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Each year, the Best Independent Retailer in France competition honours retailers who energise our town centres, innovate daily, and embody the values of local retail. This momentum would not be possible without the support of committed partners who believe in the power of local retail and support retailers on the ground. We are proud to present in this article the four partners of the 2025 edition of the Best Independent Retailer in France.

Innovation in payments is not an option, but a necessity to support changing usage and technological advances. The 2025 CB ‘AI and CSR’ Innovation Awards illustrate CB’s commitment to being at the forefront of solutions that are transforming retail, by offering ever more seamless, secure and inclusive experiences.

Nepting is a French company specialising in omnichannel payment acceptance solutions for all types of retailers. Today, more than 350,000 retailers use our solutions to manage several hundred million transactions each month — in-store, on payment terminals, or via e-payment.

In a context where payment practices are rapidly evolving, solutions are sought which are both secure and easy to integrate. Card pre-authorisation precisely meets this need: it allows you to secure a transaction whose final amount is not yet known, while offering a seamless experience to your customers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a key driver in the transformation of all retail sectors, creating numerous opportunities while also raising questions about its regulation.

"My primary belief is in complementarity. Most of the payment methods mentioned in your question rely on the bank card. They enrich the consumer experience by offering complementary services, without replacing the card".

Could you please briefly introduce yourselves (and provide a few figures) and outline your respective roles? Renan LE BOT - Sales Director at CB: CB is the French payment brand, for card and mobile. CB represents 77 million cards, 2.5 million retailers, and 14 billion transactions processed, with approximately 70% carried out via contactless payment.

As every year, the LAB by CB works with colleges to invite students to rethink payment uses. This year, students from Web School Factory worked on a very topical challenge: how can we reinvent charity in a society where the State is reducing its support for charities, where household budgets are under pressure, and where the use of cash is steadily declining?