Tracking the retail technology sector during the coronavirus

Retail Technology Innovation Hub rounds up the key COVID-19 developments from last week.

Good news for Sainsbury’s online customers. It’s becoming easier to get a delivery slot during the coronavirus outbreak.

A new report from John Lewis and Waitrose reveals how Brits’ behaviour has changed over the past couple of months.

Regular visitors to this site will know that we’re mahoosive fans of Poundland’s social media efforts.

And the retailer didn’t disappoint last week as it poked fun at Neil Ferguson, Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London.

The GMB union has called on the Employment Select Committee to seek evidence from Tim Bray, the Amazon Vice President who recently resigned over the sacking of workers during the coronavirus outbreak.

Go Instore has partnered with Brompton Bicycle to launch Live In-Store Expert, which matches in-store Brompton Junction product specialists with online customers via a HD live video platform.

Marks and Spencer has launched its first home delivery service, just ahead of its highly touted partnership with Ocado.

Around 130 M&S food and household items can be purchased through Deliveroo. Deliveries will take 30 minutes and there is a £4.99 charge. The service is available from 142 outlets across the country.

Waitrose has opened a six acre customer fulfilment centre in Enfield, North London, as it looks to double its online grocery orders in the capital by September.

The site is creating 370 new jobs, building to 850 when at full capacity, by which time it will be adding 13,000 weekly delivery slots for London customers.

Ikea has created a series of backgrounds for use on video calls.

41% of Brits have been shopping at their local, independent stores more regularly than they did before the coronavirus outbreak, according to research by price comparison site finder.com.

Online retailer SHEIN has hosted its first ever digital entertainment festival, SHEIN Together.

This took place on 9th May and ran for four hours. It was streamed via SHEIN’s app, with the aim of supporting and raising awareness and donations for the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organisation (WHO), powered by the United Nations Foundation.

54% of UK consumers have used new forms of payments in recent weeks, according to research by Paysafe.