The retail technology week in numbers

Do you like numbers? Do you like retail technology? Then this is the article for you.

120,000…Retailers across every world region increased their investment in self-checkout technology in 2019, with more than 120,000 units shipped globally, according to RBR.

£1 billion…Ocado plans to raise more than £1 billion from investors as it looks to take advantage of a boom in online deliveries sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.

€17 million…Logistics technology startup Ontruck has raised €17 million in a round led by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.

€21 million…Alkemics, a Paris-based startup whose platform enables brands to launch products with retailers, has raised €21 million in a Series C funding round.

20,000-25,000…Retail isn’t dying. Rather, a culling of the herd is underway, says Brittain Ladd, a former Amazon exec and supply chain consultant.

Ladd was speaking as it emerged that US retailers could announce between 20,000 and 25,000 closures this year, according to Coresight Research, with 55% to 60% of those situated in America’s malls. That would mark a record, which was previously the more than 9,300 locations in 2019.

18…Starbucks is speeding up plans to upgrade its US store portfolio as it looks to bounce back from the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the next 18 months, it will increase its focus on drive-thru and curbside pickup options, as well as mobile order only Starbucks Pickup locations in dense markets, including New York City, Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco.

80%…UK consumers remain deeply cautious about returning to the shops, according to research from EY.

The likes of Primark will open their physical locations in England on 15th June, in line with the government’s guidelines for non-essential retailers, and retailers are already springing back to life in Northern Ireland.

But EY’s survey of 1,017 Brits found that 80% would be uncomfortable trying on clothes in a store. Even though visiting a supermarket has remained a necessity for many people during the coronavirus lockdown, only a quarter currently feel comfortable going.

4…LVMH Group has released the shortlist for the fourth edition of its Innovation Award initiative.

5,000…Alibaba Group's cloud computing division will hire 5,000 technology staff over the course of the next 10 months. Jobs will be created in such areas as networks, databases, servers, chips and artificial intelligence.

72% of UK retailers are suffering from supply and logistical issues during the Covid-19 crisis, according to research from Opinium and LiveArea involving 500 business managers.

58% of retailers are being held back from digital transformation by budget restrictions, according to research from Vanson Bourne and Boomi.

5.9%…Total UK retail sales decreased by 5.9% in May, against a slump of 1.9% in May 2019, according to research from the BRC and KPMG.

26% of UK supermarkets have experienced incidences of staff abuse from customers during the coronavirus pandemic, according to research by Shepper.

3…Online electricals retailer, AO, has opened a new distribution warehouse in Crewe, its third in the town.

175…For the first time in its 175 year history, The Co-op has completed its AGM as a digital only event.

18…Scandinavian furniture retailer Jysk has 18 new stores across 14 European countries coming up this month.

32.7%…UK online retail sales growth was up 32.7% year-on-year in May, the highest annual result since March 2008, according to research by IMRG and Capgemini.

Home and garden, electricals, and beer, wine and spirits were star performers, whilst clothing continued to feel the pressure of weak demand.

32…Dixons Carphone has announced additions to its Currys PC World zero contact kerbside order and collect service.

Last month, the drive thru offering was launched at 20 stores. “This has gone extremely well and we are pleased to announce that we have now extended the service to 32 further stores nationwide,” says Mark Allsop, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Digital Officer at Dixons Carphone.