Top 10: last week’s most read retail technology articles

These are the RTIH articles that caught your fancy last week, including Foodhub, Marks and Spencer, Ocado, Getir, Co-op, Farfetch, happy nation, and Pinterest.

Foodhub calls on new UK Prime Minister to curb spiralling food prices

Online takeaway firm Foodhub has erected a giant inflatable duck outside Downing Street and called on the incoming Prime Minister to ‘sort out this ducking shambles’, after food costs spiralled under Liz Truss’ short reign.

The company is protesting against what it calls “government inaction over rising costs” and demanding the new PM (Rishi Sunak) confront the issue head on.

Marks and Spencer looks to boost Ocado grocery deliveries

Marks & Spencer's Chief Executive, Stuart Machin, is working on a blueprint to ramp up the retailer’s Ocado food delivery operation.

He is embarking on a review to improve the service, with the aim of making the business more efficient and spurring growth, according to a report by The Mail On Sunday.

M&S is looking to increase its share of the UK's food spending in stores and online by more than 25%. Hannah Gibson, the new boss of the Ocado Retail venture, is spearheading the review.

At present, 75% of the M&S food range is offered through Ocado. Plans are afoot to increase that closer to 100% in the coming months. 

An ‘insider’ told The Mail On Sunday that Machin aims to grow Ocado Retail over the next five years to achieve 'a market leading national position in online food retailing and a brilliant showcase for the M&S brand and range'. 

Top five grocery retail trends to watch out for heading into 2023

As retailers head into 2023, the industry must face many challenges, such as keeping stores and warehouses staffed in what many fear is a foundational readjustment in the labour market.

With the food industry constantly evolving, the future of grocery retail is at the mercy of global trends such as inflation and labour shortages, according to Mikko Kärkkäinen, CEO and co-founder, RELEX Solutions

“The future of the food and grocery sector is uncertain with external forces set to rock the boat,” says Karkkainen.

“Increased inflation, supply chain issues and labour shortages, to name are few, have shifted the power dynamics across the industry. After attending Grocery Shop 2022, our team at RELEX has identified the top trends grocery retailers should be aware of heading into 2023”.

Pinterest and the Louvre Museum unveil original content collaboration

Pinterest and the Louvre Museum have announced their first collaborative original content series, A look at the Louvre.

Through a series of ten videos, the pair are promising people another perspective of the iconic museum, with off the beaten path tours to discover collections, the courtyards and staircases, as well as unusual places.

With five videos set to go live in the first quarter of 2023, they will be hosted on the Louvre’s official Pinterest account.

A look at the Louvre will be available in French, English and also posted on Pinterest’s Daily Inspirations page in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States.

One week left to enter 2022 RTIH retail technology innovation awards

Time is running out to enter the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by PMC, 3D Cloud by Marxent, CADS, FreedomPay, and Critzr, and celebrating outstanding global technology plays in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Deadline for submissions is 4th November, with our judging panel then deciding upon the winners who will be announced at an exclusive event in central London on Tuesday, 6th December.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

happy nation launches another immersive gaming integration on Roblox

happy nation, a digital apparel and accessories brand for tweens from Victoria’s Secret & Co., has launched an immersive gaming integration in Livetopia on Roblox.  

UK retailers hope for Christmas miracle as Brits reign in spending 

Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis, 83% of Brits say it’s critical to support local high streets this festive season, with 87% citing the end of year sales as the most important commercial event of the year.

That’s according to a new research report, The Seasonal Shopping Snapshot, published by Ankorstore.

Focus on Web3 as Farfetch announces first Dream Assembly Base Camp cohort

Luxury fashion e-commerce platform, Farfetch, and Outlier Ventures, a Web3 accelerator and investor, have announced the first cohort of startups for their Dream Assembly Base Camp accelerator programme.

The eight companies were selected from over 200 applications from around the world. They are as follows: altr, Curie, iiNDYVERSE, METAV.RS, Mintouge, Reblium, SKNUPS and WEAR.

Getir to stock Co-op products in quick commerce tie up

Rapid grocery delivery firm, Getir, has announced that it will be stocking a broad range of Co-op products. 

It is piloting the new offering, consisting of around 300 Co-op lines across ambient and fresh, in select stores in London, expanding to additional locations in the coming months.

Getir will be working with Nisa Retail, the wholesale division of The Co-op Group, who will be supplying their own brand products. 

A trial will take place in the Battersea, Earls Court, Seven Sisters, Balham, Tottenham and Bethnal Green stores, leveraging Getir’s network to enable delivery of groceries within minutes.

Zebra Technologies flags change in shopper sentiment towards DIY tech

Shoppers are returning to shop in stores in similar numbers seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They have also embraced self-serve habits as they increasingly use DIY technology, allowing more associates more time on the floor to help customers.

That’s according to research by Zebra Technologies.