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, according to a report by Retail Week.

In a note to staff today, Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy wrote: “Tony’s career in Tesco has spanned over 31 years, during which time he has worked in various roles, most recently as Group COO and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer.”

“Tony has made an incredibly valuable contribution over these years, and I wish him the very best for the future.”

Murphy added that Tesco would begin the search for a successor in due course.

The joys of machine learning

Last week, we reported that Tesco was gearing up to deploy its Trigo powered version of Amazon’s Just Walk Out offering in a second UK location.

Tapping AI and computer vision technology, the Easyout solution enables shoppers to walk into a store, check in via a QR code, select items for purchase and leave without having to bother with pesky checkouts.

Murphy recently commented: “We have a system installed in our Express store in Welwyn Garden City (at head office), and we’re extending that to another store to check it in a more urban environment.”

He added: “It’s been opened about a year now, and it’s working really well… One of the joys of machine learning is it is continuously improving, so we’re feeling confident that we can put it into another store with a higher traffic.”

According to social media chatter, that store can be found in High Holborn, on the edge of the City of London.

Last year, this became the retailer’s first cashless store in central London.

Tesco declined to comment when contacted by RTIH. It is, however, promising to share more details in the coming weeks.

A couple of days ago, we popped along to the High Holborn store and found that it has been refurbished and kitted out with cameras and computer servers. Place your bets on an imminent launch, we would say.