Corporate
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Nectar360’s Pollen platform claims to solve retail media fragmentation
Retail giants Unilever and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners are reporting significant performance gains using Pollen, a new unified retail media platform from Nectar360. Designed to bypass the industry's fragmented landscape, the tool integrates audience insights, campaign activation, and multi-touch attribution into a single environment to track the full customer journey.
Gratis Taps Vusion for Massive Electronic Shelf Label Rollout in Turkey
Turkish beauty retailer Gratis is set to digitize its operations by deploying two million electronic shelf labels across 300 stores. This strategic shift, slated for completion by the second half of 2026, aims to sharpen pricing agility and modernize the in-store experience through Vusion’s connected platform.
UK shoppers embrace AI search but reject automated checkout
Nearly two-thirds of British consumers refuse to let artificial intelligence complete purchases for them, according to new research from dentsu. While over a third of shoppers now use AI tools to hunt for deals and compare brands, human-verified trust signals remain the final gatekeeper for actual spending.
Public voting for the RTIH Retail Technology Hot 100 ends Friday
Retail technology enthusiasts have until this Friday, June 26, to cast their final votes for the inaugural RTIH Retail Technology Hot 100 list. The project, organized in partnership with 3D Cloud, aims to spotlight the most innovative companies currently shaping the global omnichannel retail landscape.
Retail veteran Jose M. Barra joins AI startup Gain as advisor
Jose M. Barra, a seasoned executive with leadership tenures at The Home Depot, Target, and Optum, has joined the advisory board of Gain. The startup, founded by Trigo co-founder Michael Gabay, is deploying autonomous AI employees designed to manage end-to-end procurement and complex operational workflows for global brands.
Walmart Integrates Sparky AI into Summer Live Shopping Event
During the launch of its Summer Deals campaign on June 22, Walmart debuted its Sparky AI assistant within a live shopping experience. The retailer paired fitness expert Ally Love with custom choreography and real-time product integration, marking a shift toward interactive, participation-based marketing over traditional commercial advertising.
Henderson Technology hits 1,000-screen milestone at Jempson’s
A Jempson’s Supermarkets location now hosts the 1,000th EDGEPoS digital media screen, marking a significant expansion for Henderson Technology. The installation, paired with a new Barista Bar coffee unit, highlights a broader shift toward dynamic in-store communication across more than 800 retail sites throughout the United Kingdom.
Parcel thefts spike as Amazon Prime Day coincides with World Cup
As shoppers flock to Amazon Prime Day sales for World Cup gear, new analysis reveals a dangerous trend: porch piracy is surging. Data from Quadient indicates that parcel thefts jumped 92% this June, leaving high-value electronics and tournament merchandise vulnerable to opportunistic thieves while homeowners are away at work.
UK Households Hoard 880 Million Unused Tech Items
Over 880 million defunct gadgets are gathering dust in British homes, with the average household harboring 30 unused devices. While awareness of environmental impacts is high, a persistent mix of sentimentality, security fears, and procrastination prevents consumers from recycling their aging mobile phones and electronics.
E-commerce giants struggle as legacy tech stifles AI ambitions
Nearly half of online shoppers feel frustrated by AI-driven retail experiences, according to new research from Quickfire Digital. While brands pour investment into advanced personalization, a reliance on outdated, fragmented technology stacks is creating a persistent disconnect between corporate innovation goals and the actual quality of the consumer journey.
Social Media Fuels 1.7 Billion Annual Trips to UK High Streets
Rather than eroding physical retail, digital platforms are acting as a powerful magnet for Britain’s high streets. New research from American Express and Retail Economics reveals that social media content now drives an estimated 1.7 billion annual visits, transforming viral online trends into tangible footfall for local businesses.
Martin Raper Appointed Head of UK Stores at Currys
After nearly two decades climbing the ranks from the shop floor, Martin Raper has been named Head of UK Stores at Currys. He now assumes responsibility for the electrical retailer’s 279 locations and a workforce of 9,200 employees, tasked with driving sales and elevating the brand’s customer service standards.
Cole Palmer turns ‘Cold’ nickname into premium ice brand with Gopuff
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is stepping off the pitch and into the retail space, signing a multi-year deal with instant delivery firm Gopuff. The partnership debuts with COLE’D, a line of electrolyte-infused ice products that leans into the viral branding surrounding the footballer's signature goal celebration.
Modernizing Retail Real Estate through Digital Transformation
Retail property managers are abandoning manual, spreadsheet-heavy workflows in favor of integrated digital platforms to survive a shifting commercial landscape. By automating administrative tasks and centralizing tenant communications, firms are moving from reactive maintenance to strategic, data-driven asset management.
Ocado eyes Vonage chief Niklas Heuveldop to succeed founder Tim Steiner
After more than 25 years at the helm, Ocado Group co-founder Tim Steiner is moving toward an exit. The British retail technology specialist has identified Niklas Heuveldop, the current CEO of Ericsson subsidiary Vonage, as the primary candidate to lead the company into its next phase of growth.
Ryan Wisniewski moves to SSP Group after Selfridges tenure
Ryan Wisniewski has stepped down from his position as Major Incident and Change Lead at Selfridges to join travel food specialist SSP Group. He will transition into a new global remit, overseeing the company’s Major Incident and Problem Management function as he begins this latest phase of his career.
Amazon Prime Day 2026 poised to shatter UK spending records
Shoppers in the UK are projected to spend £2.24 billion during Amazon Prime Day 2026, marking a 7.9% increase over 2025 figures. Running from June 23rd to 26th, the event’s shift to an earlier summer window aligns with peak demand cycles, fueling expectations for record-breaking retail engagement across the country.
Retail Tech Weekly: Stablecoins, AI Agents, and Digital Infrastructure
From the integration of stablecoin payments in Singapore to a massive rollout of electronic shelf labels at Tesco, last week’s retail landscape was defined by aggressive infrastructure upgrades. Major chains are moving beyond simple digitization, deploying agentic AI and unified commerce platforms to bridge the gap between physical stores and digital demand.
Jessamyn Forbess Takes Lead in Walmart Global Supply Chain Expansion
After three years overseeing store operations, Jessamyn Forbess is shifting her focus to the backbone of Walmart’s retail dominance. The veteran executive has officially transitioned into the role of Director of Global Supply Chain, tasked with refining the network that powers the world’s largest retailer.
Boden brings AI out of the lab and into the Great Hall
Founder Johnnie Boden joined staff at the retailer's inaugural Behind the Screens roadshow, a 90-minute internal event designed to move artificial intelligence from abstract future-gazing to daily retail practice. Teams across the business showcased practical applications ranging from supply chain logistics to creative design tools.
RTIH Innovation Awards 2026: Call for Entries Open Ahead of October Deadline
The 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards are officially accepting submissions, inviting global retail technology players to showcase projects completed within the last year. With the entry window closing on Friday, 2 October, the program offers companies a platform to gain industry recognition and connect with a high-profile judging panel.
Sainsbury's pushes AI boundaries in record-breaking hackathon
Sainsbury's recently concluded its largest hackathon to date, gathering 140 technology specialists to experiment with AI integration. The event encouraged teams to bypass conventional operational constraints, focusing on projects intended to enhance both the customer experience and internal efficiency across the retailer's four core business strategies.
Marks and Spencer pivots from heritage retailer to data-driven operator
A 140-year-old retailer is quietly rewriting its operational DNA, prioritizing backend infrastructure over flashy consumer-facing gimmicks. Marks and Spencer has committed £140 million to AI and supply chain automation, signaling a deliberate shift toward data-backed decision-making that moves beyond the industry’s typical obsession with surface-level innovation.
Joybuy Challenges Amazon With Summer Black Friday Sales Event
Online retailer Joybuy is taking aim at Amazon’s market dominance by launching a mid-year "Summer Black Friday" sale, attempting to capitalize on consumer demand for deep discounts well ahead of the traditional November shopping season.
Beyond the Bot: The Shift to Agentic AI in Business Operations
Business automation is moving past simple, rule-based scripts toward Agentic AI, a new class of systems capable of independent decision-making and complex, multi-step execution. This transition forces organizations to rethink whether they are merely upgrading their tools or fundamentally redesigning the nature of work.
UK Retailers Shift from AI Experimentation to Mass Deployment
The British retail sector has officially moved beyond the trial phase of artificial intelligence, reaching a critical tipping point that promises to reshape industry productivity. According to Google Cloud, businesses are now transitioning from isolated testing to large-scale deployment to handle increasingly complex operational tasks.
Scaling Retail Web Scraping for Real-World Data Pipelines
Retailers increasingly rely on live market data to power AI pricing and promotional strategies, yet many firms struggle to move beyond pilot projects. Building a robust pipeline requires more than simple code; it demands a sophisticated strategy to navigate anti-bot defenses, site layout changes, and rigorous data governance.
Flip Out Expands Scottish Footprint to Livingston Designer Outlet
Families in West Lothian gain a new destination this summer as indoor adventure park group Flip Out prepares to launch its second Scottish location. The 20,000-square-foot facility at Livingston Designer Outlet will arrive in time for the school holidays, joining a network of 33 sites across the UK.
Joe & The Juice opens first Irish location on Dublin's Dawson Street
Danish health-focused retailer Joe & The Juice has officially entered the Republic of Ireland, debuting its latest location on Dublin’s Dawson Street. The expansion marks a significant milestone for the brand, which currently operates over 500 stores globally, bringing its signature menu of juices, smoothies, and salads to a new market.
Holland & Barrett CFO Challenges Retail Decline Narrative
The persistent claim that physical stores are becoming obsolete in an era of digital dominance is demonstrably false, according to Holland & Barrett CFO Vineta Bajaj. Drawing on the retailer’s performance in Ireland, she argues that brick-and-mortar locations remain central to how consumers engage with brands and make purchasing decisions.