Recycling firsts and team refreshes: our biggest retail technology articles on LinkedIn right now
We’re big fans of LinkedIn and are busy building an amazing community of retail tech enthusiasts on the social media platform. As we power towards the 25,000 followers mark, these are the articles that are currently on their radars, including East of England Co-op, PervasID, Royal Mail, Motor Fuel Group, Snappy Shopper, OccaStore, M&S, and Polytag.
East of England Co-op relaunches tech team with focus on upcoming priorities and inflight projects
East of England Co-op reports a technology team refresh as the retailer keeps busy in 2025, including the launch of its first fully cashless location.
In a LinkedIn post, Rob Smith, Technology Officer at East of England Co-op, said: "We have relaunched our technology team. We came together for a whistle stop tour of our upcoming priorities, how we’ll be working, and the inflight projects already making an impact. It was a great opportunity to reconnect and focus on what matters most - delivering with clarity, efficiency, and pragmatism."
"We rounded things off with a stroll down the hill for an ice cream in the sunshine - a well earned pause and a chance to catch up with colleagues in a different setting. Big thanks to the team for joining us and participating in the session. A strong start to the next chapter."
RTIH retail technology innovation awards return for 2025, deadline for entries 19th September
The seventh edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, 3D Cloud, EdTech Innovation Hub, and Retail Technology Show, is now open for entries.
The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories 👉 here.
Our latest winners will be revealed at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Thursday, 16th October.
We're hugely pleased to announce @VistaTechSup as Headline and Drinks Reception Sponsor at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards. Welcome onboard, guys! #RTIHAwards25 https://t.co/8GCmjjn4nQ pic.twitter.com/2LplgXg5jo
— RTIH Innovation Awards (@AwardsRtih) June 13, 2025
RFID firm PervasID brings in former Liberty and C&A executive Guy Hipwell as Non-Executive Director
RFID specialist PervasID has announced the appointment of Guy Hipwell as Non-Executive Director.
Hipwell has held senior roles with retailers including Harrods, Liberty, Arcadia Group, BHS, and C&A.
He built the first transactional websites for Arcadia Group in the UK during the 1990s. He went on to lead major digital initiatives at Harrods and was part of the leadership team that supported the transformation of Liberty before its sale in 2010. His international experience includes building digital operations for fashion retailers in Germany and Austria and running C&A’s pan-European omnichannel business.
Hipwell has also served as an advisor to several high growth SMEs, particularly in the tech, cybersecurity, and defence sectors.
M&S four-pint milk bottles feature invisible UV tags to track packaging through recycling process
Polytag reports that Marks & Spencer has become the first retailer to bring invisible UV tags to shelf, applying them to labels on its four-pint milk products, now available in stores across the UK.
Once recycled by households, the bottles will enter recycling facilities where they will be scanned by Polytag’s Plastic Detection Units, with the retailer able to view live recycling data.
Alice Rackley, CEO at Polytag, says: "Retailers and brands can no longer afford to lose sight of packaging the moment it leaves their supply chain. With EPR now in effect, we’re entering a new era where real data is not just helpful, it’s essential.”
“By tagging products and tracking their journey through the recycling system, we’re creating a clear line of sight from shelf to sorting facility. M&S taking this first to shelf step signals not only a commitment to transparency, but a real shift in how the industry approaches responsibility. It’s a major milestone for the Ecotrace Programme and for the wider UK recycling industry.”
Amazon Just Walk Out tech goes live at Allianz Stadium Twickenham for frictionless bar launch
A deployment of Amazon's Just Walk Out technology has wrapped at Allianz Stadium.
A Guinness Patch Just Walk Out frictionless bar made its debut during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final on 14th June, serving over 7,000 products. In a direct comparison, it surpassed its neighbouring traditional bar by 20% and sales were 15% higher than what the location averaged prior to Just Walk Out implementation.
Customers experienced average transaction times of less than six seconds from entry to exit. As with traditional queuing methods, the bar allowed for multiple lanes for entry and exit, to improve customer flow and eliminate congestion.
Snappy Shopper and OccaStore put focus on challenger brands in UK convenience retail market
A new collaboration is bringing together Snappy Shopper’s last mile delivery platform, Snappy Media’s in-app advertising capabilities and OccaStore’s end-to-end distribution model - including logistics, retail sell-in and merchandising - with a focus on the sports nutrition category.
Emerging brands often face barriers breaking into retail, from limited shelf space to low visibility with local shoppers. This partnership aims to remove those hurdles by integrating challenger brands directly into Snappy’s retail network, supported by targeted digital marketing.
The first wave of challenger brand roll-outs will focus on high growth categories such as sports nutrition, energy and functional foods. Retailers within the Snappy network will get access to trending products, while brands will gain retail exposure and access to measurable marketing tools to drive trial and repeat purchases.
Bringing new challenger and emerging categories to local @SnappyShopperUK convenience stores
— Greg Deacon (@gregdeacon) July 17, 2025
Expanding Snappy Media to be more than just Media! https://t.co/S9OWWciuGF
Store Computer Technology Managing Director John Hogan announces retirement after 31 years of service
Store Computer Technology (SCT) has announced the retirement of its Managing Director, John Hogan, effective 17th July, after 31 years with the organisation.
Since opening the company in 1994, Hogan has played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction and growth of the business, which was acquired by Vista Technology Support in 2024.
He comments: "Being part of a team, who have had the privilege of counting Ireland’s leading retail and leisure businesses as long-term customers, has been a great honour and sense of satisfaction, both to me personally and all in SCT. I would like to sincerely thank all colleagues, suppliers and customers who supported SCT over the past 30 years for their unwavering support. I believe we have ‘grown up together’ over that period."
"Our culture of ‘customer service first’ has always been a core principle and remains so as we look forward to the next stage of the journey supporting you from within the Vista family. With professional dedicated management and a skilled support team, I know SCT will continue to deliver the highest standard of customer support services into the future."
James Pepper CEO at Vista, comments: “It’s been an absolute privilege to have worked with John as a business partner initially and then more recently as a colleague, over the years I have observed and admired what John has achieved with his colleagues at SCT.”
Royal Mail partners with Motor Fuel Group to introduce parcel lockers at UK petrol station locations
Royal Mail and Motor Fuel Group are teaming up to introduce parcel lockers at over 500 petrol stations across the UK. The first are now open at Motor Fuel Group forecourts in Shepton Mallet and Canterbury.
Motor Fuel Group is the UK’s largest independent forecourt operator. Operating nationwide, it is also the largest open ultra-rapid EV charging network in the UK, the biggest car valeting operator with 900+ sites and a food to go retailer. Royal Mail launched its locker network in December on top of its doorstep services.
These offer a parcel drop off service, and soon they will include collection options. The lockers also feature label printing. Customers need to pay for postage online and print the label by scanning a QR code at the locker or request a QR code if they are returning a purchase.
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