Amazon accelerates the speed of its supply chain and logistics: June's coolest retail technology plays

RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments and launches from June, including BoConcept, HomeByMe, Habitat, Pinterest, AiFi, Microsoft, Rohlik Group, Veloq, Walmart, Deliveroo, Currys, WelcoMe, Simbe, Carrefour, and VusionGroup.

BoConcept

Dassault Systèmes has announced a five-year partnership with BoConcept, which operates in the affordable premium furniture space, to bring new 3D technology to its customers in 65 countries.

BoConcept will integrate Dassault Systèmes’ HomeByMe 3D space planner and product configurator into its customer buying journey.

HomeByMe solutions include a tool that vendors can use to design an interior in 3D, and a web-based product configurator that both vendors and customers can tap to select and modify furniture colours, materials and sizes, and view them in a high definition virtual twin.

Customers can visualise their future interior and collaborate with vendors in BoConcept’s 300 stores to finalise the design and purchase of their made to order furniture.

Habitat and Pinterest

Habitat and Pinterest are teaming up to invite the nation to see homeware differently with ‘The Home of Attention’, a storytelling series that shows how to transform everyday spaces with just a few well chosen pieces.

For the first time ever on Pinterest, the tie up will centre around a series of short films launched exclusively on the platform. These focus on different moments in the home and how things in it can reflect our moods and reshape our interior needs.

Each film will be brought to life by a series of interactive and immersive Pinterest experiences. These include a 360-degree, shoppable set and film inspired creator content, as well as curated collages - an ad format giving users a new way to interact with Habitat products.

Carrefour

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.

IKI

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.”

Rohlik Group

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.

Currys

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.

Walmart

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.”

DeCicco & Sons Markets

Simbe has partnered with DeCicco & Sons Markets, a family owned grocer in the US, which is bringing its Store Intelligence platform to a new flagship location in Sleepy Hollow, and additional stores in Eastchester and Larchmont.

President John DeCicco Jr. says: “Partnering with Simbe allows us to enhance the shopper experience even further. This technology perfectly complements our vision for the future of grocery retail.”

In a LinkedIn post, Simbe says: “Thank you to the DeCicco family and team for your trust - and to our partners at Aperion by Hussmann for helping bring this vision to life.”

r-pac CNCT, SharpEnd, and Moose Knuckles

r-pac CNCT, in partnership with SharpEnd, has unveiled an execution of a digital product passport (DPP) experience for Moose Knuckles at the Global Fashion Summit.

With EU regulation on the horizon, DPPs are a top agenda item for the fashion industry. Yet where some see a compliance checklist, this collaboration aims to reframe the DPP as a creative opportunity to deepen consumer connection and brand trust.

In collaboration with Moose Knuckles, this experience was built using r-pac CNCT’s scalable item level intelligence and SharpEnd’s connected products platform io.tt.

Amazon

Amazon has built an built an obstacle course inside a facility with the aim of testing the ability of humanoid robots to make deliveries of packages via Rivian electric vans.

In a LinkedIn post, Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive, said: “This isn’t new information. I broke a story two months ago that Amazon is building its own humanoid robots, and that it’s also testing robots from other companies like Figure. In 2023, I challenged Amazon to automate the back of Rivian vans to make deliveries of packages, food, and snacks. Years earlier I coined the term, hail a store.”

In 2024, Ladd broke stories that Amazon built an automated micro-fulfillment centre that fits in the back of Rivian vans. The vans will be stocked with everyday essentials like toothpaste, razors, over the counter medicines, soda, snacks and groceries. Certain vans will only be stocked with a few types products; prodicts for babies for example.

Amazon is currently testing out the technology. The plan is for it to offer consumers an option to “hail a van” to their location. Consumers will be able to walk out and buy the products they want. Another option is that a robot (possibly a humanoid) will take the items ordered by customers and deliver them to the door of a home, business or apartment.

Ladd commented: “Amazon has no choice but to build software that will allow it to communicate with and leverage robots. The primary impact of AI is that it accelerates velocity across an enterprise or an ecosystem. This means that Amazon has to be able to work 24/7 365 days per year to meet the increased demand AI will generate. It must accelerate the speed of its supply chain and logistics. Humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles are a must have for Amazon.”

He concluded: “Will Amazon be able to leverage humanoid robots to make package deliveries anytime soon? No. A lot of work has to be done first. Is it likely that by 2030 the company will be utilising robots in conjunction with Rivian vans? Yes, that’s certainly possible. However, will they be humanoid robots? Humanoid robots will have to massively improve to make them capable of delivering packages.”

Deliveroo and Manna

Deliveroo has launched drone deliveries in Dublin, Ireland, through a partnership with Manna.

The service is based in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, with Deliveroo conducting a test phase over the coming weeks. It will use the initial weeks to assess how drones can help serve suburban and harder to reach locations, with the ultimate aim of unlocking new customers through fast deliveries, complementing its rider network. 

Over the coming days, customers in a 3km radius of Blanchardstown will be able to order from local restaurants including Musashi, WOWBurger, Boojum and Elephant & Castle - flown to customers in as little as three minutes. Deliveroo is aiming to expand the service to more restaurants and launch grocery and retail deliveries within the next six months.