Six more big retail tech plays in 2019

These innovative retail tech initiatives should be on your radar right now. At the end of the year, we will be putting together a shortlist of the coolest tech plays in 2019 and asking our judging panel to vote for their favourites across various categories. Stay tuned for more info on that.

1. McDonald’s trials takeaway store for city workers

McDonald's is testing out a ‘To Go' store in Fleet Street, London.

This removes in-store seating and focuses purely on takeaways, with favourites such as Big Macs, McNuggets and Big Flavour Wraps available on a reduced menu. Orders are taken on touchscreens, with speedy delivery the name of the game.

2. John Lewis Partnership backs robotics innovation initiative

The John Lewis Partnership has joined forces with the Small Robot Company, strategic design consultancy Method and various UK robotics companies and industry bodies to create a blueprint for human robot interaction.

3. Shop Direct reveals progress on new fulfilment centre

Shop Direct has completed external building works at Skygate, its new 850,000 sq ft fulfilment centre at East Midlands Gateway, near Castle Donington, Leicestershire.

4. Patent application reveals that a Walmart Coin could be in the works

Walmart is looking into its own US dollar-backed digital currency, along the same lines of Facebook’s much hyped Libra project.

5. The Co-op kicks off RBT programme with cloud tech pilot

The Co-op is testing out a new cloud-based supplier collaboration portal, Co-op Connect.

6. Samsung KX launch shows that retail is alive and kicking

Retail is not dead. Rather, it is going through a period of incredible reinvention, according to Garrett Page, Head of Operations, Samsung KX.

He made the comment as Samsung opened the doors to Samsung KX, its new experience space in King’s Cross (London) which showcases what the company believes to be the future of retail.