybrid strategy that blends the physical and digital, aligning with what customers seek in their long-term relationship with a brand.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Emphasising the growing demand for convenience and sustainability,\u00a0Rajesh Jain, MD & CEO, Lacoste India,<\/strong>\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cI look at industry trends, specifically customer trends, because customer trends would define the industry trends, customers are looking for more convenience and products which are socially sustainable or environment friendly. These two trends are likely to stay for a very long time in my view. As for the industry outlook, while there are currently ups and downs, retailers mostly are optimistic by nature, and so am. I believe that after maybe a year or so the industry is likely to pick up very fast. Although we, as a brand, are doing wonderfully well even today, but the industry as a whole, I am confident that the industry as a whole will see strong growth in the near future.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

RLS 2025 also introduced an exciting new addition, the Fashion Showcase at Fashion Arena 2025 presented by Myntra. This dynamic platform celebrating\u00a0style, creativity, and innovation<\/strong>\u00a0in the retail fashion space. The showcase featured\u00a0exclusive collection launches<\/strong>\u00a0from leading and emerging brands,\u00a0captivating runway shows<\/strong>, and immersive brand experiences, making it a\u00a0standout feature<\/strong>\u00a0of the summit.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the second day of RLS 2025 featured deep dives into key industry themes, including\u00a0Retail Real Estate, D2C Growth, Store Design Innovation.<\/strong>\u00a0Discussions on\u00a0Retail Real Estate<\/strong>\u00a0highlighted the shift from traditional brick-and-mortar to experiential spaces that enhance customer engagement.\u00a0The D2C Summit<\/strong>\u00a0brought together leading brands to explore strategies for building direct consumer relationships and brand loyalty in a digital-first world.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the\u00a0Retail Store Design Summit<\/strong>\u00a0showcased how innovative layouts and immersive experiences are redefining physical retail. Attendees further gained first-hand insights through the\u00a0Retail Study Tour,<\/strong>\u00a0which provided an exclusive look into India\u2019s most innovative retail businesses, offering real-world inspiration for the future of the sector. Parallel to RLS 2025, the\u00a0Retail HR Tech Summit 2025<\/strong>\u00a0explored innovations in HR technology, workforce management, and talent development in retail.<\/p>\n

RLS 2025 also included the grand felicitation of the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of the retail industry with\u00a0India\u2019s Retail Champions Award 2025<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0the Retail Start-up Awards 2025<\/strong>, both evaluated by eminent personalities from the industry as the Jury.<\/p>\n

Winners of India\u2019s Retail Champions Awards 2025 were:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/strong><\/td>\nName of the Company<\/strong><\/td>\nName of the Brand<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apparel and Lifestyle<\/td>\nLEVI STRAUSS (INDIA) PRIVATE LIMITED<\/td>\nLevi Strauss & Co<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apparel and Lifestyle<\/td>\nSports and Leisure Apparel Limited<\/td>\nLacoste<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apparel and Lifestyle<\/td>\nLibas (Zivore Apparel Pvt. Ltd.)<\/td>\nLibas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apparel and Lifestyle<\/td>\nSai Silks (Kalamandir) Limited<\/td>\nKalamandir, Mandir, KLM Fashion Mall, Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beauty and Wellness<\/td>\nFSN BRANDS MARKETING PRIVATE LIMITED<\/td>\nNykaa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beauty and Wellness<\/td>\nEnrich Hair & Skin Solution Pvt. Ltd.<\/td>\nEnrich Hair & Skin Solution Pvt. Ltd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beauty and Wellness<\/td>\nH &B Stores Ltd (100% Subsidiary of Dabur India Limited)<\/td>\nNewU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Consumer Durables & IT (CDIT)<\/td>\nTTK Prestige Ltd.<\/td>\nTTK Prestige Ltd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Consumer Durables \u00a0& IT (CDIT)<\/td>\nSangeetha Mobiles Pvt Ltd<\/td>\nSangeetha Gadgets<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Consumer Durables & IT (CDIT)<\/td>\nVISHAL PERIPHERALS<\/td>\nMULTI BRAND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
D2C<\/td>\nMIKSAR FOODS PRIVATE LIMITED<\/td>\nNaagin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
D2C<\/td>\nGAPPU Cajon Industries Private Limited<\/td>\nGAPPU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and General Retail (Large format above 5,000 sq. ft)<\/td>\nQ-Mart Retail Pvt Ltd<\/td>\nQ-Mart Supermarket<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and General Retail (Large format above 5,000 sq. ft)<\/td>\nReliance Retail Ltd<\/td>\nReliance SMART Bazaar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and General Retail (Large format above 5,000 sq. ft)<\/td>\nVijetha supermarkets pvt ltd<\/td>\nVIJETHA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and General Retail (Small format below 5,000 sq. ft)<\/td>\nBombay Gourmet Market<\/td>\nBombay Gourmet Market<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food and General Retail (Small format below 5,000 sq. ft)<\/td>\nPluckk<\/td>\nPluckk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Footwear<\/td>\nRelaxo Footwear Limited<\/td>\nRelaxo Footwears<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Footwear<\/td>\nREDTAPE LIMITED<\/td>\nREDTAPE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Home Decor \/ Home Improvement<\/td>\nComfort grid technologies pvt ltd<\/td>\nThe sleep company<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jewellery<\/td>\nKirtilal Kalidas Jewellers Pvt. Ltd.<\/td>\nKirtilals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jewellery<\/td>\nPMJ Gems and Jewellers Private Limited<\/td>\nPMJ Jewels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Restaurant & QSR<\/td>\nHimesh Foods Private Limited<\/td>\nMad Over Donuts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Restaurant & QSR<\/td>\nTibbs Frankie Pvt ltd.<\/td>\nTibbs Frankie<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Speciality Retail<\/td>\nChogori India Retail Limited<\/td>\nColumbia sportwear, Deuter & Buff<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Speciality Retail<\/td>\nWellness Forever Medicare Ltd<\/td>\nWellness Forever Medicare Ltd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Specialty Retail<\/td>\nReliance Retail Ltd<\/td>\nReliance Freshpik<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Success Story of the Year<\/td>\nNexon Omniverse Ltd<\/td>\nStyle Union<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Over the 2 days, RLS 2025 saw participation of retail leaders, as well as top names in the retail service provider space. Retail stalwarts speaking at the summit included Abhishek Bajpai \u2013 Apparel Group India; Amitabh Suri \u2013 USPA; Anuj Singh \u2013 \u00a0Spencer\u2019s Retail; Arun Neelakantan- Hindustan Unilever; BS Nagesh, Founder TRRAIN & Chairman Shoppers Stop; Damodar Mall \u2013 Reliance Retail; Dalip Sehgal \u2013 Nexus Malls India; Gopal Asthana- Tata CLiQ; Hari Menon \u2013 Bigbasket; Jasmit Tibb \u2013 Tibb\u2019s Food; Kavindra Mishra \u2013 Shoppers Stop; Kulin Lalbhai \u2013 Arvind; Manish Kapoor \u2013 Pepe Jeans India; Meghna Apparao \u2013 Meta India; Mohit Malhotra \u2013 Dabur India; P Jayakumar \u2013 Apollo Pharmacy; P Venkatesalu \u2013 Trent; Pushpa Bector \u2013 DLF Retail Malls; Rajesh Jain \u2013 Lacoste India; Rajneesh Mahajan \u2013 Inorbit (I) Malls; Sagar Daryani- Momo Foods; Shibu Philips \u2013 Shopping Malls, Lulu Group India; Siddharath Bindra \u2013 BIBA Apparels; Subhash Chandra L- Sangeetha Mobiles; Suparna Mitra \u2013 Watches and Wearables Division, Titan Company; Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan \u2013 TTK Prestige; Venu Nair \u2013 Myntra; and Vipul Chaturvedi \u2013 Lakme Lever, among many others.<\/p>\n

RLS 2025 highlighted that the future of retail lies in\u00a0innovation, adaptability, and seamless consumer experiences<\/strong>. As\u00a0technology, sustainability, and customer expectations evolve,\u00a0<\/strong>retailers must go beyond transactions to build\u00a0deeper connections and immersive experiences.\u00a0<\/strong>The summit fostered\u00a0strategic collaborations and fresh insights<\/strong>, paving the way for a\u00a0more dynamic, resilient, and consumer-driven retail future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 03: The Retail Leadership Summit 2025 (RLS 2025), organised by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), successfully brought together the brightest minds in the industry at Hall No. 6, Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai on February 27 and 28, 2025. As India\u2019s premier retail event, RLS 2025 served as a dynamic…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[641],"class_list":["post-37329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinkcitynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}