Currys tackles phone theft: check out our most read retail technology articles from last week

Check out the most clicked RTIH articles from last week, including Asos, Frasers Group, Merlin Entertainments, Sainsbury's, American Eagle, Sydney Sweeney, Walmart, and the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Supply chain specialist Adam Scholes bids farewell to Asos after ten Black Fridays and one pandemic

Adam Scholes has left Asos where he spent 11 years and most recently served as Director of Inbound Supply Chain. He joined the online fast fashion retailer from DHL.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: “After nearly 11 years, ten Black Fridays, three teams, and one pandemic, it's time to say goodbye to Asos. I'd like to thank all my colleagues past and present, our strategic partners, and wish everyone all the best for the future.”

He added that he is going to take a short break to recharge the batteries and then pursue a personal ambition to try and further his career abroad.

There are now just six weeks left to get your submissions in for the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards

Time is running out to enter the seventh edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, 3D Cloud, EdTech Innovation Hub, and Retail Technology Show.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, 19th September. FAQs, entry forms, categories etc can be found here.

The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Check out our 2024 winners 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.

Thomas Cripps departs Frasers Group after eight years for Security Solutions Architect position at Merlin Entertainments

Thomas Cripps has left Frasers Group, whose brands include Sports Direct, where he served as Digital Platform and Network Security Manager, and has joined branded entertainment destinations specialist Merlin Entertainments as Security Solutions Architect.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: “What feels like no time at all it’s been eight years at Frasers Group it’s time to move on to a new challenge. From joining Frasers Group on a university placement working as a single network security engineer in a team of six, to having my own team of five covering network and digital platform security in a wider team of 20, it’s been a great time for myself to develop and a become better engineer and manager.”

Nike announces launch of homegrown cloud-based iOS native Point of Sale system across stores

Nike has gone live with an in house developed, cloud-based, iOS native Point of Sale solution, a project that it says has been years in the making.

"Grateful to everyone who’s been part of this journey, past and present. Your work laid the foundation for this moment," says Alfredo Carigga, Global Product Leader at Nike. "This go live brings some of the most impressive innovations we’ve launched to date: offline mode support; fastest staging time (25 mins vs. four hours); tap to login functionality (via NFC); new mobile and fixed PoS launch; seamless omnichannel integration - carts, promos, and membership (loyalty)"

He added: "The road ahead is ambitious: 1K stores, 50K store athletes, multiple geographies. But when we get there, we’ll have the most advanced, fastest, and most sophisticated PoS system I’ve worked on in my career. The Swoosh keeps moving forward - powered by innovation, built for athletes, and obsessed with serving the consumer at speed."

Currys launches Mind the Grab trial at its London Oxford Street store in bid to tackle phone theft problem

Mind the Grab is a new campaign by Currys that aims to help shift public habits and eradicate phone theft on high streets.

Backed by Westminster Council, with support from the Metropolitan Police Service and Crimestoppers, a pilot sees a purple line and signage added to the pavement on Oxford Street - a road that is home to many of the UK’s biggest retail names, including Currys. 

In partnership with the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), based at Birkbeck, University of London, the aim is to raise awareness, and in turn, change the public’s behaviour. The line, inspired by the iconic London Underground ‘Mind the Gap’ catchphrase, will be a reminder to pedestrians to step back from the kerb, keep their phone hidden and reduce their risk of snatch and grab theft.  

Sainsbury's announces change at the top as Mark Given becomes Chief Technology, Marketing and Data Officer

Sainsbury’s reports significant changes to its operating board across customer experience, technology, commercial and sustainability.

Effective from 3rd September, Tracey Clements will join as Chief Retail, Logistics and Supply Officer, a newly created role that unifies Sainsbury’s Retail, Digital, Customer Experience, Supply Chain and Logistics under a single leadership.

She previously spent 17 years with Tesco where she held a significant number of leadership roles, including Store Manager and Store Director, Managing Director of Tesco Express and CEO of One Stop. Following this, she was Chief Operating Officer at Boots UK & Ireland, where she led the operation of the business through the Covid-19 pandemic. Most recently, she was Senior Vice President of Mobility and Convenience Europe at bp.

Operating board accountability for technology will move to Mark Given, who becomes Chief Technology, Marketing and Data Officer from 1st September, following Clodagh Moriarty’s move to Dunelm.

American Eagle in-store visits drop coinciding with rising backlash over controversial Sydney Sweeney campaign

American Eagle’s in-store visits fell -3.90% across the USA last week, coinciding with rising backlash over its campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney.

The actress has recently faced criticism over her political associations, with calls to boycott brands she works with gaining traction online. American Eagle, one of her most prominent partnerships, saw its first notable drop in store traffic in weeks, hinting that the controversy may be moving from digital discourse into consumer behaviour.

Walmart doubles down on GenAI as retail giant builds breakthrough technology to shape future of retail

AI coding specialist Cursor has been added to the Sparkcubate programme at Walmart Global Tech.

In a LinkedIn post, Vini Jolly, Director at Walmart Global Tech, said: "Walmart is leveraging AI to lay the foundation of how next generation software is built. We are thrilled to welcome Cursor, a pioneer at the intersection of AI and software development, to the Sparkcubate programme at Walmart Global Tech."

She added: "This collaboration is yet another example of Walmart doubling down on GenAI and agentic AI as we deliver unprecedented efficiency to the entire software development life cycle, transitioning workflows from automation to autonomous."