Including MUJI Europe and ICA Gruppen: 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards global retailer finalists announced

We’re pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards Most Innovative Global Retailer category, sponsored by STRATACACHE.

We received a record number of entries this year and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.

Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process!

It’s now over to our judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, taking place  at The HAC in Central London.

The event will be held on Thursday, 16th October and consist of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

Book your place at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony on Thursday, 16th October here.

Our 2025 runners and riders as follows:

Habitum

Habitium is redefining global e-commerce in the home and garden sector through a hybrid model that merges marketplace breadth with the agility of cross-border dropshipping - enabling sales across Europe without physical infrastructure. Operating in eight countries, it combines strong customer focus with proprietary technology, AI driven automation, and fully localised logistics and payment systems.

Unlike traditional marketplaces, Habitium maintains full ownership of the customer relationship and end-to-end journey. In 2024, it reached €21.6 million in turnover, with nearly half from international sales - proving that a lean, tech forward model can deliver both commercial growth and outstanding customer experience.

ICA Gruppen, Cleveron and Ingrid

Cleveron and ICA built a first of its kind Retail-Driven Open Network (RDON): a carrier agnostic, store anchored parcel infrastructure that lets multiple logistics providers use ICA's nationwide footprint. At the same time, ICA retains complete oversight and brand control.

After a 2022 pilot, the partners automated over 100 in-store pickup points by now, with the 100th installation at ICA Maxi Visby in April 2025. Using Cleveron's robotic systems, indoor parcel lockers and multi-carrier software alongside Ingrid’s service point

software, ICA cut queues, freed staff from manual handover, and created a scalable, convenient last mile aligned with the needs of its Swedish customers.. It's a sustainable retail logistics model that is built inside the store which opens up the ecosystem.

MUJI Europe and Commerce

MUJI, founded in Japan in 1980, expanded its European ecommerce operations across 29 markets but struggled with an outdated in-house platform that limited growth and customer experience. By migrating to BigCommerce, MUJI rebuilt its e-commerce foundation with a composable architecture, enabling flexible feature expansion and seamless integration with marketing, CRM, and logistics tools.

The result was nearly 50% year-on-year growth, improved fulfillment, and a stronger digital marketing engine. BigCommerce empowered MUJI to deliver tailored, localised experiences, add innovative features like pre-order, and position itself for long-term scalability and creative brand expression.

Sonae MC and Sensei

Sensei partnered with Sonae MC to launch the world’s largest autonomous supermarket: Continente Bom Dia in Portugal. Spanning 1,200 m² with over 11,000 SKUs and more than 1,500 daily baskets, the store integrates AI, computer vision, and sensor fusion powered by 1,676 cameras, 2,000 shelf sensors, and six autonomous checkouts.

Customers enjoy a seamless experience across all areas, including fresh product counters. The solution enhances operational efficiency, reduces shrinkage, and delivers a faster, smoother customer experience, proving that autonomous retail is no longer a concept but a scalable, high performing reality that sets a new global benchmark at full supermarket scale.

VenHub Global 

VenHub Global is revolutionising bricks and mortar retail with the fully autonomous smart store, designed for 24/7 operation, zero on-site staff, and maximum efficiency. Our modular units combine AI, robotics, and robotics arms to eliminate labour costs, reduce shrinkage, and operate in high traffic or underserved areas where traditional retail fails.

Four Initial deployments across California include a landmark store at LAX Airport/Metro Transit Center and one at the Hollywood Bowl. VenHub is more than innovation - it’s a blueprint for the future of retail. By solving the biggest challenges facing physical retail, VenHub enables a sustainable, scalable model that empowers entrepreneurs and redefines what’s possible in convenience commerce.

Verkkokauppa.com

Verkkokauppa.com has made ultra-fast delivery the new standard in Finland. By turning its stores into fulfilment hubs, adding micro-fulfilment centres, and partnering on last mile logistics, the company now offers 15-minute pick-ups, one-hour express deliveries, and next-day coverage nationwide.

One-hour delivery already reaches 1.7 million Finns, with fast fulfilment rising to 20.5% of online orders in Q1 2025. Covering 33,000 products and nearly half of Finnish households, the service has lifted customer satisfaction to world class levels (NPS 84) and contributes around a quarter of total sales - proof that innovation drives both growth and loyalty.