Last week’s most read RTIH retail technology articles

These are the retail systems articles that caught your fancy during the past seven days, including Tesco, Amazon, Klarna, HERO and Currys PC World.

Tony Hoggett quits Tesco for Amazon physical stores role

Tony Hoggett is stepping down from the role of Tesco Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer to head up Amazon’s international stores arm.

He will move to Amazon’s HQ in Seattle, Washington and become Senior VP of Physical Stores in January 2022.

FinTech unicorn Klarna snaps up social shopping venture HERO

Buy now pay later big hitter Klarna has acquired social shopping platform HERO. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In a press release, Klarna says it will “introduce HERO to its 250,000 retail partners, allowing their in-store teams to become content creators instantly, offering reviews, real-time advice and richer, more engaging and informative content around products to bring the best of in-store shopping to the online experience for consumers.”

Gousto and Spotify match listening habits with dinner recommendations

Recipe box venture Gousto has partnered with Spotify on a new platform that will provide recipe recommendations based on the listening preferences of the latter’s users.

Autonomous checkout venture Imagr opens London popup store

Imagr recently opened its first popup store in London, UK, located on Oxford Street.

The New Zealand-based startup fitted out a Sook adaptable retail space into a mini-market for “a fully immersive autonomous supermarket experience”.

It invited prospective customers, tech experts and press into the space for demonstrations of the offering, which includes smart carts and an imaging station.

The Modern Milkman taps Peak decision intelligence tech

Online grocery delivery provider, The Modern Milkman, has selected Peak technology as it looks to streamline its platform, alongside optimising operational efficiency and preventing food waste.

Zara rolls out Store Mode tech across UK stores

Fashion retailer Zara has launched its Store Mode technology across all UK stores, connecting its physical locations with its website and app.

Ten retail technology investments you need to know about

These companies are leading the way in providing innovative retail systems powered customer experiences, including Sainsbury’s, Monoprix, Kroger, Gousto and TikTok.

Fashion technology startup Lookiero lands $30m Series C

Online personal shopping service, Lookiero, has announced a $30 million Series C funding round, led by Perwyn, a family-backed private equity and growth capital investor.

UK online sales growth plummets as Brits return to the high street

Faced with a reopened high street and further easing of coronavirus restrictions, UK online retail sales continued to fall to record breaking lows in June, down -14.1% YoY, according to research from IMRG and Capgemini.