Ocado Solutions and Auchan Retail Poland ink e-commerce tech deal

Ocado Solutions has announced a partnership with Auchan Retail Poland which will see the latter’s online business using the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP).

This agreement marks the second Auchan business to partner with Ocado Solutions.

The pair will initially build a customer fulfilment centre (CFC) to serve the Warsaw region, beginning in 2024, with additional CFCs to follow.

Auchan Poland will also leverage Ocado's In-Store Fulfilment (ISF) software across its hypermarkets nationwide. The tie up will cover both its food and non-food business.

Auchan Poland will also tap enhancements announced during Ocado's Re:Imagined event in January, such as the latest generation 600 Series bot, Automated Frameload and On-Grid Robotic Pick.

Alongside physical fulfilment solutions, Ocado will provide OSP's end-to-end software platform and a suite of engineering and support services.

The structure of fees agreed with Auchan Poland are similar to those agreed with other international Ocado Solutions partners.

Auchan Poland will pay Ocado certain fees upfront and during the development phase, then ongoing fees linked to both sales achieved and installed capacity within the CFC and service criteria.

Tim Steiner, CEO at Ocado Group, says: "We are pleased to bring a second Auchan business to our global platform, and to welcome Auchan Poland to the club of innovative and forward looking retailers who are using the Ocado Smart Platform to power their online grocery business."

Gérard Gallet, CEO at Auchan Retail Poland, comments: “In the current very difficult context we are faced with, our teams are very committed to help Ukrainian refugees with the support of NGOs like Caritas and Red Cross. We strongly call for peace in Ukraine. At the same time, we would like to prepare our company for the future."

He adds: "The development of e-commerce services is our priority direction, which we have been consistently pursuing for years, and recently especially intensively.”

“The partnership agreement with Ocado Solutions is the best proof of our commitment.”

“I am convinced that the introduction of such innovative and forward looking solutions will be a significant step for our company on the way to achieving the leading position in the e-grocery market in Poland."