M&S future-proofs UK logistics: check out our biggest retail technology articles on LinkedIn

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 Simbe, Chelsea Football Club, Boxbar Tech, reo, Co-op, VusionGroup, WAIR, Zenline AI, and Hobbycraft.

M&S stumps up £340 million for automated Northamptonshire food DC with go live in 2029

Marks & Spencer has announced a £340 million investment in its food supply chain - the largest in its history. This will fund the development of an automated national distribution centre (NDC) in Northamptonshire - a key part of plans to double the size of the M&S Food business.

Alex Freudmann, MD at M&S Food, comments: “We’re transforming M&S into a destination for the weekly shop and modernising our supply chain is central to that ambition. This investment will boost capacity for future growth, lower our cost to serve over the long-term, and improve product availability – ensuring customers find the right products in the right place at the right time.”

“Our new site will strengthen our network and help us get ahead of the volume curve as we build a bigger, better Food business. By using the latest, proven automation, we are future-proofing both our business and UK retail logistics, as well as creating 1,000 jobs permanently on site and 2,000 during the construction phase.”

Spanning 1.3 million square feet, the new facility will be based at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, and is expected to open in 2029. The move follows an announcement earlier in the year to open a new 390k square foot distribution centre at Avonmouth in Bristol, serving stores in the Midlands, South-west England and South Wales.

reo hires JJ Eastwood to head up product, data, and technology amid growth in retail media networks

reo, powered by oOh!media, has announced the appointment of JJ Eastwood as Director of Product, Data and Technology.

Eastwood is charged with scaling the company’s retail media capability across Australia and New Zealand. The role will drive reo’s AdTech and data roadmap from powering smarter targeting and closed loop reporting to building scalable, omnichannel solutions for retailers and brands.

Eastwood was the founding Managing Director at Carousell Media Group, where he built Asia’s largest multi-marketplace retail media network, reaching more than 40 million shoppers each month. He also led Rakuten Advertising’s APAC business and launched eBay’s advertising division in Australia.

Henrik Hällberg and Ola Schröder depart Sitoo and join WAIR as company expands into Nordic region

WAIR, an AI native platform helping retailers plan, forecast, and make decisions, has appointed Henrik Hällberg as Managing Director - Nordics.

He joins from 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards winner Sitoo where he served as Partner Manager.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "After an incredible journey at Sitoo, it’s time for something new. Working with the amazing team there has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and grateful for the friendships, challenges, and growth along the way.”

“Huge thanks to everyone who’s been part of the ride especially Jens Levin (Co-founder and CEO), Michael Meurlinger (CTO) as well as the partner and sales team, your support and passion have meant a lot."

He added: "Now, I’m excited to share that I’m starting WAIR Nordic together with Ola Schröder (who also joins from Sitoo, taking on the role of CCO), where we’ll be building and growing the business in the Nordics. In a time where speed, margins, and sustainability are critical, we’re helping fashion brands stay ahead with smarter, faster tools tested and proven in the real world.”

Former Schnuck Markets executive David Steck takes on Expert in Residence role at Simbe

David Steck has joined Simbe, whose Store Intelligence platform includes the Tally autonomous shelf-scanning robot, as an Expert in Residence.

Steck is President and Founder at Steck Consulting and also spent almost 11 years at Schnuck Markets, serving as VP - IT Store and Emerging Technologies.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "One of the highlights of my career was spearheading the first ever chainwide deployment of autonomous mobile robotics at Schnucks - a journey that transformed how we thought about delighting guests and empowering store teammates with in-store technology."

"I’m looking forward to working with Simbe’s clients (the largest number globally in the sector!) to bring the power of shelf data to life, so they can unlock the same significant value from in-store intelligence that we did at Schnucks.”

Co-op claims UK’s largest electronic shelf edge label deployment powered by VusionGroup

VusionGroup has ramped up its partnership with Co-op as the roll-out of electronic shelf labels continues across the UK, with the aim of making shopping smarter, more transparent, and more sustainable.

With NFC enabled shelf labels, people can now tap directly at the shelf to join Co-op's membership offering in seconds, unlocking personalised offers, exclusive pricing, and deals.

The new electronic labels (powered by VusionCloud) also: provide transparency on allergens, nutrition, and country of origin; instantly update prices, promotions, and savings; simplify in-store tasks like stock replenishment and online order picking; improve inventory management; cut paper waste by replacing traditional labels.

Currently live in 700+ stores, the roll-out will reach 1,600 by the end of 2025 and every Co-op store by 2026. It marks the UK’s largest electronic shelf-edge label deployment.

Hobbycraft TV shoppable channel launches on Freeview, YouTube and connected televisions

Hobbycraft is marking its 30th year of operations with the launch of a shoppable TV channel.

The new media platform offers daily, demonstration led content from expert crafters, with the aim of making it easier for viewers to learn new skills and access all the materials needed. It will offer people more than 100 new brands.

They can tune in from 7.30am on Thursday 4th September on Freeview Channel 97, hobbycraft.co.uk/tv, Youtube.com/hobbycraft or via the red button on connected TV’s.

Chelsea Football Club's Stamford Bridge stadium gets on the Boxbar Tech self-service bandwagon

Visitors to Chelsea Football Club's Stamford Bridge stadium are now be able to use Boxbar Tech self-service bars.

In a LinkedIn post, the company said: “Today we are thrilled to share some very exciting news coming out from the heart of West London...Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club, has joined the Boxbar Tech revolution.”

It added: “Our partners, Legends/ASM Global Europe, recently joined forces with Chelsea Football Club becoming the official new catering service provider at the Bridge. Introducing Boxbar is one of many steps being taken in their mission to ensure world class hospitality for Blues fans and all visitors to the stadium.”

“A huge shout out must go to our partners at ASM Global for continuing to put their trust in us and to every fan who grabbed a pint and helped make the season opener such a success.”

AI startup Zenline bags $1.6m in funding from Seedcamp, Yellow, First Momentum, Arc Investors

Zenline AI has secured $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Seedcamp, with participation from Yellow, First Momentum, and Arc Investors.

The startup develops artificial intelligence that combines margin data with market trends to deliver automated, product level recommendations - from pricing actions to assortment consolidation. Retail teams use Zenline to support new product launches, rationalisation efforts, and the ongoing optimisation of existing listings.

It will use the cash to accelerate product development, refine its AI model, and expand into additional verticals.

“We build AI agents that think like assortment decision-makers, but operate in seconds. Our mission is to empower European retailers to compete profitably again. Given how critical and shopper centric assortment is, a retailer can win by increasing its top line and building a competitive edge against Amazon and Temu, because customers will easily find what they are looking for, consciously or not.” says Arber Sejdiji, CEO at Zenline AI.

Snappy Shopper serves up 24/7 grocery delivery for UK convenience retailers following store trials

Snappy Shopper, a q-commerce technology platform for independent retailers, has launched 24/7 delivery capability following trials in selected stores across the UK.

It lays claim to being the first convenience led platform to bring 24/7 grocery delivery to market at scale.

Mike Callachan, CEO at Snappy Shopper, says: “This is a huge step forward for independent retail. We’ve developed and tested the technology and now we’re rolling it out to help local stores meet real, everyday needs around the clock. We’re proud to lead this innovation for the benefit of both retailers and their communities.”

B&Q pilots GXO AI powered transport optimisation platform, driving savings of 240,000 km and 150 tonnes of CO₂

B&Q is piloting GXO’s AI powered transport optimisation platform. This technology analyses millions of route variations to identify the most efficient schedules, with early results indicating potential savings of 240,000 kilometres and 150 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Full implementation is planned for 2025.

As part of its path to net-zero, GXO employs an activity-based carbon accounting methodology, using DEFRA conversion factors to calculate emissions from fuel usage, energy consumption, and mileage. This data is submitted monthly to Kingfisher and independently audited annually.

Since their partnership began in 2015, GXO has managed B&Q’s retail transport network, including national and regional distribution centres, store to home final mile services, returns processing, and a flagship seasonal warehouse. B&Q has a strong online presence and marketplace, with over 700,000 products available for home delivery or Click and Collect.