RTIH presents the retail technology week in numbers

Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Featuring Sainsbury’s, Yandex and Grubhub, Pine Labs and Tesco.

£6.6 million…PayPoint has announced a £6.6 million investment in the Snappy Group home delivery business.

250…Russian tech giant Yandex and online food delivery venture Grubhub have announced a multi-year partnership pitched at college campuses in the US.

Yandex autonomous delivery robots will join Grubhub’s platform, with the service set to be available at select college campuses this autumn. GrubHub partners with more than 250 college campuses across the US.

£1 billion…Sainsbury’s says that it is the first UK retailer to introduce fully electric refrigerated trailers to its delivery fleet.

New technology adds charge back into the battery by converting kinetic energy into electricity, keeping the onboard fridges cool and reducing energy consumption.

This is part of Sainsbury’s plans to invest £1 billion, over the next 20 years, into its operations, with the aim of eliminating carbon emissions and significantly reducing energy costs.

Today, Sainsbury's announces it is introducing its first electric refrigerated trailers, offering a more sustainable solution for the transport of groceries. For more information, read here: https://t.co/8vf1r9fKXt pic.twitter.com/cqGEj1YNMc
— Sainsbury's News (@SainsburysNews) July 8, 2021

28%…UK consumers’ interest in sustainable products has risen significantly, according to research from EY.

The company surveyed 1,000 people and found that 28% have increased their purchase of sustainable products over the course of the coronavirus outbreak and a third plan to do so this after the pandemic.

However, there are barriers that stop consumers from shopping more sustainably, including high prices, confusion around product quality, and lack of trust in green credentials.

18%…Food shoppers are starting to return to pre-pandemic habits, according to Sainsbury’s.

Online demand has fallen from peak levels as people return to stores.

However, e-commerce sales are way above pre-pandemic levels. Sainsbury's reported that 18% of its sales are online, compared with 8% in 2019-20.

Groceries Online sales were up 29% with two-year growth of 142%. We’re outperforming our competitors for customer satisfaction in online and are continuing to gain online market share #JSQ1 $SBRY pic.twitter.com/Hl9Sd2XxdB
— Sainsbury's News (@SainsburysNews) July 6, 2021

25%…2020 saw a record year of investment in self-checkout technology, with shipments increasing by 25% globally, according to research from RBR.

The Covid-19 pandemic further accelerated retailers’ investment in this area, helping reduce close interaction between customers and store associates.

13,000…InPost has deployed its 13,000th automated parcel machine (APM) in Poland.

$20 million and $100 million…Livestream shopping startup, Popshop Live, has announced a Series A funding round at a valuation of $100 million.

The venture did not disclose the exact amount raised, but a source close to the deal said it was around $20 million.

$600 million…Asian merchant commerce platform, Pine Labs, has closed a $600 million financing round.

We have announced the entry of new #investors in @PineLabs. Read this Press Release for more details. https://t.co/SBTVjXKi6m
— PineLabs (@PineLabs) July 6, 2021

100…CEOs from such UK retailers as Sainsbury’s, Asos, Tesco, Dixons Carphone and JD Sports, have called on the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would tackle violence and abuse against retail workers.

A letter from 100 CEOs follows a Home Affairs Select Committee report, which concluded that a new criminal offence is needed to protect retail workers from a “shocking upsurge in violence and abuse.

2…Tesco is set to deploy its Trigo powered autonomous store system in a second UK location.