Starring Snapchat, Glovo, and RTS 2025: 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 Deliveroo, wilko, Starship Technologies, Bolt, Primark, Sam’s Club, føtex, AiFi, and the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards.
1. Time is running out to enter the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards, deadline for submissions Friday, 25th October
There is only one week left to submit your entries for the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards.
Deadline for submissions is Friday, 25th October.
The awards, sponsored by Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, 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
2. Focus on frictionless shopping and curbside and home delivery orders as Sam’s Club preps a physical first
Sam’s Club is gearing up to open a pilot frictionless store in Grapevine, Texas, its first activity in this space. Customers will shop and pay for purchases using Scan & Go, a feature of the Walmart owned retailer’s app.
This lets member use their mobile devices to scan items as they shop, complete payment and skip the checkout line. Sam’s Club has also been testing frictionless shopping via its Scan & Go app in an innovation lab store called Sam’s Club Now since 2018.
In place of checkouts, it will display large items with QR codes which customers can scan to obtain more information or purchase online for home delivery.
The store will also fulfill curbside and home delivery orders.
“It’s kind of the physical manifestation of a journey we’re trying to go on as a company,” Sam’s Club CEO Chris Nicholas told CNBC. “The idea is that over time, we will be 100% digital engagement as a business and you’ve got to prove that things work before you scale them.”
3. Primark notches up a self-service checkouts first in Portugal as retailer opens its 452nd store globally
Primark has opened a new store in Montijo, Portugal, its first in the country to feature self-service checkouts.
In a LinkedIn post, Stephen Regan, Group Board Executive at Primark, dated Friday, 11th October, said: “Wrapping up the week in a very special way by celebrating the opening of our brand new store in Montijo, Portugal. This is a very special moment for the Primark Portugal team as it's the first new store in the Portuguese market in seven years, the 11th store in Portugal, and the 452nd globally.”
“It's also the first Portuguese store to offer self-service checkouts and the first to open as part of our €40 million investment announcement in the market.”
He added: “I was delighted to visit the store yesterday and it looks amazing. I am sure our customers will love the modern aesthetic and the immersive shopping experience they will have in Montijo, which includes a distinct scent and curated soundtrack.”
“The team has done a fantastic job, so huge congratulations and a big well done to everyone who supported with this opening. An incredible achievement for everyone involved and our business. Best of luck to the Montijo team with their opening weekend!”
4. Deliveroo announces on-demand delivery partnership with UK home and garden retailer wilko
Deliveroo and wilko, a home and garden retailer, are teaming up to give customers access to delivery of the latter’s products directly to their doors in as little as 25 minutes.
As the 90-year-old retailer continues its return to the high street, following a collapse into administration last year, with new stores across the country, the tie up will see more than 3,000 products made available on the platform spanning garden, home, kitchen, DIY, cleaning, petcare and storage.
Initially launching across ten wilko hub locations this month - Edinburgh, Bristol, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Eccles, Manchester, Bedford, Harlow, Plymouth and Leeds - this will be the first time the retailer has offered an on-demand, rapid delivery service.
The partnership will be expanded to a further 50 locations across the country by the end of the year.
5. The Co-op Media Network to deploy 300 new front of store digital media screens across its estate
The Co-op Media Network (CMN) is set to install 300 new front-of-store digital media screens to boost its retail media offering, taking the total number of screens to over 9,000 across its store estate.
In partnership with SMG, the move will expand CMN’s digital capabilities and enable FMCG brands to deepen their engagement across Co-op’s stores, which see over 16 million transactions each week.
The roll-out – in collaboration with installation partners, Commercial, and software partners, Grassfish – will see digital screens introduced to 300 of Co-op’s highest footfall, urban locations, including Greater London (12%), Greater Manchester (5%) and North Yorkshire (2.5%), with 24 stores planned to go live each week until January 2025.
This will take the total number of digital screens across Co-op’s 2,400 stores to over 9,300 – including its current kiosk and customer facing screens at manned tills – providing multiple opportunities for brands to work with CMN on their in-store campaigns, focusing on key missions such as food-to-go, food-for-later and treat occasions.
Matt Hood, Managing Director at Co-op Food, says: “We’re the experts in convenience, and given our unparalleled shopper footfall, we want brands that invest with us to realise that retail media spend in Co-op stores can yield significant results that can importantly be measured, with a consistent return on investment across the board."
6. Starship Technologies and Bolt launch eco-friendly robot powered grocery delivery service in Estonia
Starship Technologies and Bolt have announced the launch of a new food delivery service. As the first roll-out of the commercial partnership agreed between the two Estonian founded firms last year, this collaboration in Tallinn is pitched as the first of its kind in Europe.
Over 180,000 residents can now use an eco-friendly delivery option via the Bolt Food app from three Bolt Market stores in Tallinn. Robot deliveries will be free to customers during the launch period.
Ahti Heinla, Co-founder and CEO at Starship Technologies, comments: “We're thrilled to launch with Bolt today, bringing autonomous food delivery to even more customers in Tallinn.”
“This collaboration is not just about convenience and greater choice; by integrating our robots into the Bolt Food app, we're offering a sustainable, scalable last mile delivery solution that reduces local traffic and emissions. It's an exciting step forward for both companies as we continue to innovate and pave the way for greener cities across Europe.”
7. Snapchat announces launch of immersive augmented reality high street on Brick Lane in East London
Snapchat has launched an immersive high street experience, Snap Street, set to open in East London this October.
The Ely’s Yard building in Brick Lane will be transformed into an actual indoor high street with shop-fronts showing off the augmented reality (AR) experiences available on Snapchat - curated by brands like Depop, Boots, and Cosmopolitan.
Free to attend, and open for one weekend only (Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th October) Snap Street will imagine what a high street might look like in the future.
Depop will debut The Depop Claw Machine, offering visitors the chance to win some circular fashion, including streetwear, designer styles and exclusive Depop merch.
Visitors can also immerse themselves in the world of Depop using the Snapchat x Depop AR Mirror. From 12-2pm on Saturday, shoppers can get creative and make a free personalised phone charm with help from Depop seller @SantexSante.
8. Retail Technology Show extends e-commerce content and connections tie up with Commerce Futures at RTS 2025
Retail Technology Show (RTS) is extending its partnership with Commerce Futures, an e-commerce event and networking specialist.
Having staged a one-day digital track takeover at RTS 2024, with sessions from e-commerce luminaries including CREED, All Saints, Snug and Raging Bull, Commerce Futures will take the helm of the Retail Futures stage across RTS 2025, set to take place at London ExCel (its home until this point being London Olympia) on 2nd-3rd April, doubling digital retail content at next year’s show.
Matt Bradley, Event Director at Retail Technology Show, comments: “Commerce Futures live and breathe e-commerce through their handpicked retail community. And that’s why they delivered such a knock-out track last year – and our show audiences just couldn’t get enough of it.”
“With demand for e-commerce content growing among our visitors, Commerce Futures are the perfect partner to deliver the highly curated, immersive levels of insight from the sharpest innovators in online trading, as we expand our focus on digital retail for RTS 2025.”
9. Glovo gets social as new mobile app updates go live in Madrid and Barcelona with further roll-out in the works
Spain-based multi-category delivery firm Glovo has updated its mobile app to include new social features and a video discovery wall.
Users can now connect with friends, share their top food picks, and discover new places together. They can see where their friends are ordering from and find hidden gems in their area.
It is also possible to save favourite restaurants and dishes with just a tap, creating personalised lists like "weekday dinners" or "office lunches." People will also soon be able to share their curated picks with friends and family.
The video discovery wall enables the exploration of dishes through dynamic, full screen videos that aim to bring food to life. Users can see what’s cooking at nearby restaurants and add their favourites to their cart directly from the video.
The updates are currently only available in Madrid and Barcelona, but will be rolling out to other places in the near future.
Daniel Alonso, Chief Product Officer at Glovo, says: “We’re going beyond the norm by becoming the first in the industry to combine social media elements within our platform. We’re excited to present this new and interactive way for users to discover, share, and engage with the products offered in our app. Users will be able to enjoy their favourite products like never before.”
10. All eyes on Aarhus, Denmark as retailer føtex opens its first autonomous store, powered by AiFI technology
Powered by AiFi technology, the checkout-free shopping location is open 24/7. This is the retailer’s first venture in to the autonomous stores space.
Customers check in with their payment card, take goods off the shelves and leave the store. Cameras in the ceiling register the purchase of goods.
Morten Møberg, Executive Vice President, Director at føtex, says: “There are already many customers who have stopped by during the "test week" and the store has received a lot of praise. There is a good reason for this.”
“The team has created a super store, and we can offer our customers a really wide selection with 1,500 items in just 120 sqm. But the most important thing of all is of course that it is super easy.”
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