Automation, sustainability, and AI: RTIH runs through this week's coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including The RealReal, Netto, Aldi UK, Ikea, Choice Market, Żabka Polska, Everlane, Shopify, and Unilever.
Brain Corp
Brain Corp has unveiled the BrainOS InventoryAI Suite, a retail inventory analytics solution designed to analyse inventory data captured by autonomous mobile robots running on its platform.
It has also launched the Dane AIR, a purpose built inventory scanning robot developed in collaboration with Dane Technologies.
The RealReal
The RealReal has joined EON Exchange, EON’s ecosystem of integrated apps, partners and services, in an attempt to boost transparency and trust and enable luxury customers to easily consign their products embedded with Digital IDs powered by EON with its marketplace.
“Our mission at The RealReal is not only to extend the life of luxury items, but also to remove friction from the consignment process and boost the adoption of resale as much as possible,” says Rati Sahi Levesque, President and COO at The RealReal.
“This partnership is far bigger than TRR. Together, we're getting consumers and brands alike to understand the power of resale and keep well-made items in circulation.”
“By joining EON Exchange, we’re increasing the adoption of resale, offering a seamless consignor experience to its community while adding another layer of trust to our marketplace and to the resale industry as a whole.”
Netto
German discount chain Netto has opened what is pitched as Europe’s largest autonomous supermarket in Regensburg.
The 800 sqm location enables customers to shop without registering, checking in or self-scanning.
An intelligent camera system records every movement and assigns products taken from the shelf to each shopping basket. This is done without collecting any personal or biometric data.
Fruit and vegetables are automatically weighed and added to baskets as soon as they are taken off the shelf.
Once finished, customers can make their way to one of two fast exit terminals.
The store uses technology from Trigo, the company behind Aldi’s autonomous stores in Utrecht and Rewe’s pilot in Munich. In addition to the fast exit terminals, the shop also has regular service and self-service checkouts.
It features the latest extension of Trigo’s EasyOut system, with the company adding the capability for shoppers to review their receipts, approve and pay, before they leave the store.
The new EasyOut Station generates shoppers’ receipts in real-time while utilising the fast exit terminals.
Payment is made by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or the Netto app. Using the app also enables shoppers to automatically redeem coupons and archive the paperless receipt within the app.
Aldi UK
Aldi has added a contactless card payment option to its AiFi technology powered checkout-free Shop&Go store in Greenwich, London.
As a result, customers no longer need to download Aldi’s Shop&Go app to access the store, which opened in January 2022.
In a LinkedIn post, Kalle Kroll, Manager Strategy & Innovation at Aldi South Group, said: “Two years after opening the first checkout-free Aldi store, I am proud to say that the joint project team in Mülheim, London, and Atherstone, has realised the next iteration of Aldi Shop&Go. This is an incredible project, and every day I appreciate being part of it.”
He added: “Customers are at the focus of what we do at Aldi IT Innovation. Now by introducing an additional customer journey, we are addressing a key customer need."
“We are enabling customers to enter the checkout-free store even quicker, and without needing to download an app: Just hold your card or Apple/Google Pay against the reader, do your shop and go.’
Amazon and Levy Restaurants
Levy Restaurants operated a Amazon Just Walk Out technology powered store at NRF 2024 in New York
Visitors to NRF 2024, which took place this week in New York, were able to use a checkout-free store, operated by Levy Restaurants and powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
They could tap their credit card, grab a hot or cold sandwich, snacks, drinks and walk out.
Simples!
Choice Market
Computer vision and artificial intelligence specialist, Adroit Worldwide Media (AWM), has announced an exclusive partnership with Choice Market, positioning the firm as the preferred provider of frictionless technology solutions.
US-based Choice Market previously worked with AiFi and Juxta in this area.
According to a press release, the partnership with AWM will allow it to “rapidly scale it’s automated Mini-Mart format across multi-family developments, campuses, festivals, EV charging destinations, and hospitality properties nationwide.”
Żabka Polska
A second Żabka Drive store has opened in Zduńska Wola, Poland.
This allows customers to order and pick up products without leaving their cars.
In a LinkedIn post, Agata Michalska, Director of New Formats at Żabka Polska, said: “Convenience just got a whole lot closer! With the new Zabka Drive store, you can soon enjoy a seamless shopping experience without leaving the comfort of your car.”
“From Zabka Café delicious meals and refreshing beverages, we've got you covered. Simply drive up, place your order, and our friendly staff will serve your items right to your car.”
Ikea
Ikea Retail (Ingka Group) is opening a new customer distribution centre (CDC) in Tiajin, located outside Beijing, in China.
This is approximately 46,240 square metres in size, with a storage capacity of 25,000 cubic metres, and will house more than 9,500 Ikea products.
The objective is to get closer to the northern customers of Beijing, both physically with new customer meeting touchpoints and through online services, with convenient delivery options.
Aligning with Ikea’s People and Planet Positive strategy and China’s sustainability development goals, the CDC is working on deploying such features as 100% lithium battery forklifts, an energy efficient LED lighting system, and a roof solar system that is projected to reduce approximately 3,312.94 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, which is equivalent to planting 184,000 trees per year.
Everlane
Shopify’s ShopPay solution has made an appearance on a non-Shopify website, with some industry observers predicting the end of one-click checkout businesses.
Everlane’s website now has an express checkout that features the offering alongside Apple Pay and PayPal.
Unilever
Unilever has partnered with Be My Eyes to introduce AI assisted cooking for blind and low vision shoppers.
This builds on the addition of on-pack Accessible QR (AQR), developed by computer vision specialists Zappar, to Unilever’s Persil and Colman’s products in the UK last year and is part of the company’s global connected pack strategy, which includes using new digital experiences and technology to evolve and differentiate the way shoppers interact with and use its products.
Unilever is initially trialling the Be My Eyes technology in the UK through its Colman’s Singapore Noodles Meal Maker, with the intention of rolling it out across more brands in 2024.
Cherrypick
Grocery shopping app Cherrypick, which recently changed its name from Lollipop, has rolled out a new feature that uses machine learning to learn what’s in users’ cupboards, with the aim of speeding up their weekly shop and reducing food waste.
Cherrypick allows its more than 200,000 users to browse nearly 1,000 recipes and order the ingredients to make them in less than five minutes.
The company partners with Sainsbury’s for products and fulfilment, and plans to add other grocery retailers in early 2024.
It leveraged data analysis technology to build a dataset containing millions of choices that customers made when selecting recipes.
It then used machine learning to spot patterns in the data and predict when people might already have enough of a product. It claims that this enables users to make 22% fewer decisions when choosing recipes.
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