The next day full basket delivery has had its day: this week's biggest retail technology stories

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 few days, including Snappy Group, Vineta Bajaj, Jysk, Enactor, Everseen, Varner, Sitoo, Kingfisher, Asda, Uber Direct, Barron McCann, Retail247, SALESmanago, Mango, Levy Merchandising, and Amazon.

1. Snappy Group adds Holland & Barrett CFO and former Ocado Group executive Vineta Bajaj to board

Snappy Group, the company behind Snappy Shopper and Hungrrr, has appointed Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO at Holland & Barrett and former executive at Ocado Group, to its board as a Non-Executive Director.

“Convenience is being redefined,” says Bajaj. “It’s no longer just about speed. It’s about service, sustainability, and accessibility. Customers want grocery shopping that fits their lives: 24/7 ordering, loyalty, transparency and support for their local community. The next day full basket delivery had its moment, and that was yesterday.”

Bajaj will join a board that also includes Justin King, former CEO at Sainsbury’s.

“The future of q-commerce is technology that drives profitable, local growth,” she adds.

At Ocado Group, she played a key role in global expansion and capital raises totalling nearly $2 billion. At Rohlik Group she helped double revenues past $1 billion while overseeing strategic investment and transformation.

2. Jysk wraps major unified commerce IT project in Germany as retailer goes live on Enactor

Danish home furnishing retailer Jysk reports that one of the biggest IT projects in its history is now complete in its biggest market.

Germany has gone live with its Enactor powered unified commerce platform which now connects more than 920 Jysk stores into one system.

“Welcoming Germany on our unified commerce platform is a fantastic milestone for us. With more than 920 stores, Germany is our largest market, and completing this roll-out marks the successful delivery of one of Jysk’s biggest IT projects to date,” says EVP in Retail, Customer Service & B2B Mikael Nielsen.

“This step brings us even closer to our goal of offering a unified, efficient, and customer focused shopping experience in every Jysk store in Germany. Whether customers shop online or in-store, they’ll now enjoy the same stock information and service options which is all connected in real-time,” says Country Director in Germany, Christian Schirmer.

3. Varner deploys Sitoo PoS solution on Zebra Technologies handheld mobile devices across its stores

Scandinavian fashion retailer, Varner, reports an estate wide roll-out of Sitoo's PoS solution on Zebra Technologies' handheld mobile devices, allowing staff to serve customers anywhere in the store. 

Instead of being tied to fixed tills, staff can now move freely - checking stock, completing purchases or helping with Click & Collect orders. They also have access to real-time product and customer data, including previous purchases and loyalty membership details, at their fingertips.

This has been well received by Varner’s customers, with 93% now confident about completing mobile payments anywhere in the store, while internal feedback showed rapid adoption by store staff, with 89% rating Sitoo as highly user- friendly. 68% of associates now frequently use it to check product information, while 32% use it to look up customer memberships.

4. Asda inks multi-year partnership to boost its Express Delivery service powered by Uber Direct network

Asda has signed a new multi-year preferred partner agreement with Uber Direct, Uber’s white label quick commerce service, to increase the number of locations offering rapid delivery.

Uber Direct and Asda have worked together since 2021, when the grocery retailer first launched its on-demand proposition. Asda now lays claim to one of the largest same-day delivery offerings in the UK market, and this forms one of the core pillars of its online business.

The extended tie up will increase the availability of its Express Delivery service, involving its conviences stores offering and powered by Uber Direct’s courier network - the same one that is used by Uber Eats. This is also enabling Asda to fulfil large basket orders nationwide.  

The service originally enabled orders to be delivered from approximately 300 superstores across the UK, and this was expanded to ten new superstore locations in H2 2025. The plan is to now expand the proposition to more locations in 2026.

Barney Burgess, VP of Online at Asda, says: “Express Delivery has proven particularly popular with our customers, enabling them to have their everyday essentials delivered within hours of placing an order.”

“Uber Direct’s strong performance and reliable service has been vital in helping us to grow the service to date. We are excited to continue growing our partnership with Uber Direct and to keep delivering an exceptional and convenient service to our customers."

5. Joe White departs Zebra Technologies to take on CEO role at retail AI specialist Everseen

Everseen, a specialist in Vision AI solutions for the retail industry, has announced the appointment of Joe White as Chief Executive Officer.

Greg Clark, Managing Partner of Crosspoint Capital, Vivek Mani, Managing Director of Crosspoint Capital, and Alan O’Herlihy, Founder of Everseen, will continue to serve on the company’s board and work with White as Everseen focuses on its next phase of growth.

“Joe brings deep expertise in product leadership, customer-centric innovation, and global execution to the role having led teams at Zebra, Motorola, and Symbol which deliver foundational technologies - machine vision, RFID, barcode scanning, and mobile computing - to the world’s largest businesses,” says Clark.

“Joe’s ability to drive enterprise grade innovation at scale makes him ideally suited to lead the company into its next phase of growth as we extend Everseen’s AI leadership with new agentic value propositions that will move the needle for our retail customers.”

“Joe’s leadership is the perfect complement to Everseen’s exceptional R&D and customer-first approach. Under his leadership, Everseen will continue to advance its mission to make store operations more intelligent, efficient, and maximise ROI for retailers around the world.”

6. Barron McCann acquires majority stake in UK-based retail technology specialist Retail247

Technology services specialist Barron McCann has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Retail247, a software provider that works with brands including Reiss, Crew Clothing, and Mint Velvet.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Retail247’s platforms - including the Origin product information management solution and Archean, stock and order management platform - will now line up alongside Barron McCann’s existing software suite, which features Merret Pro, a merchandise and warehouse management ERP, and Charity PoS and gift aid management software.  

Scott Watson, Managing Director at Barron McCann, says: “Retail247 is a natural fit for our wider service and solutions portfolio, and this acquisition represents a key step in our expansion strategy.”

“We are continuing to enhance the overall value we deliver to our customers across the group as we continue with our mission to provide a unified approach to technology solutions.”

The deal forms part of Barron McCann’s wider growth strategy, supported by a £50 million group portfolio that includes businesses in managed IT services, helpdesk, structured cabling, digital security, charity retail software, and HR and employment law advisory.

7. Mango boosts sustainability efforts with Inspectorio Lab Test Management solution

Inspectorio, an AI powered platform for quality, compliance, sustainability, and traceability, reports that Mango has implemented its automated Lab Test Management solution.

This will extend the collaboration framework between Mango and Inspectorio, which has been in place for six years. 

Through this implementation, Mango says it will gain comprehensive performance insights at the supplier, material, and product level, enabling it to identify trends and act swiftly to improve quality and performance.

The solution also standardises lab testing protocols across its product categories, including apparel, footwear, and home goods.

8. Levy Merchandising's Wolverhampton Wanderers pop up taps Amazon Just Walk Out technology

Levy Merchandising, in partnership with Wolves, recently launched a city centre pop-up store, powered by Amazon's Just Walk Out technology.

The move saw Wolves officially become the first Premier League football club to offer this frictionless shopping experience in a retail setting. 

The temporary store, open only on Saturday, 25th October, and Sunday, 26th October, at the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, coincided with a match day weekend.

Taking over a 4,500 sq. ft space, it tapped Amazon's Just Walk Out technology to let customers select merchandise - from the latest kits to festive gifts - and exit without queuing. The system automatically detected the items taken and charged the customer's preferred payment method.

"This was a major step forward in delivering a best-in-class fan experience," says Dan McGinley, Head of Operations at Levy Merchandising. "Partnering with Amazon to bring their Just Walk Out technology to a Premier League retail environment for the first time was incredibly exciting. The successful weekend showed that fans truly value the speed, convenience, and modern retail experience we delivered." 

9. Kingfisher flags growing UK shopper comfort with handing decision-making power to AI assistants

28% of UK adults are happy for AI shopping assistants to automatically make purchases without their permission, as consumer trust in AI shifts from product recommendations to purchases. Of those onboard with automated purchases, 76% said they’d part with up to £99, matching the current limit for contactless payments. 

New research, commissioned by Kingfisher - owner of B&Q and Screwfix - in partnership with author, event speaker and former IBM executive, Andrew Grill, found that 58% of Brits are happy with AI recommending products when shopping.

38% are fine with these recommendations being added to their basket. Digital native 18- to 24-year-old shoppers are most comfortable with embracing AI whilst shopping, with 75% OK with AI recommendations and 52% happy to let AI buy on their behalf.  

The research, which polled 2,000 UK shoppers, found speed and convenience are key here, with 45% preferring to shop in-store so they don’t have to wait for delivery, while 32% say faster delivery impacts their decisions on where to shop for home improvement products.

More broadly, the research explored how customer demand for in-store technology is changing, whilst the fundamentals of great customer service remain important for home improvement shoppers.

30% of consumers want to see tech that removes friction like ‘smart’ trolleys and baskets that track prices of items automatically, whilst 18% want shelves that self-update with personalised offers, dynamic pricing and stock tracking. However, when it comes to home improvement advice, 45% say a human expert is still their most trusted source. 

10. Former DotDigital exec Phil Draper becomes CEO at lifecycle engagement firm SALESmanago

SALESmanago, an AI powered lifecycle engagement platform, has announced the appointment of Phil Draper as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Draper will lead the company’s international expansion and growth in Poland, where it was founded. He will also drive the development of its AI capabilities.

Most recently, he led DotDigital’s EMEA division comprising of all commercial, marketing and professional service teams.

“SALESmanago has built a strong foundation through strategic expansion and I’m joining at a time when we can accelerate that momentum locally and globally, helping brands not only engage and convert customers more effectively but also turn every interaction into real business value,” says Draper.

“My focus will be on driving growth, expanding AI capabilities, and ensuring that every customer touchpoint delivers measurable impact - ultimately redefining what businesses can achieve with data-driven engagement.”