Walmart builds worlds and Lush offers rewards: last week’s biggest technology plays at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail tech deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Puma, Duracell, Gopuff, Target, HelloFresh, Wakefern Food Corp., JD Sports, Superdrug, Just Eat, Debenhams Group, DoorDash, and Family Dollar.
Lush
British cosmetics retailer Lush has gone live with a new rewards club offering. It worked with Talon.One to bring this to market.
Customers can download its app, earn points when they shop with Lush and unlock rewards. They will also get first access to shop new product launches on the app.
It will also be possible to get rewarded for each item of eligible plastic packaging they return to stores.
In a LinkedIn post, Taniya De Abrew, Global Head of Digital Marketing & Programmes at Lush, said: “The Lush Rewards Programme has officially launched in the UK and key markets. It has taken over three years of work and a significant collaborative effort from teams across the business to bring it to life.”
She added: “I first met Nindi Kalsi and the Talon.One team at Braze Forge London in 2022, who helped us finally build a truly omnichannel solution - with our app at the centre of the experience. Our customers have been asking for a rewards programme for decades, and I couldn’t be prouder to see it live today. A huge thank you to the Lush teams who have and are continuing to launch this worldwide."
Auchan Polska
Auchan Polska has launched a new Ocado powered customer fulfilment centre (CFC) at Wilcza Góra, near Warsaw.
It’s some much needed good news for Ocado Group, whose shares tumbled on Tuesday after US grocer Kroger said it would close three underperforming warehouses developed using the UK company’s technology.
The CFC, measuring 16,000 m2, represents the fastest ever build for an Ocado CFC of this type - it took 12 months from the first spade in the ground to completion of the site.
It goes live with the full suite of Ocado’s latest Re:Imagined automation, including On-Grid Robotic Pick (OGRP) and Auto Frame-Load (AFL).
The Wilcza Góra site is also the first international CFC to deploy the company’s latest 600 Series robots, pitched as its lightest and most efficient bot to date.
At maturity, the CFC will enable Auchan Polska to offer a range of up to 40,000 products, with lead times across both same day and next day delivery options.
Auchan already uses Ocado’s In-Store Fulfilment (ISF) software across its store estate. Alongside the CFC launching this week, Ocado also operates two technology development centres in Poland, in Krakow and Wroclaw.
Puma
Logistics Reply has ramped up its collaboration with Puma to include the integration of GaliLEA, an AI powered assistant built on the LEA Reply platform.
This follows the roll-out of the LEA Reply warehouse management system (WMS) across four key distribution centres in Austria, South Africa, and India between 2022 and 2024.
GaliLEA improves interaction with WMS systems using natural language, both written and spoken. Built as a modular, microservices-based multi-agent system, it leverages generative AI and features a central orchestrator, the Agent Space, which coordinates various intelligent agents for automated technical support and AI powered data retrieval.
Warehouse managers and logistics operators can communicate with GaliLEA to access information about WMS operations or resolve operational challenges. The assistant provides instant solutions for technical issues by referencing past tickets or helps users create pre-filled support requests when needed.
It also enables access to specific data, such as shipping order status, and allows users to generate personalised dashboards for easy information visualisation.
Walmart
In a LinkedIn post, Justin Breton, Head of Brand Experiences & Partnerships at Walmart, said: “We didn’t just launch a holiday campaign this year… We built a world. The holidays don’t just happen in retail. They’re built months in advance.”
“Long before the first decorations go up, our teams are analysing last year’s performance, exploring emerging shopper behaviours, and brainstorming new ways to delight customers in one of the most competitive seasons of the year.”
He added: “This year, we went beyond traditional storytelling. Our holiday campaign came to life not only across TV, digital, and social, but also inside Walmart Realm, our immersive, shoppable destination where customers can explore WhoKnewVille and experience the joy of product discovery in an entirely new, innovative way.”
“In collaboration with the faces of WhoKnewVille, we helped bring our imaginative world of to life in Walmart Realm with their holiday gifting picks from Walmart. From Connor Wood’s Podcast Studio to La La’s Who-normous Closet, each space celebrates the spirit of the season and the gifts to make anyone smile.”
Åhléns
TrusTrace has announced a partnership with Swedish retail brand Åhléns that aims to enhance traceability, improve sustainability risk management, and streamline compliance across its value chain.
“We look forward to sharpening our sustainability work even further with this collaboration,” says Nina Vikkula, Head of Sustainability at Åhléns. “This partnership gives us a clearer picture of our impact, helps us understand and manage our risks, and strengthens our ability to make informed decisions for a more sustainable business.”
TrusTrace’s AI integrated traceability platform will support Åhléns in mapping and analysing sustainability data across multiple tiers of the supply chain, with the goal of enabling a more structured, scalable, and data driven approach to due diligence and regulatory compliance.
THG Ingenuity
BR-DGE has partnered with THG Ingenuity to deliver BR-DGE Vault, a PCI compliant hybrid tokenisation solution.
E-commerce solutions specialist THG Ingenuity will implement BR-DGE Vault across more than 250 online stores, with the aim of reducing PCI compliance overheads while delivering measurable gains in authorisation rates.
By combining network tokens with PSP issued tokens, via a centralised token vault, THG Ingenuity says it is now able to use the token type that offers the best performance for each individual transaction.
The partnership will also enhance the recently launched Checkout by THG Fulfil solution. As the global fulfilment solution within THG Ingenuity, this checkout as a service (CaaS) is designed to remove the operational friction of international e-commerce.
It integrates with multiple payment providers and global MOR (merchant of record) automation with integrated tax, duty, and compliance management across 200+ markets. By leveraging BR-DGE Vault, the service will utilise network tokens across all transactions.
ROSSMANN
Diebold Nixdorf reports that it has supported the Swiss market expansion of ROSSMANN, one of Europe's largest drugstore chains.
The scope of support includes managed services provided via the company’s eServices portal and retail technologies such as self-checkout and PoS systems.
The roll-out of services and retail technology to the first stores in Switzerland is based on a jointly created model for operating, monitoring and servicing ROSSMANN’s store technology infrastructure in Germany.
Since beginning its partnership in 2021, Diebold Nixdorf has supported over 2,350 German ROSSMANN stores with PoS systems, self-service checkouts and related services.
A recent expansion of the collaboration - now encompassing the entire German store hardware infrastructure and additional services, including software installation and inventory management - created the blueprint in Switzerland that will serve as a basis for future expansion in other European locations.
Over the next two years, plans are to connect additional end devices to the eServices portal, including ROSSMANN's back-office PCs. These are currently being replaced with DN Series BEETLE M2110 PoS systems.
Gopuff
Gopuff is now accepting Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) payment cards for all eligible online purchases across the US.
Gopuff partnered with Forage, a San Francisco-based payments company, to enable this feature.
It provides Americans with a way to access affordable health and personal care essentials, just in time for cold and flu season and before annual benefits expire.
With Gopuff, customers can order hundreds of HSA and FSA eligible items, such as first aid, acne products, sunscreen, and over the counter medications for pain relief, cold and flu, and allergies, then have them delivered from a local micro-fulfillment centre in as fast as 15 minutes, 24/7.
“For more than a decade, we have been bringing high quality, affordable essentials to customers in minutes,” says Carly Bickerstaff, VP of Merchandising at Gopuff.
“Now, a year after launching SNAP EBT payments, we continue to advance our efforts to provide meaningful value to our customers by enabling HSA and FSA payments on Gopuff. We’re proud to provide access to the healthcare essentials our customers need in the fastest and most affordable way possible. This is a clear win for the customer's wallet and their well-being.”
HelloFresh
HelloFresh says it has enhanced its recipe card development process, using artificial intelligence to accelerate how new dishes move from concept to customer.
The new system shortens the timeline for producing recipe cards from several weeks or even months to just a few hours.
Starting in early November, US customers will experience the first recipe cards developed with this AI tool, with printed versions appearing in HelloFresh boxes from early December. Following the US launch, the company plans a global roll-out by the end of Q1 2026.
Traditionally, creating these materials involved lengthy cycles of editing design after a recipe was finalised.
By integrating generative AI into its creative process, HelloFresh claims it can now automate much of the layout and visual design work. The system supports the design and production workflow, while chefs and food stylists remain fully responsible for recipe creation and ensuring every card accurately reflects the real dish customers prepare.
Yoti
Yoti has launched Verified Calls, an identity verification solution to protect help desks, support teams and retail executives from impersonation and fraud during video calls.
The solution arrives as Yoti data shows an increase in injection attacks - from a daily average of 1,000 in February 2024 to over 6,000 attacks in January 2025. These types of attacks target remote verification services by manipulating the verification process by replacing the live camera feed with pre-recorded or synthetic images or videos.
“Retailers are under siege from sophisticated fraud operations,” says Robin Tombs, CEO at Yoti. “Whether it’s impersonating staff to gain system access or deepfake driven scams, it’s critical to ensure only authorised attendees are able to access video calls.”
Target
Launching next week in beta, Target is promising a complete shopping experience through its app in ChatGPT, with the ability to purchase multiple items in a single transaction, shop fresh food products, and select drive up, pick up or shipping fulfillment options.
Shoppers will also soon be able to request personalised recommendations, browse and build baskets from across the retailer’s full assortment, and purchase through their Target account.
“Everything starts with the guest, and that means meeting them wherever they are, including emerging spaces like ChatGPT, where millions of consumers visit," says Prat Vemana, Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Product Officer at Target.
"We're proud to be one of the first retailers bringing shopping into this new channel, partnering with OpenAI to make discovery through the Target app in ChatGPT as easy and joyful as browsing our aisles. Our goal is simple: make every interaction feel as natural, helpful and inspiring as chatting with a friend."
Wakefern Food Corp.
In-store retail media platform, Grocery TV, has announced an expansion of its partnership with Wakefern Food Corp. to include 31 ShopRite locations across New York and New Jersey.
Its screens have been installed at the entrance, front end, and in stores with pharmacies. ShopRite can share information about the latest sales, promotions and store news and job information while enabling brands to reach high intent shoppers throughout their visit.
ShopRite and Grocery TV’s collaboration began in 2021. Today, more than 230 of the former’s stores use the platform. The most recent ones to install Grocery TV include locations operated by ShopRite Supermarkets (SRS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the retailer owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. with 31 ShopRite stores in New York and New Jersey.
“Many of Wakefern’s member families who own and operate ShopRite stores are already using Grocery TV’s platform, so we are excited about the expansion as more of our stores in New York and New Jersey come onboard,” says Darren Caudill, Chief Sales Officer at Wakefern.
“By customising screen placement to fit each store’s unique layout and traffic patterns, we can deliver a variety of important information to customers from ShopRite and national brands.”
Winn-Dixie
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.”
Duracell
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.”
Global Payments and Uber Eats
Global Payments has announced a partnership with Uber Eats focused on restaurants in the US and Canada. Those that use Genius, its flagship PoS offering, will now have Uber Eats integrated into their system as Global Payments makes the platform its preferred delivery partner.
Restaurants will now be able to onboard Uber Eats through a self-serve process. In addition, orders, updates and cancellations sync instantly between Genius and Uber Eats.
“Our restaurant customers want help standing out from the crowd, and providing technology that enables accurate orders and speedy delivery is one of the best ways to help small and large restaurants alike deliver exceptional customer experiences,” says Chris Siefkin, President of Genius Restaurant at Global Payments.
“Our partnership with Uber Eats allows restaurants to operate with ease while enabling access to Uber Eats’ outstanding delivery and technology network to help restaurants reach and retain more customers.”
“Our deep integration with the powerful and feature-rich Genius platform aims to help make launching and accessing the benefits of Uber Eats faster and easier than ever,” says Jose Garcia Pimentel, Vice President and Head of Uber Delivery, US and Canada. “We are thrilled to work with Global Payments to help restaurants deliver an exceptional customer experience and grow their businesses.”
DoorDash and Family Dollar
DoorDash and Family Dollar have announced a new partnership in the US to offer on-demand delivery of convenience items and household goods. Approximately 7,000 Family Dollar stores are now available on DoorDash.
“We’re focused on meeting our customers where they are, offering the value they depend on and the convenience they deserve. Partnering with DoorDash allows us to make shopping easier and more accessible for the millions of families who rely on us every day. Whether it’s everyday essentials or last minute needs, we’re committed to delivering affordability and convenience in every way we can,” says Chris Hooks, President-Chief Commercial Officer, Family Dollar.
“We’re excited to partner with Family Dollar to bring the value, selection, and quality shoppers expect. During the busy holiday season, combining affordability with convenience makes all the difference, whether you’re stocking up for family gatherings or picking out gifts for loved ones. Together, we’re making everyday shopping easier and more accessible,” says Mike Goldblatt, VP of Grocery and Retail Partnerships at DoorDash.
JD Sports
JD Sports has launched the first campaign on The Manchester Screen’s new large format out-of-home (OOH) site, pitched as the largest of its kind in the UK.
Located at Victoria Warehouse, the digital screen and full vinyl wrap, spanning 1,140m², are located in one of Manchester’s busiest gateways.
The activation forms part of JD’s annual retail conference, held this year at Victoria Warehouse, and features a giant replica of JD’s signature yellow bag suspended from the roof.
Katie Smith, owner of The Manchester Screen, says: “It’s amazing to see the first screen and billboard promotion come to life with JD’s takeover. Not only does it create huge impact for the 250 conference attendees, it also grabs the attention of everyone passing through this key gateway between Manchester City Centre and Media City, Salford.”
“It’s been a fantastic team effort to bring all the event elements together, including the careful suspension of the iconic JD yellow bag from the roof. The high impact visuals continue inside Victoria Warehouse throughout the two-day conference.”
Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co., in partnership with Microsoft, has announced the development of an integrated agentic AI orchestration platform built around a single “super agent” to simplify and automate task driven work throughout the organisation.
Developed for LS&Co.’s corporate employees, the super agent is built on an agentic framework embedded within Microsoft Teams and powered by Azure.
It integrates several AI powered sub-agents deployed across IT, human resources, operations and more. It will act as an intelligent intermediary, drawing on the strengths of each specialised agent with the aim of delivering better support, insights and automation throughout the business, making complex and repetitive work more efficient and accessible.
The super agent is currently being built and tested and will be rolled out in early 2026, with expansion to global offices throughout the year.
Superdrug and Just Eat
Superdrug reports a new exclusive UK partnership with Just Eat to bring customers on demand delivery of over 8,000 products, including beauty, fragrance, baby care and medicine, in as little as 30 minutes.
This year, Superdrug has been the most searched high street retailer on Just Eat yet to join the platform.
From November, shoppers in selected postcodes will be able to order from 29 Superdrug stores including, Marble Arch, Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre and Bristol Gallagher Retail Park, with the plan to be nationwide by March next year. .
Superdrug’s Chief Operating Officer, Simon Comins, says: “We’re thrilled to partner with Just Eat, bringing our customers their favourite products straight to their door in 30 minutes or less. It’s no surprise that Superdrug is the most searched retailer on the platform, and this partnership perfectly supports our goal to make shopping with us as seamless and convenient as possible, wherever and however our customers choose to shop.”
Microsoft
Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab, a service that lets customers design their own personalised Xbox Wireless Controllers and Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controllers, has relaunched and expanded distribution into 27 countries through a partnership with ESW.
“This relaunch marks a major milestone for Xbox Design Lab,” says Tejaswi Kotekar, Product Manager, Xbox Design Lab, Microsoft. “We needed a merchant of record that would provide a high level of customer service and product road map. ESW’s agility and support were critical in helping us to achieve our goals.”
ESW created a customised and fully embedded checkout experience meeting an accelerated timeline for the Xbox Design Lab relaunch.
Future plans include additional payment options. Xbox Design Lab’s distribution now covers North America, Europe, and APAC and includes Canada, the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and the UK.
BIXOLON and IMedia
BIXOLON Europe has announced a partnership with iMedia and HANT to support the roll-out of GreenBottle reverse vending machines (RVMs) across Poland.
GreenBottle, developed by iMedia, consists of smart kiosks that collect PET plastic bottles and cans in exchange for instant digital rewards.
The machines are being installed nationwide as part of Poland’s efforts to increase recycling rates, aligning with the government’s new recycling initiative.
The machines needed to operate 24/7 in public spaces, withstand exposure to weather, high user traffic, and potential vandalism, while keeping maintenance to a minimum. To meet these demands and ensure smooth integration with its proprietary software, iMedia worked with HANT to select BIXOLON’s BK3-21 thermal kiosk receipt printer.
The printer issues receipts including container details and discount codes in under two seconds.
Debenhams Group
Debenhams Group - home to PrettyLittleThing, boohoo, boohooMAN, Karen Millen and Debenhams - has introduced a new artificial intelligence solution to help manage sales, stock and pricing more effectively across its brands.
The agentic AI solution, created in partnership with Peak, can predict and guide decisions - and act on them autonomously - with the aim of saving the merchandising team time each month and increasing the speed and accuracy of decision-making across brands.
Debenhams Group first partnered with Peak in June to explore how AI could enhance product pricing and promotions.
Dan Finley, CEO at Debenhams Group, says: “As a digital first retailer, we’re embracing AI to make smarter, faster decisions that simplify our operations and enhance the customer experience. This technology will transform how we manage stock and pricing - especially during the busy festive season - and help us continue to deliver great value and service across all our brands.”
InPost UK and Post Office
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.”
Waitrose & Partners
Waitrose has extended its plastic recycling partnership with Polytag into a UK wide scheme.
In doing so, it becomes the first high street supermarket to deploy invisible recycling tags at scale. These have been added to plastic packaing on the majority of its own label fresh milk range.
The move follows a trial announced earlier this year.
Denise Mathieson, Head of Packaging Design & Delivery at Waitrose, said at the time: “We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and finding innovative solutions to improve the recyclability of our packaging. Joining Polytag's Ecotrace Programme is a significant step forward in enhancing our ability to track and understand the journey of our plastic packaging post-consumption.”
“By leveraging Polytag’s technology, we will gain unprecedented insights into how our packaging is recycled, allowing us to make more informed decisions that support a circular economy.”
“This initiative aligns with our ongoing sustainability efforts and reinforces our dedication to reducing single use plastic waste. We are excited to collaborate with Polytag and other retailers to drive meaningful change at an industry level, ultimately contributing to a more transparent and effective recycling system in the UK.”
In a LinkedIn post, Alice Rackley, CEO at Polytag, said of the nationwide deployment: "Absolutely buzzing. Polytag is live and scaling across Waitrose & Partners. If you’ve ever wondered, “is it worth rinsing out my milk bottles and recycling them…?”, we see you! Keep going! With the Polytag UV tag detection network activated across the UK we are enabling brands like Waitrose & Partners to prove - at barcode level - that their customers are great at recycling."
Currys
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!"
Alibaba
Alibaba has launched AI Mode, a feature which integrates agentic AI capabilities directly into the user journey.
Set to roll-out this December, this is pitched as "a reimagining of how businesses discover, evaluate, and engage with suppliers in the $30 trillion B2B market".
It follows the company’s September announcement to augment its traditional keyword-based search with deep search, powered by large language models.
Once live, AI Mode will interpret natural language queries, analyse technical specifications, and automatically compare suppliers across pricing, logistics, certifications, and production capabilities, delivering tailored recommendations in seconds. By connecting with existing Alibaba services such as secure payment, Trade Assurance and after-sales support, AI Mode aims to enable a fully automated, end-to-end trade experience.
Kuo Zhang, President at Alibaba, says: “AI is no longer a supplementary tool for us - it’s evolving into the operating system of our platform.”
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