Christmas trees in a jiffy and fast food milestones in London: bringing you the retail technology week in numbers

Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including Deliveroo, QVC UK, TikTok Shop, DoorDash, OBI Germany, VusionGroup, Popeyes UK, Auchan Retail, IBM Consulting, PMC, Wolt, and Simbe.

55...Ahead of the official launch of the UK Packaging Pact in April 2026, WRAP has announced the names of the 55 founding organisations who’ve signed up to the ten-year initiative to bring changes across all packaging materials.

Supported by PackUK, UK government, and led by global environmental action NGO WRAP, the UK Packaging Pact aims to transform how we design, use, and recover packaging to reduce waste and emissions, better protect nature and put citizens needs at the heart of packaging decisions.

The successor to the UK Plastics Pact, the new voluntary agreement widens the focus to all materials commonly used in packaging, and the range of sectors involved in the new programme. Now organisations producing products from food and drink, beauty care, pet products and household goods can join.

Catherine David, CEO at WRAP, says: “Collaboration works and it’s delivering real change. Unrecyclable black plastic is gone, recycling is rising, and unnecessary packaging is disappearing. But the scale of the challenge demands more.”

“Plastic pollution remains a global crisis, and with the failure to secure a global treaty, the need for bold, systemic action has never been greater. We must accelerate the step change to circular living, driving reuse, tackling plastic film, and enabling the impact of upcoming recycling reforms. This is collective action at its most ambitious and essential, and WRAP is proud to lead the charge toward a truly circular future.”

The aforementioned founding members include Asda, Arla, Haleon, Ocado Retail, Tesco, Lidl and Yeo Valley, sustainability specialists GoUnpackaged and PackUK, and waste management companies Biffa, SUEZ Recycling Recovery UK and Veolia. 

£59.99...Deliveroo is launching a Christmas tree delivery service across the UK. Users will be able to order fresh fir Christmas trees from local suppliers on the company’s app and have them delivered straight to their door, same day.

This is rolling out over the next week in select cities across the UK, including London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

Tree sizes range from 3 feet up to 12 feet, with prices starting at £59.99. Once an order is placed on the app, it will be delivered directly by the local supplier of choice’s own delivery fleet, as part of Deliveroo’s Marketplace+ offering. Some partners will also offer an optional installation service.

“As Christmas fast approaches, we’re thrilled to make it even easier for our customers to get into the festive spirit,” says Suzy McClintock, Vice President of New Verticals at Deliveroo. “We know the run up to Christmas can be a hectic time and there aren't enough hours in the day, so between ordering in pizzas for Friendsmas, getting a top up of mince pies, and now getting your Christmas tree, Deliveroo has you covered.”

10...Live shopping specialist QVC UK teamed up with TikTok Shop for a ten hour live broadcast on Thursday, 27th November, the day before Black Friday - or Black Friday Eve.

Streaming directly from QVC UK’s glass fronted studio at its Chiswick HQ, the event ran from 10:00 to 20:00, allowing shoppers to tune in via its TikTok channel (@qvcuk) or scan and shop through QR codes displayed at the venue. 

The broadcast included co-hosting duties by presenters Molly Squire and Jess Woods as they bring Neom, Elemis, bareMinerals, Le Creuset, Ninja and other premium brands to their Black Friday Eve event. 

It featured QVC UK presenters showcasing and demonstrating products throughout the day, joined by buyers from the company to share why these are great products, with exclusive offers and flash sales running live on TikTok Shop.

Since launching on TikTok Shop in March 2025, QVC UK says it has delivered more than 50 live streams and attracted over 10,000 new shoppers, while also re-engaging long standing customers who have followed the brand for years. Highlights include a fashion launch with Dannii Minogue and QVC’s most successful TikTok Live to date with Elemis, which doubled previous best seller records.

3...DoorDash is expanding its retail selection in Canada with three new partnerships bringing Pet Valu, Miniso, and Mastermind Toys to the platform.

It says that the move reflects the continued shift of consumers seeking on demand delivery across categories beyond restaurants and grocery.

"We’re always looking for ways to make our customers’ experience even better, by bringing together the right tools, features, and partners that make shopping with us simple and enjoyable,” says Khalid Aberhouch, CEO at Miniso Canada

“Teaming up with DoorDash is an exciting step forward, giving our customers faster and easier access to their favorite Miniso products and the latest collaboration items whenever they want. We’re excited to bring even joy and fun to more people this holiday season."

“Holiday gifting is at the heart of what we do at Mastermind Toys,” says Danielle Bazely, Senior Director of Marketing at Mastermind Toys. “For more than four decades, we’ve helped families discover presents that feel personal, playful, and memorable during the most magical time of the year.”

$7.5 million...Onton, a search and discovery engine for products, has raised $7.5 million in seed funding led by Footwork with participation from Liquid 2, Parable Ventures, 43 and others, bringing its total funding to approximately $10 million.

The company will use the capital to expand its product, scale its team, and grow its global footprint.

“We are building the future of decision making online,” says Zach Hudson, CEO and Co-Founder at Onton.

“People deserve a way to shop that feels intelligent, transparent, and effortless. Onton is designed to remove the friction that slows everyone down and to give users absolute confidence in their choices.”

Onton allows users to search with natural language, images, or both. It aggregates information from across the web into a single product listing so people do not have to bounce across various sites to feel confident in what they choose.

With new tools like Imagine and Surfaces, users can dream up the pieces they want and instantly see shoppable versions of those ideas.

Onton claims that it is delivering a conversion rate three times higher than the industry benchmark and over 20% of users are weekly active. It plans to expand beyond home decor and furniture into new categories like apparel and electronics.

200...VusionGroup reports a new deployment of its technologies with OBI Germany, a provider of home improvement supplies, across over 200 stores.

"We are constantly looking for ways to optimise the in-store experience for our customers and to empower our store teams with state-of-the-art tools. Partnering with VusionGroup allows us to significantly optimise our in-store processes, ensuring our staff can focus on delivering even better customer service,” comments Stefanie Kristes, Senior Expert, Retail & Enterprise Solutions, at OBI.

OBI will implement VusionGroup's electronic shelf labels (integrated into the existing Cisco-Meraki wireless infrastructure) and VusionCloud platform. These solutions will streamline price changes and enable OBI to deploy information to its associates in stores through ESLs, directly at the shelf-edge. It will also reduce manual efforts, and improve overall efficiency.

One in four Brits are planning to splash out on smart tech this Black Friday but 31% find it hard to keep their connected tech... connected, according to research from EE involving 2,000 people.

To help, the company is offering free in-store appointments with its employees on how to choose the right smart devices during the Black Friday sales. 

According to EE’s research, 12.8 million shoppers plan to buy smart tech during Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, with smartphones (29%) the most popular device, followed by laptops, smartwatches and tablets (all 26%).

While UK homes are getting smarter, with an average of nine devices in a household, connections are not always keeping up in an increasingly wire free world. An estimated 17 million consumers say they have had a device out of sync, disconnected from other gadgets or apps, this year, with 12 million having at least one gadget unlinked for over a month.

The study reveals patience is closely linked to smart connectivity. A third  of consumers lose interest if they cannot hook up a smart gadget within five minutes, while 32% have become angry during the set-up process. 18% miss out on the connectivity benefits altogether, buying smart tech without ever turning it on. 

100...US fast food giant Popeyes UK has opened its 100th restaurant, four years after entering the British market.

The 100th location launched this week inside London Bridge station. It is the brand’s 27th site in London since going live in the UK during November 2021. Plans are afoot to open further ones in 2025.

In a LinkedIn post, David Hoskins, Head of Food at Popeyes UK, said: “A huge milestone for us - our 100th restaurant. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come. Hitting 100 stores is more than a number - it’s a testament to the passion, consistency, and quality our teams deliver every single day.”

He added: “From suppliers to kitchen teams, everyone plays a part in bringing our bold Louisiana flavours to guests across the UK. Proud of what we’ve built, and even more excited for what’s next. Here’s to the next chapter!”

86%...UK retail is facing an agility crisis, with 86% of retailers warning they can no longer adapt at the pace required to keep up with rising costs, policy instability and rapid tech disruption, according to research from business advisory and accountancy firm Menzies.

Its report, based on a Censuswide survey of 500+ senior decision-makers, including 70 leaders from UK retail, reveals that stalled investment, shrinking budgets and internal bottlenecks are leaving retailers unable to seize growth opportunities.

One in five have already missed a major opportunity in the last year because they couldn’t move fast enough, and a quarter admit they are stuck firefighting rather than pursuing new growth.

Financial pressures top the list of threats to business agility, with 29% of retail firms citing cash flow and budgeting difficulties, while 43% highlight inadequate systems and analytics.

16,000...Registration is now open for the 2026 edition of Retail Technology Show. Taking place on 22nd and 23rd April at London’s ExCeL, RTS is gearing up to welcome over 16,000 senior retail professionals to the event.

With a new disco theme, RTS 2026 will bring together retail’s movers and shakers and the hottest tech redefining the sector, helping retailers harness disruption to fuel growth and power long-term performance.

Over 450 tech providers will showcase solutions covering every part of retail - from agentic AI and retail media to supply chain evolution and next-gen customer engagement and loyalty.

As well as Start Up Superstars, which spotlights new tech from the startup community, it will also feature a new dedicated Cyber & Loss Prevention Zone. This will feature cutting-edge innovation to help retailers navigate rising cyber risk, prevent loss, reduce crime and keep colleagues and customers safe.

The conference programme, meanwhile, will provide a platform for retail’s brightest minds to discuss the hottest topics and issues shaping the sector. 125+ industry experts - from retail leaders and brand trailblazers to thought leaders, analysts and influencers - will take to the stage, covering key topics selected and vetted by an advisory board.

1...Oxfam has launched its first ever personal shopper gifting service, backed by author, broadcaster, and charity campaigner, Katie Piper.

Piper says: “This is such a brilliant and exciting idea. Christmas shopping can feel overwhelming, and I never know where to start with gifts. Oxfam’s new personal shopper gifting service is a great way to encourage more people to choose second-hand at Christmas. If you’re shopping pre-loved, you’re smart, savvy, and environmentally conscious. It’s cool to be kind.”

Oxfam operates over 500 shops across the UK, supported by more than 20,000 volunteers, and also runs the nation's largest online charity store.

Lorna Fallon, Retail Director at Oxfam, says: “Everyone has their own approach to Christmas shopping. For some, it’s the excitement of the high street, for others it’s about finding something meaningful that really shows thought.”

“However you like to shop, you’ll always find a warm and friendly welcome in our stores, whether that’s through our Christmas personal shopping service or thanks to the year round expertise of our dedicated shop volunteers.”

“Our stores offer a real treasure trove of unique finds, from pre-loved books, clothing, homeware and accessories, to our carefully curated Sourced by Oxfam range and meaningful Unwrapped gift cards. With every purchase, shoppers are not only choosing a special gift but helping to create a fairer, more equal world.”

The personal shopper gifting service will be available at its Manchester and Oxford Superstores on Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th December, and at Oxfam Twickenham on Saturday 6th December.

300...Bauer Media Outdoor UK has secured a new contract with UK grocery giant, Morrisons, with plans to install and operate 300 digital screens across its nationwide supermarket estate, rolling out from Q1 2026.

This marks a seven-year partnership and Morrisons’ first move into the digital out of home space.

In a LinkedIn post, Colin Horan, Strategic Partner, FMCG at Bauer Media Outdoor, said: “The network will feature our state-of-the-art Waferlite digital screens at store entrances, giving brands the opportunity to speak directly to shoppers at the most influential moment in their purchase journey.”

He added: "This reinforces our position as the UK’s largest DOOH retail network and represents a significant expansion of our footprint alongside the established Adshel Live network. It strengthens our ability to connect the shopper journey from streets to store, offering brands a powerful platform that delivers both nationwide reach and meaningful retail impact. A big moment for our business, and an exciting one for the advertisers we work with.”

£1 million....B&Q reports that its customers have raised £1 million+ for charity over a five month period through Pennies, a UK charity for micro-donations.

The announcement comes as the retailer expands Pennies to its stores in the Republic of Ireland.

Launched in all B&Q and TradePoint stores in June, the initiative allows customers paying by card or digitally to make small contributions at checkouts to B&Q charity partners. Every micro-donation supports both the B&Q Foundation and Shelter, as well as Shelter Scotland, Shelter Cymru, and Housing Rights in Northern Ireland.

Paddy Earnshaw, Retail, Property & Technology Director at B&Q, says: “Reaching the £1 million milestone is a huge achievement that speaks to the generosity of our customers and the commitment of our store teams. Pennies has helped us make giving back easier and more meaningful, supporting our ongoing mission to improve homes and communities across the UK and beyond.”

35,000...British retail technology specialist PMC has officially opened a new Innovation & Delivery Centre (IDC) in Alembic City, Vadodara, India.

Home to over 400 technologists, the 35,000 sq ft facility is designed to accelerate PMC’s delivery of unified commerce, cloud, engineering and managed services. It will support the doubling of scale within the company’s India team and play a pivotal role in enabling large scale transformation programmes for retail and commerce clients worldwide.

The launch follows PMC’s recent backing from BGF, which invested in the business in June, providing growth capital and strategic support to help it scale.

“This is a visionary investment in the future of commerce technology,” says Richard Lowe, CEO at PMC. “Our new IDC in Alembic reflects our long-term commitment to building a global technology ecosystem where collaboration drives innovation and simplifies complexity for our clients worldwide.”

£6 million...HubBox, a London-based firm that provides software for retailers to offer pickup points and lockers as a shipping option, has secured a £6 million investment led by Puma Growth Partners.

In a LinkedIn post, Ben Leslie, Growth Investor at Puma Growth Partners, said: “We have a track record of backing successful consumer brands and scaling technology platforms. We have always looked for opportunities to leverage our experience in either space to support an investment in the other.”

“However until recently we could never find the right fit…and then like London buses two fantastic opportunities come along at once (or a few months apart anyway!). Hot on the heels of our investment in Yaso, I am delighted to announce we have led a £6 million investment into HubBox.”

He added: “HubBox is tackling one of retail’s biggest headaches: failed home deliveries and the growing demand for convenient alternatives. Their technology integrates seamlessly at checkout, giving shoppers the option to collect parcels from local pickup points - saving time, reducing costs for retailers, and supporting sustainability goals.”

“We have seen first hand how increased delivery options leads to higher conversion, a better delivery experience leads to improved retention and how important it is for retailers to focus on margin with logistics cost spiralling. Our ability to leverage our knowledge of consumer metrics made this investment in a technology platform a no brainer.”

3,000...Wolt reports that it is ramping up its non-food growth across Europe with launches in electronics, pet supply and health and beauty this festive season.

It says that the expansion strengthens its position as a one stop local commerce platform, helping both national chains and small, independent businesses reach customers faster and more efficiently.

More than 3,000 new non-food retail venues have joined Wolt’s platform in the second half of the year. Non-restaurant orders now make up about 20% of its business, with more than 5.5 million unique non-food products available on the marketplace in over 700 cities.

“Our vision is simple: to make everything that customers need day to day available locally, instantly and reliably. This isn’t just about adding more categories, it’s about driving forward Wolt’s transformation into the digital shopping mall of the future that brings the best of your neighbourhood to you,” says Cengiz Rahmioglu, Wolt’s Global Head of Non-Food Retail.

“With these new launches, from electronics and beauty products to pet supplies and children’s toys, we’re showing how local commerce can truly scale, bringing more convenience and choice to customers while strengthening our partnerships with trusted local retailers across Europe.”

50,000...Auchan Retail works with IBM Consulting on smart green pallets roll-out in warehouses and stores

Auchan Retail is rolling out 50,000 IBM Smart Green Pallets across warehouses and stores.

The pallets are recyclable, lighter than standard offerings, and fitted with connected sensors that track geolocation, temperature and shocks in real-time.

The technology allows the retailer to: better preserve the freshness and quality of products, especially refrigerated products; limit the risk of food waste; reduce the emissions linked to our logistics flows and therefore the environmental impact; improve the daily life of the teams, thanks to lighter and easier to handle pallets.

Franck Descamps, Director of Logistics Procurement at Auchan Retail, says: "We are taking a new step towards a more responsible, more connected and future oriented supply chain."

100...Electronic shelf edge labels (ESELs) are being rolled out across all 100 Lincolnshire Co-op food stores, as part of a £4 million food technology transformation project.

Approximately, food store colleagues manually change 550 labels a week which can rise to 2,000 during an ambient promotion changeover week. Moving to a digital system removes the need for colleagues to print and replace labels manually, meaning hours of their time will be saved to help shoppers and colleagues can also react faster to pricing changes.

The electronic labels will also save over £100,000 on paper, toner and printing per year, contributing to Lincolnshire Co-op's sustainability strategy.

They were first trialled in Lincolnshire Co-op's The Bridge Food store in Newark during October.

Jane Wheeler, The Bridge Food Store Manager, says: “I can’t speak highly enough of the new electronic labels - they’re easy to use and incredibly reliable. It’s a massive but positive change to how the team continues to deliver exceptional customer service and, when new promotions arrive, we’re confident our store will be ready to trade.”

10...Simbe's robotic autonomous shelf auditing and analytics solution, Tally, turned ten years old recently. And BJ's Wholesale Club, which has deployed the technology, took part in celebrating the milestone.

In a LinkedIn post, Caroline Krieger, Robotics & Automation Manager at BJ's Wholesale Club. said: "We were so happy to celebrate Tally’s milestone tenth birthday last week. Thank you to our partners at Simbe for having us and our members be part of such a special moment.”

“It’s inspiring to see the impact Tally has made over the past decade, and we’re excited for what the next ten years will bring. Here’s to continued collaboration and innovation."

29.8%...A survey of 2,000 UK consumers commissioned by Braze, a customer engagement platform, reveals that 2025’s Christmas campaigns are failing to connect with Brits and, in some cases, are doing the opposite.

29.8% say Christmas campaign messages make them feel nothing at all, while just 21.6% feel inspired or excited to shop. The findings also reflect the wider reality of the moment: with 22.49% of people planning to spend less this year.

29.8% feel nothing at all when they see these messages. 21.6% are inspired or excited to shop. 21% feel pressured to spend beyond their means. 21% are frustrated or overwhelmed by irrelevant or excessive messaging. 16% feel guilty for not being able to buy more for others. 8.5% even feel lonely because they have no one to buy for.

“This is a wake up call,” says Georgia Harrison, GM UK&I at Braze. “Behind every campaign is a real human being with hopes, fears, constraints and pressures. When brands lean on one size fits all messaging year after year, they’re not just missing the mark; they’re contributing to real emotional strain."

"The technology exists for genuine, one to one personalisation that helps people feel understood. If marketers want to rekindle the magic of Christmas, we need more empathy, more creativity, and more humanity. In the same way that a friend or family member embodies the magic of Christmas with a well thought out gift tailored to what they know about you, brands need to do the same.”

9,000...lululemon has opened a new flagship store in the heart of South Korea’s bustling Gangnam district. The 9,000 sqft, three-story location features a new design focused on movement and sensory engagement.

In a LinkedIn post, Gareth Pope, GM APAC at lululemon, said: "We just opened our new Gangnam flagship store, a major milestone for lululemon in APAC. It’s the first store in the region to showcase our new store design concept and reflects the importance of the Korea market to us."

"Korea is one of the fastest growing markets in APAC, and a key driver in how we scale, innovate, and connect with our guests across the region. This flagship is more than a retail space, it’s a hub for where we can connect and move together with the community. A huge shoutout to our incredible team who made this possible."

500...M&S reports that it is searching for new, bigger Food store sites as it aims to double the size of this part of its business. 500 areas across the UK are on its new potential location list.

The plan is to modernise and rotate its estate to a footprint of 180 full line stores and 420 Food stores.

M&S is particularly looking for large sites that could stock the full range of M&S Food, growing the target size of its Food stores to an average of 18,000 sqft. This summer, the retailer announced its acquisition of 12 Homebase sites which are set to become some of the largest standalone Food stores in the UK - the first of which is set to open before Christmas in Cannock.

20 new or renewed locations are opening between November and March, creating 800 jobs. The search for new sites includes areas where there is not yet an M&S store such as Hove, Marlborough and Wallingford.

30...Starship Technologies and Uber Technologies have announced a collaboration to roll-out autonomous sidewalk robot delivery across multiple markets. The partnership will start with the UK in December, followed by multiple European countries in 2026, and US expansion planned for 2027.

Robot deliveries are launching in Leeds, UK, during December. They will be operating at level 4 autonomy and will have the capability to complete deliveries in under 30 minutes for distances of up to two miles.

"Together, we're building the infrastructure that will define the next generation of urban logistics," says Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO at Starship Technologies. "Uber Eats has built the world's leading delivery platform, with the widest reach, trusted by millions across 10,000 cities. We bring scalable autonomous technology that works profitably at city scale."

“Autonomous delivery is an exciting part of how we see the future of Uber Eats,” says Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous at Uber. “Together with Starship, we’re bringing this future to life across multiple continents, leveraging our global scale and Starship’s proven autonomy to deliver efficient and affordable experiences for consumers and merchants everywhere.”

£6.4 billion...Black Friday spending in the UK is set to reach £6.4 billion this year, primarily driven by consumers looking for electricals, technology and fashion deals for themselves, according to analysis from PwC UK based on a survey of 2,000 Brits. 

The slight uplift in spend expected, up 1.5% compared to last year’s total of £6.3 billion, comes despite interest in Black Friday falling back to 2023 levels, when it was depressed by the cost-of-living crisis.

This year, 46% of people say they are interested in securing discount items compared to 53% last year and 44% in 2023. In recent years, the promotional event has polarised the population, with interest in Black Friday settling around the 50% mark. 

Despite fewer people being interested this year, average spend is expected to rise to £262 per person, up 13% from £232 per person in 2024 which is the highest per capita spending level since before the pandemic. However, the total expenditure of £6.4 billion is some way off the record £7.9bn spent in 2019. 

For those not up for Black Friday, the primary reason was not having anything they need or want (42%) with only a minority doing so for financial reasons - 18% are cutting back on spending, 15% don’t have enough money and 9% are saving money to spend on Christmas instead or avoiding the temptation of sales.

Despite the timing of Black Friday two days after the Chancellor’s budget, concerns about the fiscal event are only cited by 7% of those not interested in the event. 

16,000...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.