RTIH brings you the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including DPD, Cartken, Klarna, Getir, Sainsbury’s, A.S. Watson Group, and Amazon.
2…DPD is to commence autonomous robot deliveries in two Milton Keynes neighbourhoods, as part of a trial with Cartken.
The DPD branded robots, which will operate out of the firm's Knowlhill depot, will navigate the city's traffic-free Redway network to access the residential neighbourhoods of Shenley Church End and Shenley Lodge.
Powered by AI technology, the robots are currently ‘learning' the routes and will then be able to find their way to delivery addresses, fully autonomously.
Cartken's tech is currently being used by Mitsubishi in Japan, and GrubHub in the United States.
$650 million and $6.5 billion…On 1st July, the Wall Street Journal reported that Swedish buy now, pay later big hitter Klarna was raising $650 million at a $6.5 billion valuation.
Sounds great until you take in to account that, in June 2021, the company was valued at $45.6 billion after closing on a $639 million round of funding, making it the highest valued private FinTech in Europe at that time. Ouch!
1…Working with the London Borough of Hackney, Amazon has launched its first UK micromobility hub for more sustainable deliveries in Central London.
E-cargo bikes and walkers from the facility, along with Amazon’s electric fleet already on London’s roads, will make over five million deliveries a year across more than 10% of the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.
13% and 98%…Evri is trialling a delivery solution with Zedify, using pedal powered electric vehicles such as cargo bikes, as part of the company’s sustainable last mile strategy.
This is taking place in Bristol.
Early data from the trial shows a 13% increase in efficiency, plus a 98% reduction in carbon in the final mile when delivered by bike compared to a traditional van delivery, aided by an increase in volume.
The estimated carbon saving figure in the final mile would be 62kg co2e per week.
2,600…The Co-op and Microsoft Caboodle platform is now live in all of the former’s 2,600 food stores across the UK.
Created with technology consultancy BJSS and Team ITG, the not for profit digital solution enables UK supermarkets, cafés and restaurants to connect with community groups and volunteers to redistribute surplus food.
It is built on Microsoft’s Power Platform technology.
200,000…The amount of food saved from becoming waste continues to rise significantly in the UK.
But climate action NGO WRAP warns that each year nearly 200,000 tonnes of perfectly good food still go to waste in the supply chain.
$8 million…SaaS omnichannel social commerce platform startup, SleekFlow, has launched its new UK operation following an $8 million Series A funding round.
Three in five Brits have used embedded finance services as part of the checkout process when shopping online in the past 12 months, according to research by Temenos.
$115 million…Health and beauty retailer, A.S. Watson, is investing an additional $115 million in technology this year to accelerate digital transformation and delivery of its O+O (online and offline) platform strategy.
Key focus areas include its in-house eLab and TECHLab initiatives, and further building machine learning, artificial intelligence, Big Data and retail technology capabilities.
2…Online takeaway firm Foodhub has announced a partnership deal with EFL Championship football club Stoke City FC.
It is now an official advertising partner of the Potters, as part of a two-year deal that will see Foodhub branding displayed around the club’s bet365 Stadium and also its digital platforms.
50…Polish convenience giant Żabka Group has opened its 50th Żabka Nano checkout-free store.
These leverage AI powered computer vision technology created via cooperation with AiFi.
In a LinkedIn post, Patryk Powierża, Żabka Nano Growth, said: “BOOM! Store number 50 has been opened.”
“After about a year from opening the first autonomous outlet, we have reached the milestone of 50 stores.”
“That number strengthens our position as the biggest chain of autonomous stores in Europe. Easily you can estimate one week – now new store. It’s HUGE!”
£9.35…Rapid grocery delivery firm Getir is giving away free Lurpak butter in the UK.
The product has gone viral as Brits take to social media to reveal how much its price has risen in various supermarkets.
The obsession reached a peak this week, making mainstream media headlines aplenty, with a 1kg tub of Lurpak spotted for £9.35 by one person.
5.7%…The third annual report on sign-up products and services by Barclaycard Payments reveals how the subscription economy has evolved as the cost of living crisis starts to impact consumer spending, following the huge growth seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company found that on average, businesses which offer subscriptions estimate 36% of their revenue has been generated from these sales over the past 12 months, an 11% year-on-year uplift.
However, with footfall on high streets returning to pre-pandemic levels as consumers’ lives get back to normal, the growth of the subscription economy has begun to decline, with Barclaycard proprietary data showing a 5.7% fall in subscription spending in May 2022 when compared to May 2021.
