Key takeaways from the Future of Retail: Risk & Resilience Conference 2026 — Martyn’s Law, AI & consumer trust

Our Future of Retail: Risk & Resilience Conference 2026 brought the sector together in London for a focused look at the risks affecting retail and leisure. 

Across the keynote and three panel sessions, speakers explored how retailers are responding to rising physical threats, digital disruption, workforce pressures and fast‑moving reputational challenges.

These are the key themes that emerged.

Jump to:

• Keynote: Figen Murray OBE, Martyn’s Law.

Our three panel sessions: 

• Panel one: Strategies for Compliance, Safety & Crisis Response.
• Panel two: Digital Risk, AI & Consumer Trust in Retail.
• Panel three: Truth, Trust & Trademarks.
• Closing thoughts: collaboration, experience & trust.

Keynote: Figen Murray OBE, Martyn’s Law 

We were honoured to welcome back Figen Murray OBE as our keynote speaker. Her message was a powerful reminder that Martyn’s Law is rooted not only in legislation but in lived experience and the need for practical, straightforward action.

With the Act in force and the implementation period well underway, Figen urged organisations to concentrate on embedding workable security measures into day‑to‑day operations. For sites within the standard duty (200 to 799 capacity), this means clear planning, defined procedures and confident, well‑trained teams rather than major physical changes. For larger premises under the enhanced duty, while additional controls may be needed, the emphasis remains on realistic, tailored risk assessments rather than over‑engineering solutions.

A recurring theme was the importance of people. Training frontline teams so that they understand how to recognise suspicious behaviour, communicate quickly and follow lockdown or evacuation procedures was highlighted as one of the most effective ways to reduce harm in a fast‑moving incident. Free, government‑backed training resources are readily available and provide a practical starting point without significant cost. The Martyn’s Law Forum and newsletter are further free, practical sources of guidance during the implementation period. 

Key takeaway: Now is the time to review risk assessments, stress‑test emergency plans and roll out consistent and robust training using the implementation window wisely to build specific personalised, effective practices that work for a retailer’s premises in reality — not just on paper.

Panel one: Strategies for Compliance, Safety & Crisis Response

The opening panel focused on how retailers are responding to heightened risks around compliance, safety and crisis management amid rising retail crime, antisocial behaviour and evolving legal duties. Chaired by Claire Burrows, a Partner in our regulatory team, the discussion brought together insights from Dawn Holmes (Google), Jack Busby (Landsec), James Hiom (JKH Partnerships) and Chris Brook‑Carter (Retail Trust).

1. Retail crime is no longer just a loss‑prevention issue — it’s a people problem

Chris Brook‑Carter highlighted that while organised retail crime and shoplifting remain significant challenges, the more immediate and damaging risk for many retailers is the scale of abuse and aggression directed at frontline staff.

He noted that antisocial behaviour has become increasingly normalised across stores, warning that almost 90% of store colleagues have experienced abuse or aggression in the last year, with many facing it on a weekly basis. The consequences extend beyond individual incidents, driving fear, burnout and attrition. People are genuinely frightened about going into work — and that should stop us all in our tracks.

The panel agreed that a key tension remains between head‑office strategies focused on protecting stock and the lived experience of store teams who often feel their personal safety is secondary. Until retailers are more willing to take a collective stance in challenging unacceptable customer behaviour, the burden will continue to fall on frontline colleagues.

2. Social‑media‑driven disorder requires retailers to rethink risk & capacity

Dawn Holmes explored the rising risks created by social‑media‑fuelled gatherings, flash events and youth ‘takeovers’ that can escalate rapidly from a commercial opportunity to a public safety concern.

She noted that retail environments aren’t always assessed through the same lens as event venues, observing that retailers don’t always think about capacity in the same way that a large venue would. This can create blind spots, particularly where crowd numbers increase quickly and unexpectedly.

Drawing on her experience in global security operations, Dawn emphasised the importance of intelligence‑led monitoring and early warning indicators, noting that very few incidents come completely out of the blue — there are usually signals beforehand. The panel agreed that better information sharing across the sector is critical to anticipating and managing these risks.

3. Crisis response depends on communication that works under pressure

From an estate‑wide perspective, Jack Busby focused on operational readiness and communication in complex retail environments involving landlords, occupiers and multiple frontline teams.

Jack stressed that crisis plans only work if they’re familiar and practised and that it’s no use having procedures that look great on paper if people haven’t actually tested them. Real‑time alerts, clear escalation routes and regular drills were identified as essential to reducing confusion when incidents unfold quickly.

He also highlighted that security teams play a broader role than is often recognised, acting as first responders for medical incidents, vulnerable individuals and welfare concerns, not just crime. Any approach to compliance and safety must therefore remain proportionate and avoid undermining the customer experience.

4. Martyn’s Law builds on existing duties but clarity & momentum matter

James Hiom addressed how organisations are preparing for Martyn’s Law in practice, cautioning against both over‑engineering solutions and delaying action during the implementation period.

He warned that long lead‑in periods can result in action being left to the last minute. Many businesses already possess the core skills required under existing health and safety frameworks but challenges arise around clarity of responsibility, particularly in shared spaces such as shopping centres.

James stressed the importance of keeping plans simple and adaptable You don’t need the perfect system on day one — you need something that works for the people dealing with risk every day.

5. Leadership & culture shape outcomes before, during & after crises

Returning to the human dimension of risk, Chris emphasised that leadership behaviour is often the deciding factor in how organisations respond to incidents.

He highlighted evidence showing that colleagues who feel supported following an incident are far more likely to remain with their employer, while those who feel isolated are much more likely to leave the sector altogether. 

Training in de‑escalation, clear post‑incident support pathways and visible leadership were repeatedly identified as simple but powerful measures that improve resilience across organisations.

Key takeaway: Compliance, safety and crisis response are inseparable from people, culture and communication. Effective risk management isn’t driven by policies alone but by how well organisations listen to frontline intelligence, practise their responses and support colleagues when things go wrong.

Panel two: Digital Risk, AI & Consumer Trust in Retail

The second panel of the day highlighted how retail’s rapid digital transformation is unlocking new opportunities for growth, personalisation and customer engagement. As AI, social commerce and automation accelerate, however, so too do the risks — from cyber‑enabled fraud and data integrity issues to counterfeit activity and erosion of consumer trust.

In this panel chaired by Colin Bell, Partner and Head of Intellectual Property and our Technology Sector, experts including Shakie Kawuyu (RSM), Andrew Tyrrell (Dunelm) and Magdalena Hesse (Next) explored how retailers can harness digital innovation responsibly while protecting their brands, customers and data.

1. Retail AI is moving from insight to action but trust & data quality are critical

Retailers are shifting from predictive analytics to agentic AI that actively interacts with customers, operations and teams. However, its success depends on strong data quality, governance and strategic alignment — without them, AI can undermine brand trust rather than create value.

At the same time, consumers expect personalisation to be balanced with transparency and control. Andrew Tyrrell highlighted growing demand for clarity and trust and the need for teams to understand and stand behind AI-driven decisions. The panel agreed that retailers should focus on a small number of high‑value use cases, aligning AI to clear business goals rather than deploying it for its own sake. Competitive advantage will come from purposeful innovation built on trust, resilience and customer confidence.

2. Social commerce drives both growth & counterfeiting, impersonation & fraud

Social platforms are increasingly shaping how consumers discover, evaluate and purchase products. From TikTok Shop to AI‑assisted conversational search, consumer journeys are becoming more visual, social and influence‑led.

However, this comes with significant challenges, including:

• Impersonation, fake resellers and unauthorised ‘partners’ on social channels.
• Increased exposure to counterfeit goods and misleading advertising.
• The difficulty of enforcement on platforms with limited compliance mechanisms.

Magdalena Hesse highlighted the scale of the challenge, explaining that she’s constantly dealing with fake resellers, partners and wholesalers posing as Next. She described enforcement as a continual “whack‑a‑mole” process, with new impersonators appearing as quickly as others are taken down.

3. Cyber resilience depends on people as much as technology

High‑profile ransomware and cyber incidents in the retail sector have highlighted that technological defences alone aren’t enough. While AI and advanced security tools are essential, the panel agreed that humans remain the weakest link — both inside organisations and among customers.

Magdalena warned that customers are the most vulnerable link — people repeatedly reuse credentials, share personal data and don’t understand the risks. She also highlighted risks around new employees not receiving the level of training that they need and attackers knowing and taking advantage of this.

Key takeaway: Cyber resilience requires continuous training, awareness and a realistic acceptance that friction is sometimes the price of protection.

Panel three: Truth, Trust & Trademarks

The third panel highlighted that as misinformation, online scrutiny and fast‑moving digital narratives increasingly shape public perception, trust has become one of the most valuable — and vulnerable — assets that a brand can hold. From fake reviews and impersonation to ESG scrutiny and reputational attacks, businesses are operating in an environment where credibility can be tested in real time.

In this panel led by Partner and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney Hannah Fawcett, experts John Mulvihill (Regatta Group), Nick Thornton (Aver) and Partner Helen Otty from our litigation team outlined how trust is built deliberately, how it comes under pressure and what organisations can do to protect and restore reputation when challenges arise.

1. Trust is built through lived experience, not messaging

Trust doesn’t start with branding or communications — it starts with whether a business actually delivers on what it promises. John Mulvihill explained that trust is earned through real customer experience and comes from products and services doing what they promise, not from branding alone.

In shared environments such as shopping centres or mixed‑use assets, trust becomes even more valuable but also more exposed. Trust isn’t passive — it actively shapes commercial success and long‑term resilience. Nick Thornton introduced the powerful concept of reputational ‘brownie points’: if brands have invested in trust over time, they’ll have far more resilience when something goes wrong, whereas those without that foundation find reputational recovery much harder. 

2. Reputation is being challenged faster than it can be corrected

A key discussion was about how to face a claim against your brand and reputation and how the speed at which false narratives, fake reviews and online attacks spread has fundamentally changed risk management. Helen Otty highlighted how frequently this now arises and that the problem is no longer just misinformation — it’s the speed and scale at which it spreads.

A recurring theme was the need to distinguish between honest criticism and actionable defamation. Helen explained that people are entitled to an honest opinion but knowingly false, malicious statements designed to damage a brand cross the line.

She stressed the importance of proportionality, emphasising that, in many cases, the priority is removing damaging content quickly, combining commercial judgement, legal insight and restraint. 

3. When things go wrong, preparation matters more than reaction

The panel was clear that panic responses often make reputational harm worse. John emphasised that one of the most important things for a brand’s reputation is to make sure that the right people are in place to manage a crisis before it happens. Helen reinforced the need for a clear first‑24‑hour plan and a ‘crisis playbook’ which involves knowing who to notify, what evidence to gather and when to escalate.

Strategic inaction can sometimes protect trust better than immediate engagement. In a world where truth is increasingly contested, trust isn’t built by what businesses say but by how they behave, prepare and respond.

Key takeaway: Reputation now turns on how well businesses prepare, respond and behave under pressure. Trust built over time gives brands resilience but protecting it requires proportionate action, clear crisis planning and a firm grasp of the difference between criticism and genuine harm.

Closing thoughts: collaboration, experience & trust

The closing discussion, led by Retail Sector Head Helena Davies in conversation with Charlotte May (DFS Group), reinforced the importance of collaboration, perspective and shared responsibility across retail. Charlotte highlighted how vital it is for in‑house teams and businesses to step outside their day‑to‑day pressures, stressing that we can’t exist as islands, particularly in a landscape where many retailers are facing the same challenges around safety, risk and reputation.

A reoccurring theme was the need to balance safety with experience. While acknowledging increased risks in physical retail environments, responses must be proportionate and avoid undermining the value of shopping as a social and experiential activity. Post‑COVID, consumers have rediscovered retail as leisure and brands must protect that experience while working closely with landlords and partners, something that Charlotte noted many retail parks are increasingly proactive about.

Technology also featured heavily, with reflections on omnichannel risk, cyber threats and trust, alongside a reminder that innovation shouldn’t erode the human element. Colleagues on the shop floor remain the ambassadors of the brand, making culture, wellbeing and training essential. Ultimately, the conversation underscored that in retail, reputation is a tangible asset built through everyday behaviour, collaborative risk management and delivering safe, engaging, human experiences for customers.

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