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Swedish startup eComID secures $17 million for AI-driven shopping tool
Swedish retail technology startup eComID has secured $17 million in a seed funding round led by Systemiq Capital, aiming to scale its international operations and further develop its AI-powered Shopping Passport, a tool designed to provide personalized consumer context across multiple digital storefronts.
Retail Tech Hot 100 highlights industry shift toward data foundations
The inaugural Retail Technology Hot 100 list has officially launched, signaling a pivot in industry priorities. Rather than favoring flashy AI demonstrations, the selection highlights companies focused on solving fundamental retail challenges—specifically improving data visibility, inventory intelligence, and the infrastructure required for the next decade of commerce.
Greggs and B&M ramp up AI leadership search
The UK high street is pivoting toward aggressive automation, with bakery chain Greggs and value retailer B&M actively recruiting for new Heads of Data and AI. These roles signal a broader industry push to transition artificial intelligence from experimental tech to a core driver of retail operations and business strategy.
The Invisible Friction: How Tech is Rewiring the Consumer Checkout
A quick search for a discount code before hitting 'buy' has become the modern shopper's reflex, turning price sensitivity into a digital sport. This shift highlights how retail technology now operates in the background, subtly dictating which brands earn a sale and which are left behind in the browser tab.
Post Office taps OneView Commerce for £141m Horizon replacement
The Post Office has awarded a £141 million contract to OneView Commerce to overhaul its legacy Horizon system. This initiative marks a significant step in the organization's five-year transformation plan, aiming to replace outdated branch technology with a cloud-native platform designed for modern retail and mobile services.
The Invisible Leak: Why Retail Browser Sessions Are Failing
A merchandising team checks pricing in a coffee shop; a supply chain manager logs into a portal from an airport lounge. While retailers obsess over encrypted payment gateways, these routine browser sessions remain wide open, creating a massive, overlooked entry point for credential theft and lateral network attacks.
Everseen, Hanshow and OpenAI Lead Inaugural RTIH Retail Tech Hot 100
The Retail Technology Innovation Hub has unveiled its inaugural Hot 100 list, highlighting the global companies currently reshaping the retail landscape. Selected through a combination of expert panel evaluations and public voting, the ranking prioritizes ventures that demonstrate genuine technical innovation, clear strategic utility, and proven deployment success.
Closing the gap between store reality and digital intelligence
Retailers are currently drowning in a flood of minor, disconnected signals—from missed scans at self-checkouts to empty shelves—that often go unnoticed until the window for effective intervention has closed. Joe White, CEO of Everseen, argues that the future of physical retail depends on unifying these events into a single, real-time intelligence loop.
Uber Eats launches robot delivery in Finland
Autonomous delivery arrives in the European Union this week as Uber Eats partners with Coco Robotics to deploy sidewalk robots in Helsinki. The move marks a strategic expansion for the platform in Finland, where the service has grown to 11 cities in just three months of operation.
Nathan Davies joins Marks & Spencer to spearhead data and AI delivery
Nathan Davies has transitioned from the financial sector to retail, stepping into the role of Head of Data & AI Delivery at Marks & Spencer. His appointment marks a strategic move for the retailer as it seeks to integrate advanced technology into its core operations and business performance.
Kroger and Instacart integrate grocery and pharmacy delivery
Kroger customers across the United States can now consolidate grocery shopping and pharmacy needs into a single Instacart order. The service, which spans nearly all Kroger banners including Ralphs and Fred Meyer, allows users to receive eligible prescriptions alongside their groceries, delivered directly from more than 2,200 pharmacy locations.
UNIQLO Expands London Presence With New Canary Wharf Store
Japanese retail giant UNIQLO is the latest brand to join the lineup at Canary Wharf, signaling continued growth for the East London destination. The arrival of the global fashion retailer comes as the estate reports near-total occupancy, bolstered by a surge in footfall and a diversifying mix of leisure and retail tenants.
Spider-Man film launch triggers surge in Scotland retail footfall
The release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day has transformed GRID Braehead into a case study for leisure-led retail. On its opening day alone, the Scottish destination saw a 73.5% year-on-year spike in visitors, proving that cinematic blockbusters can effectively turn quiet midweek sessions into high-traffic events.
SPAR taps ZetaDisplay to launch Central European retail media network
SPAR is rolling out its first retail media network across Central Europe in partnership with digital signage specialist ZetaDisplay. The initiative, which began with a pilot program, aims to transform physical stores into dynamic advertising channels by integrating data-driven content management across hundreds of new and existing in-store displays.
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Causee readies UK launch for non-profit secondhand fashion marketplace
A new UK-based online marketplace, Causee, is set to debut this autumn with a business model designed to redirect surplus profits directly to charity. By leveraging buyer protection fees to cover operational costs, the platform aims to integrate social impact into the resale of pre-owned fashion and artisan goods.
Mulberry to open flagship store at Liverpool ONE
Mulberry is set to open a 979 sq ft boutique at Liverpool ONE this November, securing a prominent location on Peter’s Lane. The move marks a strategic effort by the luxury brand to bolster its presence in the UK market by targeting high-performance retail hubs with proven footfall and spending potential.
Pop Mart turns blind box collecting into a digital logic puzzle
Pop Mart’s new Pop Now feature attempts to gamify the blind box experience by allowing online shoppers to shake virtual packages for clues, effectively turning a standard purchase into a high-stakes game of deduction that even invites AI intervention to beat the odds.
Final 150 passes released for retail and hospitality workforce summit
With the Workforce Innovation Retail & Hospitality ConfEx set for September 10 at London’s Protein Studios, organizers have announced that only 150 complimentary passes remain for the event. The gathering aims to address acute industry pressures, including staff shortages, rising labor costs, and evolving legislative mandates.
Walmart Ends Holdout Against Apple and Google Pay
After years of resisting third-party contactless payments, Walmart is finally integrating tap-to-pay options across its US stores and Sam’s Club locations. The retailer plans to complete the rollout of support for services like Apple Pay and Google Pay by the end of this year, with fuel stations following by mid-2027.
Tesco expands UK trial of Simbe autonomous inventory robots
Tesco is scaling its UK pilot of Simbe’s Tally, an autonomous shelf-scanning robot designed to track inventory in real time. Initially confined to a single location, the retailer has now introduced the technology to additional branches, signaling a broader commitment to integrating robotics into the physical shopping environment.
Starship Technologies Withdraws Delivery Robots from Sheffield
Conflict has forced Starship Technologies to pull its autonomous delivery fleet from Sheffield streets. While the company characterizes the move as a planned conclusion to its pilot program, the operation faced persistent interference, including vandalism, aggressive graffiti, and physical blockades designed to immobilize the units during food delivery rounds.
Retail Tech Roundup: From TikTok Shops to Autonomous Kitchens
The retail landscape is shifting toward automated convenience and social commerce, as brands like Yankee Candle embrace TikTok Shop and Murphy USA deploys autonomous kitchen platforms. These moves reflect a broader industry push to integrate high-tech solutions directly into the customer experience, whether through mobile apps, robotics, or frictionless checkout systems.
Nkuku partners with Back.tech to overhaul reverse logistics
Ethical home retailer Nkuku is integrating Back.tech’s AI-driven platform to overhaul its reverse logistics and recommerce strategy. By automating grading and routing processes, the brand aims to transition from traditional returns processing toward a smarter, connected lifecycle for both parcel shipments and bulky home goods.
Google veteran Sonia Wadhawan joins Walmart to lead AI partnerships
Sonia Wadhawan has moved to Walmart as the new Vice President of Partnerships for the retailer’s AI Acceleration, Product & Design division. After a two-decade tenure at Google, she joins the team to oversee strategic ecosystems as the company aggressively pivots toward agentic technology and AI-driven commerce.
Navigating the Campus Maze: Co-op Launches Uber Eats at Birmingham
Navigating 675 acres of university grounds proved more complex than anticipated when the University of Birmingham’s on-campus Co-op store recently integrated with Uber Eats. While the service is now operational, initial rollout required a frantic recalibration of digital map pins to stop delivery drivers from getting lost.
Marks and Spencer names Paul Loughlin head of analytics
After serving three months in an interim capacity, 17-year company veteran Paul Loughlin has been permanently appointed as Head of Analytics for Retail, Property and Contact Centre at Marks and Spencer. His promotion reflects the retailer’s intensifying focus on data-driven infrastructure rather than superficial front-end technology trends.
Swish Basket Secures $3.2 Million to Bring AI to Basketball Courts
Swish Basket, an AI-driven sports technology firm founded by Trax creator Joel Bar-El, has closed a $3.2 million pre-seed funding round. The startup, which was recently selected for the NBA Launchpad 2026, plans to use the capital to scale its sensor technology and expand its engineering and marketing operations.
Morrisons debuts multi-brand retail hub in London
Customers at the Morrisons Palmers Green store in London can now access a consolidated shopping experience featuring The Range, wilko, and Homebase. The collaboration, facilitated by a deal with CDS Superstores, introduces an 800-square-foot collection hub designed to integrate home, garden, and DIY procurement into the standard grocery trip.
Dickey's Barbecue Pit gamifies loyalty program with Spark Adriatic
Dickey's Barbecue Pit is integrating interactive mobile games into its Big Yellow Cup Rewards program to drive customer engagement. Developed by Spark Adriatic, the new features allow users to earn loyalty points through gameplay, a strategic push as nearly 30% of the chain's orders now originate within its mobile app.
Superdrug to expand footprint at Harlequin Watford
Superdrug is set to significantly increase its presence at the Harlequin Watford retail destination, with plans to expand its current store by over a third. The move will see the brand occupy a new 11,503 sq ft space, marking a 37% growth from its existing 8,400 sq ft location.