Ocado Group has officially launched its first automated customer fulfillment center in South Korea alongside Lotte Shopping. Located to serve four million households across the Busan and Yeongnam regions, the facility introduces proprietary 'Auto-Freezer' technology capable of operating at -25° C. The site aims for high environmental efficiency, utilizing a 100% electric delivery fleet and solar power to reduce annual carbon emissions by over 1,000 tonnes.
In the UK, Asda is scaling its response to retail theft following a successful ten-week pilot of the Auror intelligence platform across 30 London stores. The trial yielded a 55% increase in crime prevention rates and recovered over £100,000 in stolen goods. By accelerating incident reporting times by 80%, Asda aims to better identify repeat offenders through a shared industry network.
Strategic partnerships continue to reshape the landscape. AutoStore has finalized a global framework agreement to supply its automation solutions to Amazon, while Morrisons is pushing its AI-powered Caper Carts—developed by Instacart—at its Preston location. Meanwhile, London-based Edgify has secured $9 million in Series A+ funding to expand its in-store loss prevention AI beyond retail into industrial sectors. Additionally, the live commerce platform Whatnot has reached a $20 billion valuation after raising $545 million in Series G funding, signaling continued investor confidence in digital marketplace growth.
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