Walmart notches up a drone deliveries first: RTIH brings you 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 JD Sports, VoCoVo, Vista Technology Support, Currys, WelcoMe, M&S, Rohlik Group, IKI, StrongPoint, Debenhams Group, and Peak AI.

1. Walmart first retailer to expand drone deliveries across five US states including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Texas

Walmart reports the expansion of its drone delivery service. Now, millions of customers in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa can receive their orders within minutes - making Walmart the first retailer to scale drone delivery across five US states: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.

“As we look ahead, drone delivery will remain a key part of our commitment to redefining retail. We’re pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before,” says Greg Cathey, Senior Vice President of Walmart U.S. Transformation and Innovation.

“This expansion of our drone delivery service marks a significant milestone in that journey. As the first retailer to scale drone delivery, Walmart is once again demonstrating its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance our delivery offerings with a focus on speed.”

2. JD Sports picks Manchester's Trafford Centre for opening of biggest ever store with focus on digital CX

JD Trafford Centre is now open, and it’s the retailer’s biggest ever store.

Opening weekend kicked off with exclusive giveaways, customisation labs, sneaker care services, and live brand activations from Nike, adidas Originals, Puma Group, Unlike Humans and Crep Protect.

The store features: over 270 digital screens; over 400 sq m of LED; a 104 metre long digital screen spanning across the bulkhead; a four metre digital swoosh.

“This is a true diamond in the JD crown and a shining example of what can be achieved when vision, innovation, and teamwork come together,” says Nathan Orzel, IT Service Desk Team Lead at JD Sports Fashion. “Watching this store come to life has been nothing short of inspiring. Countless teams have poured their passion and expertise into every detail, creating a retail experience that sets a new benchmark for JD Sports.”

He adds: “From my perspective in IT, it’s been incredible to observe the team working tirelessly behind the scenes, meticulously preparing everything while we awaited the handover to my team for ongoing support.”

3. Retail voice technology firm VoCoVo appoints Beth Worrall as CEO as founder Rob Gamlin transitions to Strategic Advisor

VoCoVo, a retail communications specialist that works with the likes of Asda, Tesco, and Dunelm, has announced key changes to its leadership team. Beth Worrall has been appointed CEO, transitioning from her previous position as Co-CEO, while Rob Gamlin, Co-CEO and Founder, moves into a new role of Strategic Advisor.

After two years as Co-CEO alongside Gamlin, Worrall becomes CEO with a focus on expanding VoCoVo’s international presence and setting the standard for connected retail - where voice enabled solutions unite teams, customers and technology.

Gamlin will remain actively involved in guiding technical strategy and product development.

4. Debenhams Group taps Peak AI technology as retailer aims to bring more precision to pricing and promotions

Debenhams Group - home to brands including PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo, BoohooMAN, Karen Millen, and Debenhams - says that it has implemented AI at scale to optimise product pricing and promotions.

It has partnered with Peak, an AI platform from UiPath, to roll-out intelligent automation across its brand portfolio. The system enables real-time, automated pricing for thousands of SKUs, replacing manual processes with faster, more precise, and data driven decision-making.

This allows Debenhams Group to respond more effectively to changing demand, seasonal trends, and inventory levels. It says that pricing and promotions are now more relevant and timelier, with discounts tailored to individual product performance rather than broad, catch-all campaigns. This approach keeps pricing aligned with actual demand.

5. M&S tells customers it is bringing back online shopping this week after suffering major cyber attack

Marks and Spencer has contacted customers to inform them that it is beginning to take online orders again after pulling the plug in April following a cyber attack.

People are now able to buy a selection of its fashion products for home delivery in England, Scotland and Wales. More fashion, beauty and homeware products will be available in the coming days, with Click and Collect and delivery services to Northern Ireland resuming in the coming weeks.

As it released full year results for the 52 weeks ended 29th March 2025, M&S revealed it would lose an estimated £300 million as a result of the cyber attack that had forced it to not only halt online orders but also struggle to keep store shelves stocked. This was initially linked to a hacking collective known as Scattered Spider.

It then emerged that TCS was conducting an internal investigation over whether it was the gateway for the attack. The Indian IT giant has provided services to M&S for more than a decade. The retailer recently said that the hackers had managed to gain access to its systems via a third party.

They sent an abuse filled email directly to CEO Stuart Machin. The message, which was in broken English, was sent on 23rd April from the hacker group DragonForce using an employee email account.

"We have marched the ways from China all the way to the UK and have mercilessly raped your company and encrypted all the servers," the hackers wrote. "The dragon wants to speak to you so please head over to [our darknet website]."

6. Rohlik Group spins out Veloq AI fulfillment platform and hires former Ocado CCO Richard McKenzie as CEO

Rohlik Group, a European online grocer and tech specialist founded in 2014 in the Czech Republic, is launching Veloq, an AI driven grocery fulfillment platform that has powered its growth across five markets.

Rohlik currently delivers over 1.3 million monthly orders and generates €1.1 billion in annual revenue.

Developed and refined within its grocery operations, Veloq is now launching as an independent company, bringing the technology to grocers worldwide. Built on a proprietary software stack and robotics, Veloq unifies the entire grocery fulfillment process into a single modular platform, according to those involved.

This includes automated picking, intelligent routing, inventory forecasting and personalised customer engagement. An AI engine powers every layer of operations, including dynamic queue and labour management within fulfillment centres, supply chain forecasting and real-time last mile logistics optimisation.

Veloq has appointed Richard McKenzie, former Chief Commercial Officer at Ocado, as its CEO. He says: “The big challenge for grocers today is how they can meet evolving consumer demands for convenience while still delivering a wide range of excellent quality fresh products. Veloq represents a unique answer to that challenge.”

“Where legacy providers bolt-on tools that are inflexible or not grocery specific, we now offer an operating system that gives grocers everything they need in one box - and that adapts, learns, and evolves alongside its partners.”

“There’s real magic in the software: in how it orchestrates complex operations behind the scenes to deliver simplicity and speed to the end customer. In a market reshaped by consumer expectations for convenience, personalisation, and sustainability, Veloq’s launch marks a turning point – from fragmented software to unified, intelligent orchestration.”

4. Currys launches WelcoMe inclusive customer service platform across Ireland stores following London, Birmingham pilot

Currys has partnered with WelcoMe, an inclusive platform that allows customers with additional needs to pre-book a personalised shopping experience in its stores.

Customers create a profile on the WelcoMe website or app, detailing their access and communication requirements (e.g., mobility support, preferred communication styles, sensory considerations) alongside what they're looking to purchase or research. They can then schedule their visit, ensuring businesses are prepared to meet their individual needs before they arrive.

When a visit is booked, store colleagues receive a heads-up along with short training videos and guidance specific to that visitor and also training and tips to support disability awareness amongst staff for all customers.

After a pilot in Currys’ London and Birmingham stores, the service has now launched in locations across Ireland.

8. Lithuanian supermarket chain IKI teams with StrongPoint to deploy AI powered age estimation technology

IKI Lithuania, a supermarket chain owned by REWE Group, has launched AI driven age estimation technology in its stores. It worked with StrongPoint, IKI, and Yoti on the project.

In a LinkedIn post, Julius Stulpinas, SVP Products at StrongPoint Group, said: “Today (Wednesday, 11th June) I had the pleasure of participating in a press conference announcing the launch of age estimation technology in retail - a first for the Lithuanian market.”

“Together with our strategic partner IKI, we’re introducing a truly innovative, privacy first solution that allows customers to verify their age instantly and securely using AI - no ID required. This is a major step forward in combining regulatory compliance, customer convenience, and cutting-edge technology in physical retail.”

He added: “A heartfelt thank you to Nijole Kvietkauskaite (CEO, IKI Lithuania) and her team, for visionary leadership and trust in innovation. Your openness to bold ideas makes partnerships like this possible. Huge congratulations to the StrongPoint and Yoti teams for delivering this breakthrough. You continue to raise the bar for what’s possible in modern retail.”

9. 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards welcomes onboard Vista Technology Support as Headline Sponsor

We're hugely pleased to announce Vista Technology Support as Headline and Drinks Reception Sponsor at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The company is the UK market leader in delivering IT technology deployment and support services in retail, hospitality, healthcare and entertainment sectors.

“We're honoured to sponsor the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, which recognise the pioneering efforts driving transformation across the retail sector," says James Pepper, CEO.

"At Vista, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing, and contributing to, the remarkable evolution of retail innovation over the years. From emerging technologies to transformative AI driven solutions, we’ve seen firsthand how innovation is reshaping the way retailers operate and engage with customers."

“Our direct involvement in deploying these solutions gives us a unique perspective on their real-world impact, and we are proud to celebrate the organisations and visionaries who are not only imagining the future of retail, but making it a reality.”

10. Carrefour first major European grocer to adopt VusionGroup EdgeSense tech, following Walmart roll-out in US

VusionGroup has announced a partnership with Carrefour to trial what is pitched as a new generation of connected stores powered by EdgeSense technology.

Carrefour becomes the first major European grocer to adopt the tech, following its deployment by Walmart in the US. Combining AI, computer vision, smart rails and digital shelf labels, EdgeSense delivers real-time shelf monitoring, stockout detection, pricing compliance and precise product geolocation.

The partnership is currently being piloted in Carrefour’s hypermarket in Villabé, France, where approximately 70,000 electronic shelf labels, 500 cameras, and 7,000 EdgeSense rails have been installed, with a second site launching soon.