Retail NZ Awards - Retail NZ

2025 Retail NZ Awards

Retail NZ is proud to announce the winners and highly commended finalists of the 2025 Retail NZ Awards, recognising outstanding contributions across design, innovation, sustainability, customer experience and online retailing.

“Retailers across Aotearoa continue to inspire us with their creativity, commitment and customer focus. The calibre of this year’s finalists and winners is exceptional, and we’re proud to celebrate their achievements,” Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says.

“These Awards highlight the incredible work being done in communities nationwide and the vital role retail plays in our economy.”

Retail has faced many challenges, but these Awards remind us of the passion and innovation that continue to drive the sector forward, Ms Young says.

“Congratulations to all our winners and finalists — you are shaping the future of retail in Aotearoa.”

The 2025 Retail NZ Awards are supported by Foodstuffs North Island, The Warehouse Group, ServiceIQ, OneMusic, Mastercard, Bluestar, Finance Now and Retail Academy.

(Mary Devine – Lifetime Contribution Award)

Retail NZ Celebrates Excellence at the 2025 Retail NZ Awards

There are six award categories recognising excellence in retail business, plus a special Lifetime Contribution Award honouring an individual whose career has made a significant and lasting impact on the retail sector.

“The calibre of this year’s winner and highly commended finalists reflects the exceptional talent and innovation within our retail sector”, says Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young. “Incredible work is happening right across the motu and we’re proud to celebrate the achievements of these outstanding individuals and businesses”.

2025 Retail NZ Awards Winners & Highly Commended Finalists

Retail Academy – Lifetime Contribution Award

Winner – Mary Devine (Chief Executive, Foodstuffs South Island)

OneMusic – Best New Store Design Award

Winner – Normanby Fine Wines
Highly Commended – Untouched World

ServiceIQ – Customer Service Experience of the Year Award

Winner – The Sleep Store
Highly Commended – Normanby Fine Wines

Finance Now – Innovation (Best Use of Technology) Award

Winner – Foodstuffs North Island

Highly Commended – Palmers

Bluestar – Online Store of the Year Award

Winner – Preen

Mastercard – Sustainability Leadership Award

Winner – Mitre 10
Highly Commended – Woolworths NZ

2025 Retail NZ Awards Gallery

Entry information

The awards are open to all online and physical retail stores operating in New Zealand. You do not need to be a Retail NZ member to enter. You can enter multiple categories but need to complete the entry form for each category addressing the questions for that award.

Don’t wait until the last moment to submit your entry. It’s important to invest time and thought into crafting a clear and informative entry. The effort you put in will increase your chances of success! The deadline is Sunday 29 June, so be sure to submit your entries well before then.
Our categories come with specific criteria for you to review before and during the entry process. Be sure to read the criteria thoroughly and address each question accordingly.
Clearly describe your achievements and support them with relevant data. When preparing your entry, keep in mind that facts are more convincing than mere statements. Since all judges are bound by confidentiality, providing detailed numbers, facts and objective evidence will make your entry stand out and capture their attention. Don’t assume the judges know anything about your business and use plain language.
Provide context by outlining the background, rationale, objectives, process, execution and results of your work.
What sets you apart from others? Highlight any new approaches or innovations you introduced. We are interested in examples of businesses and individuals who have discovered more effective ways of achieving results. Most categories in the Retail NZ Awards emphasise accomplishments from the past year. Be sure to showcase any novel strategies you implemented and describe how they differed from your competitors’ practices.

There is an administration fee of $50 +GST for each entry. Retail NZ members do not need to pay this fee.

Terms & Conditions

Award categories

Best New Store Design Award

Celebrating store design innovation and creativity for stores that have recently opened or been refurbished. Judges will look for evidence of increased sales following the redesign and indications that the changes will contribute to long-term profitable growth for the retailer.

Entry criteria

This category is open to all retail sectors and store sizes. It encompasses New Zealand stores that have either opened or been refurbished in the past 12 months.

Questions you will be asked:

Describe a store design or concept you have introduced in the past 12 months.
What are the distinctive and standout features of your store design?
What research did you conduct before implementing this design?
What impact has the store design or concept had on the business? Include evidence of increased sales following the redesign and/or indications that the changes will contribute to long-term profitability for the company.
How has the design enhanced the customer experience?

To enter this category, complete the form on the link below before midnight on 29 June 2025. Entries are free for Retail NZ members, non-members will be asked to pay a $50 +GST entry fee at the end of the form. Before entering, we advise you read the entry information and terms & conditions.

ENTER THIS CATEGORY

Customer Service Experience of the Year Award

This award honours the retailer that excels in providing an exceptional customer experience. This could be achieved through technology or other solutions such as services, but it must address a specific customer need or create a memorable, exciting experience. The winning initiative will have clearly contributed to enhanced business performance and overall success.

Entry criteria

This category is open to physical store and online operators.

Questions you will be asked:

What significant customer experience initiative has your organisation introduced in the past year?
Can you explain the vision and strategy behind this initiative, including the main reasons for its development?
What results has the customer experience initiative achieved? Describe how you measure and assess its impact.
How has this initiative affected your unique customer proposition and in what ways does it set you apart from your competitors?
What type of training has your team received to ensure the successful rollout of this initiative?

ENTER THIS CATEGORY

Innovation Award – Best use of technology

This award honours operators who showcase exemplary use of technology in their business. This includes online retailing, digital marketing and social media, as well as in-store technologies like self-checkout systems, media screens and payment apps.

Entry criteria

Open to all online and physical in-store retail businesses operating in New Zealand.

Questions you will be asked:

What specific technology have you implemented in your business, and how has it been used to enhance operations or customer experience?

How has this distinguished you from your competitors?

What measurable results have you achieved through the use of this technology? Include data or feedback that demonstrates the effectiveness and impact of your technological innovations.

ENTER THIS CATEGORY

Online Store of the Year Award

Judges are seeking an e-commerce retail manager or team that has significantly and positively impacted customers, the community or the broader company. They will look for examples of outstanding online retail execution, inspiring leadership and effective teamwork, as well as evidence of enhanced customer satisfaction and commercial success.

Entry criteria

Open to online operators and stores with an online and in store offering.

Questions you will be asked:

What are the distinctive and standout features of your online store?
How have you enhanced the online customer experience in the past 12 months?
What motivated these changes and how did you assess their success?
Describe how these improvements have driven revenue growth for the business.
How do your support services contribute to a positive online customer experience?

ENTER THIS CATEGORY

Sustainability Leadership Award

This award honours retailers who are advancing their sustainability efforts. Judges are looking for a specific green initiative from the past year that has made a significant impact, either on its own or as part of a broader sustainability programme. Examples could include reducing plastic use, adopting eco-friendly logistics or minimising waste.

Entry criteria

This category is open to all online and physical in-store retail businesses operating in New Zealand.

Questions you will be asked:

What specific sustainability initiative have you implemented in the past 12 months? Describe the key aspects of this initiative and its primary goals.
How has this initiative made a significant impact? Provide data or examples that demonstrate its effectiveness in improving your green credentials.
How does this initiative fit into your overall sustainability programme or strategy? Explain how it complements or enhances other environmental efforts within your business.
What challenges did you face while implementing this initiative and how did you overcome them?
How do you plan to build on this initiative in the future? Share any upcoming projects or goals related to sustainability that are inspired by this recent success.

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Lifetime Contribution Award

This award celebrates an individual whose career has profoundly shaped and advanced the retail sector. This prestigious accolade recognises exceptional achievements and enduring impact, honouring those whose visionary leadership, innovative spirit and unwavering commitment have set new benchmarks for the industry.

Entry criteria

Nominees for this award will be evaluated on their significant and sustained influence on the retail landscape. This includes their role in driving innovation, maintaining excellence over many years and mentoring future leaders. Contributions to the community and industry, along with a lasting legacy and adherence to high ethical standards, are also key factors in the selection process.

The award seeks to acknowledge those whose career achievements have not only advanced their own business but have also enriched and transformed the retail industry as a whole. Entrants cannot self-nominate but can support the submission.

Questions you will be asked:

Describe the nominee’s overall impact on the retail industry throughout their career. Include contributions that have significantly influenced industry practices, standards or innovation.
Provide examples of how the nominee has demonstrated innovation and leadership in the retail sector. Highlight groundbreaking initiatives, strategic vision and pioneering approaches they have introduced.
Detail the nominee’s track record of sustained excellence and performance over the course of their career. Include evidence of continued success and high standards maintained throughout their tenure.
Explain how the nominee has mentored and developed future leaders in the retail industry. Include examples of their contributions to training, guiding and inspiring the next generation of retail professionals.
Outline the nominee’s contributions to the community and industry beyond their immediate business. This may include involvement in industry associations, charitable activities and efforts to promote retail as a profession.
List notable achievements and awards received by the nominee that recognise their significant contributions to the retail industry.
Describe the lasting legacy and influence of the nominee’s work. How have their contributions shaped the current landscape of retail and what enduring impact have they made?
Assess the nominee’s adherence to high ethical standards and integrity throughout their career. Provide examples of how they have upheld and promoted ethical practices in the retail industry.