RTIH takes a tongue in cheek look back at an eventful week for the retail technology space.

1. There’s never a dull moment when writing about the retail technology space

On Friday alone, the GMB trade union accused Amazon of being in denial about its safety record as a new report claimed that accidents increase in warehouses with robots.

And it also emerged that Ocado was being sued by Norwegian robotics firm AutoStore.

The latter has filed lawsuits in the UK High Court and the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claiming Ocado’s grocery picking robots infringe on its automated designs.

I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else but here, as All Saints once sang.

Grocery retailer @OcadoGroup has signed agreements with major partners for systems that unlawfully infringe @AutoStoresystem intellectual property. In defense of our patented technology, AutoStore has filed lawsuits against Ocado. Learn more here: https://t.co/9tJMQoMFdJ
— AutoStore (@AutoStoresystem) October 1, 2020

2. People really need to stop saying hyperpersonalised

SAP has entered into an agreement to acquire omnichannel customer engagement platform provider Emarsys.

And Mon Dieu, Rodders, the press release announcing the deal was something to behold, stuffed, as it was, with PR waffle like “new paradigms” and “hyperpersonalised digital commerce experiences”.

There are some annoying buzzwords doing the rounds right now, but hyperpersonalised takes the cake.

Check out the aforementioned press release in all its glory here.

3. Ocado is Britain’s most valuable retailer

“Worth £21.7 billion. That makes it bigger than Tesco. And bigger than M&S, Sainsbury's, Morrisons combined. Considering Tesco boss a decade ago dismissed Ocado as a "charity" this is quite something,” freelance consumer journo Harry Wallop tweeted.

To which our Editor responded…

Big fan of #Ocado but as much as most valuable retailer seems to rev Harry Wallop’s engines, let’s remember #Tesco is much, much bigger sales wise. Also, Ocado’s valuation based on it being a tech platform provider and retailer. Tesco’s valuation on it being a, you know, retailer https://t.co/6Yh7N1t3mI
— Scott Thompson (@ScottThomps74) September 29, 2020

4. There’s a fine line between taking a noble stand on an important issue and virtue signalling for likes and retweets

And Sainsbury’s arguably crossed that line last week with the following tweet.

pic.twitter.com/P7nCbukUv7
— Sainsbury's (@sainsburys) October 1, 2020

5. Students don’t eat Pot Noodles anymore

At least, not if you go by the recently launched Morrisons SOS ‘Serve our Students’ food delivery service, aimed at those who are self isolating in halls and campuses during the coronavirus outbreak.

There are five different food boxes to choose from - Meat Essentials, Vegetarian Essentials, Easy Meals for the Week and Big Night In. And not a single Pot Noodle in sight. Tsk, the youth of today…