John Lewis stumps up £10 million for Bluewater store revamp: the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including First Insight, Shake Shack, Ocado Group, Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Albatross, InPost UK, Currys, GoWish, GetVocal, Vinted, Shopify, JD Sports, B&Q, Deliveroo, Duracell, and Amazon.
£3 billion...JD Sports’ third quarter like-for-like sales fell by 1.7% to £3. billion, the retailer announced this week.
Aarin Chiekrie, Equity Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says: “JD Sports’ third quarter performance was largely as expected, with recent acquisitions flattering performance and helping total sales rise by 8.1%. Stripping out these acquisitions, like-for-like sales continued their downward trend, moving 1.7% lower against a tough market backdrop."
"Trading across the UK remains particularly weak, with recent changes to employer taxes and minimum wages bringing a handful of extra costs and challenges."
Across the pond, the recent acquisition of Hibbett cemented the US as the group’s largest region by sales. Promotional activity among peers to help clear stock remains at elevated levels, weighing on JD’s performance who have chosen to stand firmer on pricing. While like-for-like sales remain in negative territory, they’ve picked up from the first half as trends here continue to improve.
Chiekrie comments: "Despite improving trends, JD has thrown caution to the wind regarding its near-term outlook, citing weaker macroeconomic and consumer data points as the reason for cutting its full year profit guidance."
"While that’s disappointing, the longer-term opportunity ahead looks promising given its strong market position. Trading at just 6.3 times next year’s earnings, the valuation offers plenty of upside potential if it can return to growth in key markets. And if investors are patient enough to ride out some uncertainty over the next couple of years, it could prove to be a very attractive entry point.”
57% and 39%...A new First Insight report reveals that a majority of holiday shoppers plan to use social media (57%) and AI tools (39%) to make shopping easier this year - from researching gift ideas and discovering sales.
1,145 Americans were surveyed for this.
While 42% are set to checkout directly through social media, shoppers are increasingly looking to AI as their holiday “one-stop-shop,” with 68% of those using tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude making purchases directly through them. This shift towards AI driven shopping is especially prevalent among Gen Z shoppers, with 73% saying they’ll use AI for everything from product discovery to purchase.
For many shoppers this holiday season, AI will work as a personal assistant, delivering tailored product recommendations and finding sales and promotions, which is especially important as many consumers approach their shopping with a stronger focus on budgeting.
74% will spend the same or less than last year, with 41% planning to buy fewer items overall and 23% actively seeking deals. 80% of shoppers say they would need at least a 15% discount to consider buying a product this year.
18...Shake Shack, an American fast casual restaurant chain based in New York City, has opened the doors to its latest UK store, located at London King’s Cross Station.
“This is our 18th Shack in the UK and a fantastic milestone for the team,” says Richard Franks, UK Business Director at Shake Shack.
“Opening just in time for the festive season, this Shack represents months of hard work, collaboration, and dedication. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved in bringing this to life. From planning to construction to launch, the team has gone above and beyond to deliver something truly special.”
He adds: “A huge thank you to everyone who played a part in making this happen. Here’s to welcoming guests, serving the best food, and spreading a little Shack joy alongside “Standing for something good” in one of London’s most vibrant transport hubs.”
29 and 31...B&Q has announced the extension of its on demand delivery partnership with Deliveroo to trial the service beyond London and Brighton, taking it to 29 more UK cities and large towns.
Amelie Gallichan-Todd, Supply and Logistics Director at B&Q, says: “We’re constantly exploring new ways to offer our customers more flexible and convenient ways to shop.”
“By further expanding our trial with Deliveroo, to now cover 31 major UK cities and large towns, we’re offering customers - both existing and new - easier and speedier access to around 10,000 B&Q products to help them get their home improvement projects done.”
“As customer expectations continue to change, we continue to evolve and remain focused on making it even easier for people to access the products they want, when and where they want them.”
3...Ocado Group’s shares tumbled on Tuesday after US grocer Kroger said it would close three underperforming warehouses developed using the UK company’s technology.
Ocado Group will miss out on $50 million of revenue in its current financial year as a result of the closures. It will receive $250 million in compensation, while Kroger expects to incur about $2.6 billion in impairments because of the closures and its automated warehouses not meeting financial expectations.
In a LinkedIn post, Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive, said: “Few people have a better understanding of what’s actually going on at Kroger regarding their partnership with Ocado than I do.”
“I was the first person to recommend in a research report that Kroger should acquire or partner with Ocado, and I was recruited from Amazon by Kroger to work as an internal strategy consultant. The first question I asked the executive team when I arrived was, “What is our Ocado strategy?” No one had an answer.”
He added: “Fast forward to the present and Kroger has announced that following a comprehensive review, it identified opportunities to optimise its fulfillment network by closing Ocado customer fulfilment centre (CFC) facilities in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.; Frederick, Md.; and Groveland, FL, and will monitor the performance at five other Ocado Group facilities.”
Kroger will also pilot capital light, store-based automation in high volume geographies to improve fulfillment capabilities and elevate the in-store customer experience. “Translation: Kroger is going to implement automated micro-fulfillment centres,” Ladd commented.
He continued: “The brutal truth of the matter is that the partnership between Ocado and Kroger failed because of poor decisions made by Ocado CEO Tim Steiner; multiple executives from Kroger including Yael Cossette and CEO Rodney McMullen; and consultants from several firms.”
68...Winn-Dixie is expanding its in-store Amazon return kiosks to 68 additional locations across 23 Florida counties.
This builds on a pilot launch at 20 stores across the greater Jacksonville area, including in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
Adam Kirk, Chief Customer and Digital Officer for Winn-Dixie’s parent company, Southeastern Grocers, says: “We’ve seen incredible enthusiasm from customers using Amazon return kiosks in our North Florida stores, and that response has inspired us to bring this convenient service to even more communities across our home state.”
“Our ongoing collaboration with Amazon is another example of how Winn-Dixie is innovating to meet our customers where they are - creating more convenience, more value and more reasons to choose Winn-Dixie as their trusted neighbourhood store.”
According to a press release: “For the first time in its 80-year history, Ikea turns a store into an artistic food installation that celebrates people, taste, and imagination. The evening’s highlight is the special milestone: the 40th anniversary of the iconic meatball. Both the classic meatball and the plantball, a favourite vegetarian and vegan friendly option, will take centre stage.”
In Swedish, SMAKFEST means “taste feast.” An entire floor of the store will be dedicated to the meatball in all its variations. “Expect a multi-sensory celebration from art and décor to food, all inspired by the humble sphere. With touches of exaggeration and surrealism, it’s a playful tribute to the global phenomenon that started in 1985,” the press release notes.
$200 million and $30 million...LineLeap, a platform pitched at bars, venues, and brands, has announced the close of a funding round valuing the company at $200 million and bringing total capital raised to over $30 million.
The venture is backed by the likes of Y Combinator, The Chainsmokers, NHL and NFL owners, and entertainment industry execs.
Founded in 2017 by Patrick Skelly, Nick Becker, and Max Schauff, LineLeap began as a solution to a common college problem: long lines at bars. It now powers over 700 venues across 150+ US cities and campuses and serves a community of more than 1.5 million users that took it to number six in social networking and number 42 overall in the US App Store charts this year.
“We started LineLeap to solve a problem we experienced firsthand, and it has since grown into a nationwide platform that elevates how venues and brands operate. This milestone is only possible because of the incredible support from our partnered venues, brands, and users. We are just getting started, and we could not be more excited for what we will accomplish together,” says Skelly.
The company’s mobile app enables users to skip long lines, pay for cover, buy event tickets, and access exclusive offers at bars and venues.
$12.5 million...Zurich-based Albatross has launched from stealth with a $12.5 seed funding round.
The startup’s AI platform helps retailers instantly adapt to in-session customer behaviour, with the aim of surfacing inspiring, contextually relevant items users would otherwise miss.
The round was led by MMC Ventures with participation from Redalpine, Daphni, and strategic angels, bringing Albatross's total funding to date to $16 million, following a $3.5 million foundation round in September 2024 led by Redalpine. It was founded in 2024 by Dr Kevin Kahn and Dr Matteo Ruffini, both former Amazon AI leaders, alongside entrepreneur Johan Boissard.
$26 million...GetVocal, a European provider of conversational AI agents for enterprise customer support, has closed a $26 million Series A investment round led by Creandum with participation from Elaia and Speedinvest, bringing its total fundraising to date to $30 million.
GetVocal says it will use the cash to fuel product innovation, market expansion, and hiring across Europe.
Founded in 2023 by Roy Moussa and Antonin Bertin, the company is headquartered in Paris, with a 60-strong team spread across Europe. It serves 23 markets, with a stronghold in France and Portugal, and a presence in the UK and DACH.
“Research by the MIT Media Lab shows that 95% of companies fail to get financial value from AI pilots because they lack the skills, processes, and governance to effectively integrate AI. Our customers are proudly in the 5%,” says Moussa.
“We look forward to restoring confidence in AI agents and offering Europe’s thriving enterprises a pragmatic solution to embed them in their customer experience operations. This funding will directly support the continued development of our hybrid workforce management capabilities and enable us to grow our international team and expand our commercial reach across Europe.”
£10 million...John Lewis & Partners has wrapped a refurbishment project involving its store at Bluewater shopping centre.
In a LinkedIn post, it said: "Our amazing nearly £10 million Bluewater store refurbishment is officially complete, setting a brilliant new standard for retail."
"Customers can now experience two exciting firsts: Our first ever, 650 square metre Gifting Emporium. It’s designed to make gifting effortless and joyful, with nearly 1,800 new products and 14 new brands, all curated by passion points like Home Lover, Foodie, and Spa & Wellbeing."
"Our biggest Home shake-up yet - our new 'shop by style' concept features five distinct looks curated by our in-house designers, making it easier than ever for customers to create their dream space."
It concluded: "Bluewater is the flagship for these exciting concepts, and we can’t wait for our customers to experience them. The transformation also includes a stunning Beauty Hall with premium brands like Fenty, Byredo, and Medik8, plus expanded fashion and a new Waterstones shop-in-shop. This is all part of our wider £800 million multi-year investment and our commitment to delivering the best customer experience nationwide."
1...Duracell reports its first ever Amazon locker holiday execution in the US.
People will be able to find 250 of these lockers nationwide featuring festive creative that brings the Duracell Scientist to life - reminding them not to forget batteries. They can scan a QR code to shop for these on Amazon.
In a LinkedIn post, Justine Pantaleo, Marketing Manager at Duracell, said: “From powering toys to keeping holiday traditions alive, Duracell is here to power the holiday magic! You can find the lockers in CA, NV, FL, IL, TX, and DC! Please snap a photo and share where you spotted a Duracell Amazon locker.”
She added: “Thank you to everyone that had a huge hand in helping us get these lockers live, we couldn't have done it without you.”
£7.5 million...Keychain, an AI powered manufacturing platform for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, has announced its entrance into the United Kingdom, marking the next phase of its European growth.
Currently used by eight of ten of the largest retailers in the US (including 7-Eleven and Whole Foods), the move comes alongside £7.5 million in new funding from investors including London registered W23 Global, a fund backed by five of the world’s leading grocery retailers - Tesco, Ahold Delhaize, Woolworths Group, Empire Company Limited and Shoprite Group.
W23 Global’s investment follows Keychain’s August 2025 Series B funding round (led by Wellington Management and BoxGroup).
Keychain’s expansion into the UK - led by GM Europe Alan Metcalfe, formerly of Red Bull and FULFIL - aims to help brands and manufacturers bring products to market faster, smarter, and more sustainably, supporting innovation across this market.
The company’s UK platform features more than 2,000 local manufacturers and has analysed and indexed over 500,000 British products, and has a running list of 1,000+ brands and retailers waiting to use the product before its official debut.
88%...Visualsoft is partnering with Shopify on the release of research that reveals the growing urgency for truly connected retail experiences.
88% of the 2,000 UK shoppers surveyed for this already buy both online and in-store from the same retailers. A third would willingly pay more for a consistently seamless retail experience, and that willingness doubles among younger adults, rising to 61% 18-34 year olds.
74% feel more confident buying from brands that offer a joined up experience. 92% of 25-34 year olds want to be able to return an item bought online in-store, and 46% of all respondents said it would be useful to be able to check for stock online before visiting a shop.
41% of consumers scan or tap product QR/NFC several times a week or more and 68% are likely to choose a connected brand over non-connected, according to research from io.tt and its partners GS1 UK, Pragmatic Semiconductor, Eurostampa, r-pac, and Team Creatif.
1,500 people were surveyed for this, 500 from the UK, 500 from the US, and 500 from India, along with 750 marketing leaders across those three countries.
The research flags how QR codes and NFC have quietly evolved from a novelty into essential business infrastructure, underpinning global efforts in compliance, traceability, and consumer engagement.
80% consumers are likely to buy from brands that use QR/NFC to improve transparency, 41% scan product QR/NFC several times a week or more, 68% are likely to choose a connected brand over non-connected and 49% would pay more for connected products.
On the enterprise side, 92% of companies already claim to be using connected packaging, and 95% plan to increase roll-outs over the next year.
1...Danish wishlist app GoWish reached number one on the US App Store on Sunday morning as the social shopping platform added 155,403 new American users in a single day.
The Copenhagen-based company has just rounded 15 million users globally including, as of 16th November, a total of 7.234.423 registered US users as well as more than 3.5 million users in Denmark, where GoWish operates under its original name Ønskeskyen - or “wish cloud.”
Originally launched in 2015 by the national Danish-Swedish postal service, PostNord, Ønskeskyen was spun out in 2020 by VC Dotcom Capital. It launched GoWish in 2023.
Backed by London-based private equity firm Capital D, which in early 2025 acquired one-third of the venture, the GoWish and Ønskeskyen apps are currently topping App Store charts in not just the US, but also Norway and Sweden with six figure daily downloads globally, and in the ten days since 7th November, GoWish has globally added more than 1.1 million new users.
€10 billion and €1 billion...Vinted says that it will surpass €10 billion annual GMV and €1 billion revenue in 2025.
It is also starting to test a UK-US connection with the aim of understanding its American audience and expanding its global reach.
"This is just the start: we’re laying the groundwork to shift from a marketplace to a global ecosystem, making second hand the first choice worldwide," says Sarah Thomas, Executive and Policy Communications Manager at Vinted.
$21 million...sunday, a payment platform built for the restaurant space, has raised a $21 million Series B funding round, with participation from DST Global Partners.
“Guests who pay with their phone behave just like they would in other digital experiences - they leave feedback, rate their experience, and generate data. And with the rise of AI, that unlocks an incredible amount of insight. Compared to traditional reservation platforms, sunday provides 11 to 13 times more guest feedback - instantly. It’s a game changer for hospitality.” says Victor Lugger, Co-founder at sunday.
Founded in 2021 by Christine de Wendel (U.S. CEO), alongside Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux (the entrepreneurs behind the European restaurant group, Big Mamma, which is set to land in Miami later this year), sunday was born from the idea that paying at a restaurant shouldn't be the worst part of the meal.
It started as a fast, simple way to pay, and has evolved into a full platform connecting every guest interaction: ordering, payment, loyalty, and CRM. The company says that it does not pile on more tech; it partners with the tools restaurants already use and make them work together.
2...InPost UK has installed the first two of its parcel lockers at UK Post Office branches.
Stanley (Ilkeston, Derbyshire) and Lanesfield (Wolverhampton) are the first of several hundred sites that will host these lockers as part of a six-month nationwide trial, giving people the ability to send, receive and return parcels at their local Post Office, even when it is closed.
Rafał Brzoska, CEO and Founder at the InPost Group, comments: “Partnering with the Post Office, a historic institution at the heart of communities across the UK, marks a major step forward in our mission to make parcel delivery easier and more accessible for everyone.”
“The installation of the first lockers at Stanley and Lanesfield Post Offices brings this partnership to life, combining InPost’s innovative locker technology with the Post Office's national footprint. Together, we are creating even greater convenience for millions of people while supporting branches with increased footfall and new revenue opportunities as we continue to roll-out the trial nationwide. We are excited to be working together to shape the future of parcel delivery in the UK.”
295...Currys reports that electronic shelf edge labels are now live in all of its 295 stores across the UK and Ireland.
In a LinkedIn post, Martin Raper, Head of Operational Excellence for UK and Ireland at Currys, said: "This is a huge investment and a game-changing step for our stores. Massive thanks to our partners SOLUM and Vestcom for their incredible support in delivering what is already an award winning innovation."
He added: "The benefits are clear: Greater agility in pricing; Over 400,000 hours saved in manual pricing tasks; More time for our colleagues to do what matters most, serving our customers. This milestone is a testament to how technology can transform retail operations and enhance customer experience.”
“So many great people have helped us get to this point. It is a very proud moment for the team and the future of retail at Currys!"
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