South Africa, Feb. 16 -- Margin pressure is relentless, consumer expectations are rising faster than retailers can keep up with, and global supply chain volatility continues to disrupt even the strongest brands.

Adding to this is the disruptive force of digital-first entrants such as Temu and Shein, which are prepared to undercut the market until customer loyalty shifts in their favour.

For traditional retailers, the challenge is twofold: sustaining the profitability of their physical stores while investing in digital platforms that can compete with agile newcomers.

The pace of disruption means there is little space for hesitation, and those who delay risk being overtaken before they are ready to respond.

The human side of transformat...