At last year’s Chamber Gala Dinner, Mary Portas delivered a memorable call to action for Guernsey’s business community:
“You could be one of the first islands to become a green, thriving, profitable, and beautiful community.”
She challenged us to define our vision and lead with purpose — to become a model for how values-led business can thrive.
That same call was echoed again this month as Portas unveiled Retail Recharged in partnership with Snap Inc., urging retailers to innovate not just for survival, but to shape a better future. In an AI-driven world, where speed and efficiency are now the baseline, she argues that the new retail currency is style — not just aesthetic, but the ability to create meaningful, emotionally resonant experiences.
And if we want to build future-fit retail, we need to understand the next generation of consumers: Gen Z.
Snap and YouGov’s latest research into Gen Z shopping behaviours reveals a generation full of apparent contradictions:
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76% want to buy what they want, when they want, as fast as possible.
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But 95% don’t consider themselves impulsive — 25% say they are budget-conscious, and 20% describe themselves as thoughtful.
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58% see shopping as entertainment.
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42% view it as a social activity.
Portas describes this duality as the shift from “hunter” to “gatherer” shopping behaviours. Retail has long served the hunter — focused on speed, convenience, and frictionless transactions. But now, success lies in serving the gatherer: creating moments of connection, identity, and community.
This is the foundation of what she calls WE-Commerce — where value comes not just from transactions, but from social capital. From shared experiences. From human connection.
For Guernsey, this is more than a retail trend — it’s an invitation. As Mary told us during her keynote, our island has “an extraordinary abundance” of assets: creativity, community spirit, and entrepreneurial energy.
Local retailers have a real opportunity to show what’s possible by crafting meaningful, socially rich shopping experiences that reflect our values and quality of life. By leading with vision, collaboration, and style, Guernsey can become a beacon of purpose-led business — and set an example far beyond our shores.
