Tesco Clubcard turns 30, Shein in turmoil: RTIH rustles up the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including American Express, Shopfront, HIVED, Aldi USA, dunnhumby, Ikea, MarketLeap, Theo Paphitis, and Retail Technology Show 2025.
15,000...Serial entrepreneur and retail magnate, Theo Paphitis, has been confirmed to headline at Retail Technology Show 2025.
Debuting in its new home, ExCeL London, RTS will welcome 15,000 retail professionals on 2nd and 3rd April. Paphitis is famed both for his appearances on the BBC’s investment series Dragon’s Den as well as for reviving the fortunes of retail brands including Ryman, Stationery Box, La Senza, Contessa Lingerie and Robert Dyas.
He went on to launch his own namesake retail group, the Theo Paphitis Retail Group (TPRG), in 2015, which now encompasses Ryman Stationery, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre, and comprises 300 stores and 4,000 employees. Paphitis also founded Small Business Sunday, a movement and network that has grown 3,500+ SMEs and heroes the passion and energy of small businesses.
Speaking on the Spectacular Headline Stage on 3rd April, he joins Customer Whisperer, Kate Hardcastle, in a fireside chat that will delve into key strategies for growing a successful retail business, even in challenging circumstances. The session will discuss how to keep retail workforces highly engaged and key leadership strategies for long-term success.
30...Happy birthday to Tesco Clubcard which is 30 years old this week.
Edwina Dunn and Clive Humby of dunnhumby were approached by Tesco in 1994 to help the grocery giant create a loyalty card. And the rest, as they say, is retail history.
In a LinkedIn post, Humby said: "It’s 30 years this week since we broke the mould of grocery retail. What amazes me most is that some are still playing catch up. People talk a lot about AI changing the landscape, but actually it’s all about the data not the software. AI is just a new way of doing what we have always done faster and ‘maybe’ cheaper…. Though I suspect if the vendors have their way more expensively."
He added: "It isn’t rocket science. Know your customer means a better shopping experience, better products, better pricing, improved ROI on promotions and happier customers. It's good to reflect on the last 30 years."
3...New research from American Express reveals three key trends in how UK consumers plan to prioritise their spend in the year ahead.
Surveying 2,000 Brits, it found that a love of experiences big and small, such as dining, day trips, wellness activities and festivals is set to continue into 2025, with 59% planning to spend the same amount or more on experiences this year, compared to last. 39% say they like to try at least one new experience every year and a similar proportion said they prioritise spending on experiences over material items (38%).
Gen Z and Millennials were the largest cohort anticipating spending more on this category - 56% intend to fill their free time enjoying more experiences during 2025, according to the research.
$8 million...MarketLeap, an AI driven platform that aims to simplify and scale D2C e-commerce, has announced an $8 million Series A funding round led by Smedvig Ventures, with participation from Expon Capital, Motier Ventures and business angels including former executives from Amazon, SoftBank, and Unilever.
The capital injection will allow the company to accelerate platform development and invest in new employees.
MarketLeap offers customers - including Edible Health, 5 Stars United, and MonkeyHands - a platform solution that uses AI powered automation to navigate the complexities of marketplace operations and backend management. It combines a tech solution with partnerships with marketplaces, third-party logistics (3PL) providers, compliance experts, and finance partners.
The company was founded in 2022 by Mamoun Benkirane and Mekki Mouaddeb, who both previously worked for Amazon and Jumia.
$800,000...E-commerce startup Shopfront has raised $800,000 in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Antler, Co-Ventures, Sendle’s James and Geraldine Chin-Moody’s 5H Values Capital, and Jam Pad Investments.
The Brisbane-based company says that it allows e-commerce sellers to drop, generate and list products in seconds. It is building automation tools for secondhand, damaged, returned, sample and other one off products across a variety of retail sectors.
In a LinkedIn post, Nate Spiteri, Co-founder and CEO, said: “I've been so pumped to share this news for a few weeks now, but the cat's out the bag and I couldn't be more excited that Shopfront has raised its second round of $800k. But that's not the best part - we also managed to bring on some amazing new investors who have already provided more insight, direction and motivation than we could've imagined.”
11...All electric parcel delivery company HIVED has placed an order for 11 Mercedes-Benz eActros as it expands its UK delivery network, covering middle and final mile.
It has ordered nine eActros 600 and two eActros 400 from Mercedes-Benz Dealer partner, Motus Truck & Van. They will operate across HIVED’s nationwide middle mile network, collecting from retailer warehouses for delivery to end customers.
In the next year, HIVED plans to install megawatt chargers at its hubs in West London, the Midlands and Manchester. These will allow the eActros 600 to charge from 20 to 80% in 30 minutes.
225...Aldi USA reports that it is adding more than 225 new stores in 2025, the most it has launched in a single year.
The retailer is converting approximately 220 Southeastern Grocers locations to the Aldi format through 2027. It has closed a transaction to divest approximately 170 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to a consortium including C&S Wholesale Grocers, Southeastern Grocers senior leadership and private investors.
This will bring the stores that are not a part of the Aldi conversion plan into the next chapter while allowing the company to create a focused conversion portfolio in the Southeast as it progresses its five-year nationwide growth strategy.
"In 2025, we’ll make history as we add 225+ stores.Our growth projection is as ambitious as our team is talented and dedicated to making grocery shopping better (and more affordable) for everyone. Here’s to another year of growing together," says Jason Hart, CEO at Aldi USA.
3,730...Ikea says that it has received 3,730 applications in just six days for its new Oxford Street, London store. Interest in the 150 available positions marks the largest ever response the home furnishing retailer has seen in the UK.
It provides the independently set Real Living Wage of £13.85 per hour alongside benefits including flexible work arrangements, enhanced parental leave, and a free healthy meal option served every day.
Successful applicants will be offered multi-skilled roles, working across different departments. They will work in a store that aims to fuse traditional retail expertise with new digital solutions and sustainable practices.
Matt Gould, Market Manager for Ikea London City, says: "This extraordinary response demonstrates the incredible appeal of joining the Ikea co-worker family. We're delighted to see such enthusiasm for our most innovative store yet, and we look forward to building a diverse team that will help shape the future of urban retail in London."
$50 billion...Reports have been swirling that fast fashion giant Shein will go for a much lower valuation in a potential London listing. It is now thought to be targeting $50 billion, almost a quarter less than that indicated by fundraising rounds in 2023.
Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets, Hargreaves Lansdown, says: ‘’Shein’s planned London listing was already mired in controversy and now it’s hit by fresh tariff turmoil, becoming ensnared in clampdowns on e-commerce giants.”
“Trump’s tariff order to reverse shipping loopholes has shone the spotlight on other countries exemptions for small, imported packages. It seems it has prompted the European Commision to act as its now urging EU lawmakers to phase out exemption on customs duties for parcels under €150."
"These exemptions have helped give the fast fashion giant more muscle. It is highly reliant on keeping prices low and this has been helped by the firm not having to pay import duties on millions of low-value packages. Now that the US administration has closed this loophole, known as “de minimis” in the United States, it looks like other countries will follow suit."
"This looks set to be a big bump in the road for Shein’s controversial planned listing on the London Stock Exchange. If Shein can’t compete so easily on price in major markets like the US and the EU, it’ll be a much harder sell, particularly given it also faces claims of environmental recklessness and poor working conditions in its supply chains."
"This is likely to knock potential investor sentiment and make it that bit harder to achieve a hoped-for blockbuster valuation. It’s also set to reignite calls for a similar move to be made in the UK to offer protection to hard hit domestic retailers. Superdry’s co-founder Julian Dunkerton is among those who have has called for action to stop Shein ‘dodging tax’ by using this advantage by importing single parcels."
"With the spotlight on Shein’s business model shining more intensely, the company looks set to set its sights on a cheaper listing price, and drum up more appetite among institutional investors. Shein is a laggard among its peers when it comes to environmental social and governance criteria. Improving transparency and reporting on these issues identified in its supply chain will be key to improving investor sentiment around the company.’’
$15 million...Cognida.ai, which works with clients across the manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and technology sectors, has announced the close of a $15 million Series A funding round, led by Nexus Venture Partners.
“Enterprise AI adoption has reached its tipping point,” says Feroze Mohammed, Founder and CEO at Cognida.ai. "While 87% of enterprises are investing in AI, only 20% successfully deploy solutions into production.”
“We are uniquely positioned to close the divide between ambition and achievement in integrating AI into everyday business processes. We’ve honed the expertise, tools, and delivery model needed to navigate the complexities of AI adoption. This investment validates our approach of delivering measurable ROI through practical AI solutions, leading the next wave of AI services companies.”
Dining out was the most popular option, with 27% intending to take their partner out for a meal this Valentine’s Day. This was followed by cards (19%), flowers or drinks out (both 10%), or a trip away (4%), with 11% spending on other gifts.
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