Philippe Brochard, Chairman of the Advisory Board at Hanshow, opened the discussion by identifying three paradoxes currently stalling physical retail: the disconnect between digitally savvy shoppers and physical environments, the struggle to provide contextual guidance without intrusion, and the brand demand for measurable retail media. The panel argued that smart carts function as the connective tissue for these issues, transforming the shopping journey into a data-rich, responsive ecosystem.

Michel Itié of Infomil noted that while Scan & Go technology is already adopted, retailers have yet to fully monetize the moment of purchase. By evolving these carts into retail media platforms, stores can capture value that previously remained untapped. Florian Burgstaller, CEO of shopreme, emphasized that this evolution requires an integrated operating system rather than isolated gadgets, allowing for advanced loss prevention and frictionless checkout. Romain Charles of Lucky Cart added that this technology now provides online-level precision for offline retail, enabling brands to measure the impact of their in-store efforts with unprecedented accuracy.

Beyond the roundtable, Hanshow demonstrated its Store Digital Twin at the event, a system that integrates real-time intelligence across products, operations, and media. According to Brochard, this shift moves retail away from isolated touchpoints toward a living, real-time store representation, ensuring physical locations remain resilient in an era of digital-first commerce.