Live from the Vusion podcast studio at booth 913 at Groceryshop 2026 in Las Vegas, Ben Miller connects with Katie Blackburn, Vice President - Commercial Strategy & Operations at WHSmith North America, for a GrocerTalk conversation on the evolving world of travel retail and the changing needs of airport shoppers.

Katie breaks down how WHSmith North America operates roughly 300 stores across around 50 U.S. airports, using localized concepts and curated assortments to serve travelers with very different shopping missions. From quick, convenient purchases like chargers and hydration to discovery-driven shopping experiences, the conversation explores how WHSmith balances speed and efficiency with exploration and engagement.

The discussion also dives into WHSmith North America’s growing retail media network, including its investment in digital in-store screens and new programmatic capabilities developed in partnership with SMG. Katie also shares what’s ahead for WHSmith North America in 2027, including a planned accelerator program designed to help emerging brands reach the millions of passengers traveling through U.S. airports.

In this episode:

• WHSmith North America’s travel retail business

• The different shopper missions shaping airport retail

• Balancing speed, convenience and discovery

• Self-checkout and the changing checkout experience

• Curated merchandising in high-traffic environments

• WHSmith North America’s retail media network

• Programmatic advertising across physical store environments

• Digital screens and in-store brand engagement

• What’s ahead for WHSmith North America in 2027

• A new accelerator program for emerging brands

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WHSmith North America’s Katie Blackburn on Travel Retail, Retail Media and Airport Shopping | Groceryshop 2026

Omni Talk Retail

WHSmith North America’s Katie Blackburn on Travel Retail, Retail Media and Airport Shopping | Groceryshop 2026