Retail Tech Weekly: AI Pricing, Automated Logistics, and Social Commerce

The Very Group is entering a three-year partnership with UiPath to deploy agentic AI, a move designed to automate and clarify pricing strategies across its 200,000-product catalog. This shift toward intelligent, data-driven decision-making mirrors a broader industry trend where retailers seek to stay ahead of volatile consumer demand. Simultaneously, Ocado Group has secured a deal to construct a new customer fulfillment center for an unnamed European retailer. The facility, slated for a 2028 launch, will leverage the Re:Imagined technology suite, including automated robotic picking and freezing systems.

Operational priorities are also pivoting toward security and customer engagement. Secondhand retailer CeX has integrated the Auror platform across its 390 UK stores, providing staff with a standardized system to record incidents and track repeat offenders. Meanwhile, Sephora has opened its first UK boutique on London’s Carnaby Street, incorporating a Beauty Scan tool for personalized skincare analysis. These investments coincide with research from Savvy indicating that social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop are increasingly challenging traditional e-commerce sites, as younger shoppers prioritize the interactive and discovery-led experiences that legacy platforms often lack.