Asda faces backlash over outsourcing as retail tech funding surges

While Asda faces mounting pressure from labor advocates over the sudden shift to Bidvest and NIC Cleaning Services, the broader retail technology landscape is seeing a flurry of high-stakes investment. ClearJet, a logistics firm utilizing unused cargo space on commercial flights, secured $25 million to scale its AI-powered platform. Simultaneously, the live commerce giant Whatnot reached a $20 billion valuation after a $545 million funding round, underscoring the rapid global adoption of interactive shopping models pioneered in China.

Technological integration remains the industry’s primary focus. In the US, Kroger has deployed its 500th Tally inventory robot, while Huck’s Market surpassed $100,000 in weekly digital sales by centralizing its delivery operations. Elsewhere, Ocado Group launched an automated fulfillment center in South Korea featuring a proprietary freezer capable of handling temperatures as low as -25° C. These shifts are mirrored by consumer expectations, as research from IMRG and nShift highlights that return policies—and the associated costs—are now critical factors in customer retention.