Might as well face it, you’re addicted to data. RTIH rolls out the biggest retail technology news stories of the week

It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Currys, M&S, Save A Lot, Vestiaire Collective, EE, Evri, Schuh, Unilever, and Specsavers.

1. Flying Tiger Copenhagen completes roll-out of Danish retailer’s loyalty app to Sweden, Norway, and Finland

Flying Tiger Copenhagen has gone live with its loyalty app in Sweden, Norway, and Finland.

In a LinkedIn post, Amalie Willems, Social Media Coordinator, Nordics at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, says:

“Since starting at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, I’ve had the privilege of working on some truly exciting projects with great people, and the past few weeks have been particularly special.”

“We’ve successfully launched the Flying Tiger Copenhagen Club app in Sweden, Norway, and most recently Finland. I’m so grateful to have worked alongside an incredible team who made this possible. This launch has also included some fantastic influencer collaborations, including a successful partnership with Charlotte Karlsen.”

She adds: “The app is already making waves, offering our customers exclusive discounts and a more engaging shopping experience. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to download it and see what we’ve been working on.”

2. Currys CITO Andy Gamble: retailers’ addiction to data is killing the magic of human intuition and originality

As retailers become increasingly data driven, they risk losing the very thing that makes them stand out or relevant: their creativity. So says Andy Gamble, Chief Information & Transformation Officer (CITO) at Currys.

In an online post, he says: “With the rise of Big Data, AI, and machine learning, retailers have gained unprecedented access to insights about customer behaviour, preferences, and purchasing patterns.”

“While these tools have certainly revolutionised the industry, many retailers are now facing an unintended consequence: an over-reliance on data and algorithms is stifling creativity, leading to homogenised experiences that lack the magic of human intuition and originality.”

From personalised product recommendations to supply chain optimisation, data has become an essential tool for driving efficiency, predicting trends, and meeting customer expectations.

Gamble comments: “We use it extensively in our day jobs across my team at Currys. Customers leave a digital trail that retailers like us are eager to follow, using everything from purchase history and website behaviour to location data and social media activity to tailor our offers and ensure a more personalised experience.”

“The promise of data is compelling: right product, right customer, right time. It benefits all and is a formula that, in theory, should drive higher sales and customer satisfaction. And, in many ways, it has. Retailers that master data analytics often report higher conversion rates, improved inventory management, and better-targeted marketing efforts.”

Creativity, however, is being sidelined. The problem is that algorithms and data models, while efficient, are inherently backward looking, Gamble argues.

3. Marks and Spencer tests out autonomously farmed parsnips to reduce carbon and boost crop quality and quantity

M&S has announced the initial results from what is pitched as the first retailer run ‘autonomous field’ trial, which will see it selling lower carbon parsnips later this year.

In partnership with supplier, Huntapac, the first fully autonomously farmed parsnips will be available in selected M&S stores this November.

The technology enabling this includes two robots for bed forming, planting and weeding, two different types of drone to monitor and maintain crop health, and the latest scientific testing on soil health and carbon impact.

AI was used to monitor and improve crop health and autonomous technology can reduce weather impact.

For example, in March this year, following the wettest six months in England since 18711, the team were able to get in and plant the field with the autonomous robot which wouldn’t have been possible with a traditional tractor.

This has also contributed to an increase in quality and number of parsnips and reduced waste, with a 16% higher yield of grade one vegetables compared to Huntapac’s other parsnip fields.  

4. Vestiaire Collective hires Stacia Carr as Chief Tech and Product Officer and adds Jim Freeman to board of directors

Stacia Carr has joined luxury pre-loved fashion online marketplace Vestiaire Collective as Chief Technology and Product Officer.

In a LinkedIn post, Maximilian Bittner, Chairman/CEO at Vestiaire Collective, said: “With over 25 years of experience, including leadership roles at Zalando and SoundCloud, Stacia will lead the charge in harnessing AI and advanced data analytics to elevate our customer experience.”

In addition, Jim Freeman will join as a new member of the board of directors. “With a wealth of experience at Amazon and Zalando, Jim will be instrumental in shaping our long-term tech vision,” Bittner said.

“We are taking another step to offer customers a more tailored shopping experience. Stacia’s expertise in AI and product development, combined with Jim’s strong background in tech, will be key drivers in our company’s development and growth. We look forward to their contributions to our ongoing success.”

5. Save A Lot makes first move into on-demand, online grocery delivery warehouses with Fabric and Uber tie up

Save A Lot, a discount grocery chain in the US, and Fabric, an automation solutions specialist, have announced a new partnership to provide on-demand grocery delivery with the opening of a Brooklyn-based micro fulfilment centre.

This is part of a larger expansion, which includes a push into New York to enhance last mile delivery options.

Orders placed from the Brooklyn online storefront on the Uber Eats app will be delivered to doorsteps by Uber couriers.

“We know consumers are looking for fast delivery options for fresh, affordable grocery essentials, so we’re pleased to be partnering with both Save A Lot and Fabric who continue to innovate in the space,” says Nathan Bernheim, Head of Enterprise Sales for Grocery and Retail at Uber.

“Together we can bring essential items to communities that need them in entirely new ways.”

6. EE opens extended reality retail playground in its flagship store at Westfield, White City, London

EE has opened an extended reality (XR) retail playground, giving visitors to its flagship store, the EE Studio, in Westfield, White City, London, the opportunity to try a wide range of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) devices side by side.

This will showcase some of the latest and greatest in PC, console and standalone VR headsets in an immersive new space. This includes the HTC Vive XR Elite, PlayStation VR2, and he Meta Quest 3.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to try out a selection of smart eyewear designed to extend screens, such as the TCL NXTWEAR S+ and XREAL Air 2 Pro glasses, or discover how they can livestream, capture video or listen to music on-the-go with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. 

More than 21 virtual and mixed reality experiences await those stepping into EE’s new space, such as Just Dance on PlayStation VR2, Superhot VR on HTC Vive XR Elite, and Out of Scale: A Kurzgesagt Adventure on Meta Quest 3. 

7. Schuh, Unilever and Specsavers onboard as Retail Technology Show 2025 unveils first advisory board members

Retail Technology Show 2025 has announced the first five members of its advisory board.

These are:

Katya Denike, Chief Product Officer at Holland & Barrett.

Claire Hennah, Beauty & Wellbeing Chief Customer Officer & Digital Commerce Officer at Unilever.

Justin Lodge, Chief Digital Officer at Schuh.

Dean Sanderson-Williams, GM at Specsavers.

Adam Cotgreave, Chief Customer & Transformation Officer at Seasalt Cornwall.

In a LinkedIn post, RTS 2025 said: “Our creators play a pivotal role in curating world class content, ensuring the event delivers invaluable insights and inspiration for retail, leisure, and hospitality professionals. This is just the beginning! Stay tuned for the next wave of stars joining the show.”

8. Tesco Media unveils retail media developments at Upfront event including video advertising on Tesco.com and app

Tesco Media and Insight Platform reports enhancements to its retail media offering, including the launch of video advertising on Tesco.com, as well as several new media channels and announcements in measurement and personalisation capabilities.

At its annual Upfront event in London, Tesco Media unveiled a new video advertising solution, allowing brands to engage with customers through short-form video content with Tesco.com shoppers and 16 million+ app users.

It also announced a new measurement framework to demonstrate the full-funnel impact of retail media campaigns. This includes a range of solutions to provide detailed, incremental insights for advertisers, with omnichannel attribution to follow in 2025.

This new framework has been built in collaboration with advertisers, agencies and industry bodies with the aim of setting a new industry standard for retail media measurement.

9. Time is running out to enter the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards, deadline for submissions Friday, 25th October

There are only two weeks left to submit your entries for the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards. 

Deadline for submissions is Friday, 25th October.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

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

Download our handy guide to entering the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Key 2024 dates:

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.

For all entry related queries, please email our Editor and Founder, Scott Thompson: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com

10. Evri aims to become most accessible parcel company as it partners with disability equality charity Scope

UK parcel delivery company, Evri, has announced a range of doorstep delivery improvements for people living with a condition or impairment and a partnership with disability equality charity Scope.

New preferences have launched this week to offer more options for those who might need longer, or who can’t get to the door to accept a delivery.

Evri estimates one in four home deliveries go to consumers with a disability and it has unveiled a new ambition to become the most accessible parcel delivery company for consumers, colleagues and couriers with a condition or impairment.

It has entered into a three-year partnership with Scope, a UK disability equality charity. In what is pitched as the first partnership of its type in the sector, they will work together to promote disability inclusion within the logistics industry and join forces to create lasting and meaningful social change.

The partnership will focus on creating a more accessible and inclusive workplace for both disabled Evri employees and disabled consumers. Scope will support Evri to audit their practices, understand what they need to do to improve and work with them to create and deliver training packages.

Evri will also donate £125,000 to support Scope’s mission to create an equal future with disabled people. Scope campaigns to transform attitudes towards disability, tackle injustice and inspire action. It supports over four million disabled people every year by providing information and advice via its helpline and online community and creating employment opportunities.