Trend Updates

US economist Stephanie Kelton dispels old myths: “Everything that we've been led to believe about deficits and the role of money and government spending in the economy is wrong, especially the fear that deficits will endanger our long-term prosperity.” The bestselling author of The Deficit Myth is convinced that deficits are not a bad thing. Here, in a video interview, and at the 70th International Retail Summit on 10 and 11 September 2020, Stephanie Kelton provides solutions for a post-Covid economy.

Grassroots movements will revolutionize the fast fashion industry, bestselling author Dana Thomas is sure. Thomas talks about business models beyond growth and innovative start-ups here in a podcast and at the 70th International Retail Summit on 10 and 11 September 2020.

What if the known society is gone in the year 2050? What should we be capable of?

The Corona crisis is becoming a catalyst for new forms of cultivation,, such as urban farming and meat from cell cultures. But the technical infrastructure is still missing for many things. In an interview with the "Lebensmittel Zeitung", David Bosshart explains how Covid-19 has changed the way we eat.

Dior or Saint Laurent: Matt Heiman has them all. With his startup, the Brit lends out luxury bags in London. At the GDI Retail Summit and in an interview, he explains why subscriptions are the business model of the future, even in the luxury market.

Across Europe, besides isolated regional lockdowns, easing measures are being introduced. The summer holidays are beginning. A lot of things seem to be "normalising". But there are many unknowns: How will the global recession affect us? Are the supply chains reorganising? Who are the winners and losers of the crisis?

"Social life, health data, consumption: Everything that can be measured will be measured," said Steffen Mau, Professor of Macrosociology, in the webinar "Quantification: Keeping Score in a Metric Society" with GDI researcher Jakub Samochowiec.

If there were winners during the coronavirus lockdown, they were e-commerce platforms and their ecosystems. Klarna is one of these winners. In a video and at the GDI Retail Summit, Klarna’s CMO David Sandström explains what it would look like if Gucci was a payment provider.

What trends have shaped China's e-commerce? And what does this mean for the future of retail in Europe? Jack Ma biographer Duncan Clark and GDI CEO David Bosshart gave insights in a webinar.

We need to create cities where the most comfortable and simple lifestyle is also the healthiest and most sustainable, says Kristian Villadsen, partner and director at the renowned Danish architectural firm Gehl Architects. At the GDI Retail Summit and here in this interview, Villadsen reveals how the city's retail sector can reinvent itself after Covid-19.