800 expected in Barcelona
The inaugural World Retail Congress opens in Barcelona this morning, with more than 800 attendees expected at the three day event.

Speakers include Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy, Carrefour CEO Jose Luis Duran and Anders Dahlvig, president of Ikea.

The conference will be themed around five key plenary sessions, including the role of retail in the global economy, world trade and emerging markets. There will also be a comprehensive programme of stream sessions examining individual emerging markets and key sector themes.

The aim of the event is to create a platform where the key issues facing the increasingly global retail market can be debated at the very highest level.

Speakers and delegates are being drawn from all corners of the globe, with over 50 countries represented. The event also includes the first World Retail Awards, to be held in Barcelona's National Palace on Thursday evening.