Taylor Swift gets engaged and reshapes shopping trends: presenting the retail technology week in numbers

Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including Lush, M&S, Ocado, eBay, Sainsbury's, Starbucks, Walmart+, Evri, Snappy Shopper, Syndigo, Cracker Barrel, John Lewis & Partners, Topshop, and Topman.

1...Cosmetics retailer Lush this week shut down all of its physical stores and online shop for one day in protest over starvation in Gaza.

A statement on its website stated it was showing solidarity while "the Israeli government is preventing urgent humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied starvation is taking place in Gaza and has blamed aid agencies and Hamas for any cases of hunger.

The website home page of Lush included the message "stop starving Gaza" in large text, followed by "closed in solidarity". Posters with the same message were also hung in every window of physical stores.

Lush said it hopes the UK government notices and takes action "needed to bring an immediate stop to the death and destruction" in Gaza, including an end to arms sales to Israel.

It added that shutting shops was not an easy decision, and asked for forgiveness from customers for the inconvenience. "However, we know that many of our customers share the same anxiety about the current situation in Gaza."

2...There are now just two weeks left 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.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

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.

Categories and entry forms can be found here.

Key dates

Friday, 19th September: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 23rd September: 2025 finalists revealed

Wednesday, 24th September - Wednesday, 8th October: Judging days

Thursday, 16th October: Winners announced at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Thursday, 16th October.

5...Time flies and all that…It’s been five years since M&S Food launched on Ocado and competition was duly ramped up in the crowded UK online groceries market.

In 2019, Marks & Spencer inked a 50-50 JV deal with Ocado to sell M&S groceries via the separate entity Ocado Retail. The former says that the move has given it a new platform to demonstrate the breadth and value of its range to new family customers and leverage its buying scale, through volume growth.

Ocado Retail, meanwhile, has increased capacity by over 50% since the aforementioned investment and new customer fulfilment centres have opened in locations including Bristol, Purfleet and Andover.

In a LInkedIn post, Alex Freudmann, Managing Director at M&S Food, said: “It’s exactly five years since M&S Food launched on Ocado. To celebrate, we’ve turned our iconic carrier bag into an Ocado van! Look out for more of them making deliveries near you.”

He added: “Ocado now services 80% of UK households and combines the tech and logistics prowess of Ocado with the magic of M&S Food. It’s the only place you can buy M&S Food online. Thank you Hannah Gibson (CEO at Ocado Retail) for the first five years and here’s to our exciting joint growth plans for the next five.”

800...Uber Technologies has announced a partnership with Best Buy that brings consumer electronics from more than 800 stores in the US to the Uber Eats platform.

Best Buy customers can now order various electronics, appliances, and tech essentials on Uber Eats for delivery to their doorsteps.

“Consumers today expect everything from groceries to gadgets to arrive at their doorsteps quickly and reliably,” says Hashim Amin, Head of Grocery & Retail for North America at Uber.

“With this partnership, we are making it easier than ever for customers to access the latest technology, whether it’s a necessity or something fun. We’re thrilled to help bring Best Buy’s trusted assortment into the on-demand economy.”

£40,000...Snappy Shopper, a UK-based Q-commerce technology platform for independent retailers, reports the launch of home delivery services across two North West stores, generating nearly 2,000 orders, £40,000 in sales and over 1,000 new customers in their first month.   

By leveraging Snappy Shopper’s technology, Premier Gidlow Lane (Wigan) and Raja Bros (Mossley) have enhanced their delivery services, now offering fast and reliable delivery to customers in as little as 30 minutes.

“Delivery has opened up a whole new customer base for us,” says Kanagasabi Kayanthan, owner of both stores. “Partnering with Snappy Shopper has allowed us to grow sales quickly  and reach more people locally. The technology makes it easy to manage, and the marketing support has been invaluable in building awareness and driving orders.” 

$44 million...HappyRobot, a startup specialising in logistics AI and automation, has raised a $44 million Series B round, led by Base10 Partners with participation from a16z, Array Ventures, Avra, Samsara Ventures, Tokio Marine, WaVe-X, WiL, YC, and others.

This comes just ten months after the company’s $15.6 million Series A, bringing its total funding to date to $62 million.

In an online post, it said: “Just a year and a half ago, we went into production with our very first customer. Today, we’re proud to be powering operations for more than 70 enterprise customers, including DHL, Ryder, Schneider, and Werner.”

“These companies are already seeing what’s possible when AI workers step in to take on complex, high volume tasks: Appointment scheduling reduced from a week to under 30 minutes; Collections delivering returns of more than 100x; Outbound sales producing ROI north of 19x; Carrier sales driving 5x returns.”

“The early results are clear: AI workers aren’t just cutting costs - they’re unlocking new revenue opportunities, increasing visibility, and freeing teams to focus on strategic, relationship driven work.”

49% and 42%...Pre-loved is all the rage right now, and online marketplaces are reshaping how consumers buy and sell their preloved items. Research from DHL eCommerce UK (involving 2,009 consumers) finds that 49% of Brits have purchased and sold (42%) goods on online marketplaces, rising to 63% and 52% amongst 25-34 year olds.

While second-hand retail has long been a go to for vintage fashion fans, the rise in popularity of online marketplaces has given it a significant boost, particularly amongst the younger generation. Sustainability (38%) and ethical purchasing (28%) are top drivers for this change, surpassed only by affordability (52%). 

Unsurprisingly, fashion is the most popular category of second-hand items sold online. Nine in 10 reveal they have sold clothes online, extending the life cycle of items and positively reducing the environmental impact of fashion. This is followed by accessories (32%) and a close 31% shoes. 

Meanwhile, many are extending their commitment to sustainability, with over half of sellers saving packaging from other parcel deliveries to reuse when selling goods on online marketplaces. This rises to 63% among those aged 55 and over.

22%...Unless you’ve been holidaying on Mars of late, you’ll be aware that Taylor Swift is now engaged to Travis Kelce. And, if truth be told, the news has probably also reached the Red Planet. So, hey ho…

This hasn’t just lit up social media and made Swifties everywhere explode with excitement, it’s reshaping online shopping trends. New analysis from Visualsoft shows a significant uplift in jewellery sales and searches since the announcement, with August delivering a standout performance for the sector.

Jewellery and watch sales were up 22% year-on-year in August, with a month-on-month increase of 23%. This is a sharp contrast to August 2024, when the sector fell by nearly 18% compared to the previous month. In 2025, sales have shown steady momentum across the summer months, with positive growth in June (+15%) and July (+9%) leading up to the August spike.

Search data reveals the Swift effect most clearly. In 2025, searches for rings climbed in August, up 7% month-on-month, while promise rings dropped by 14% compared to July. This shift strongly suggests consumers were influenced by the engagement announcement and began prioritising engagement rings over promise rings, Visualsoft says.

40% and 75%...A survey conducted by Gartner has shown that US consumers are increasingly prioritising convenience, flexibility and value in response to ongoing uncertainties. Omnichannel offerings are also key here.

Gartner surveyed 367 Americans last month and found 40% expect to see fewer discounts this season while 75% plan to spend more due to higher prices. 

A quarter of US consumers said they expect to spend less on holiday shopping this year, possibly due to the current economic situation and expected disruption of tariffs. 69% of holiday shoppers believe that US trade policies will make their holiday shopping more expensive this year.

Hybrid shopping options, such as buy online, pick up in-store or curbside, and same-day delivery, continue to gain traction, with people valuing the ease and potential cost savings these methods offer. 

Extended holiday return policies are also influencing purchase decisions, especially among younger generations, with approximately 70% indicating that flexible returns would encourage them to buy.

68,002...Sainsbury’s is this week packing up and relocating its HQ to the JJ Mack Building in Farringdon, a short walk from its current location at Chancery Lane, London. 

It marks the end of a two decade stint at its 33 Holborn home as the grocery giant takes on 68,002 sq ft at the new building. 

In a LinkedIn post, dated 1st September, Sainsbury’s technology executive Mark Given said: “Today we said goodbye to our current office, the big glass box at 33 Holborn. I know many of you past and present will have lots of great memories of working there and all the craziness that goes with running a big grocery retailer.”

He added: “But it’s also hello to our brilliant new pad, just across the road at 33 Charterhouse. Only our fourth ever store support centre since 1869. Looking forward to welcoming lots of you there in the months ahead.”

$3.5 billion...Product experience management (PXM) solutions provider Syndigo has acquired 1WorldSync. In doing so, it is laying claim to the creation of a $3.5 billion enterprise that supports 18 of the top 20 retailers in the US. 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This acquisition positions us to support tomorrow’s shopping experience by building the most advanced AI first PXM solutions on the market,” comments Simon Angove, CEO at Syndigo. 

“Consumers are shopping and connecting with brands in ever-evolving ways, fueled by the speed and flexibility of AI, social commerce, and personalisation at scale. Brands and retailers need a robust solution to meet and exceed consumer expectations today and in the future. With this acquisition, we’re building software for the next generation of retail, including accelerating agentic AI PXM.”

50...The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the greenlight for the merger of Evri, a UK parcel delivery company, with DHL eCommerce UK, the  e-commerce logistics specialist of DHL Group.

Completion of the deal is now expected to take place promptly following receipt of all regulatory approvals.

In 2026, DHL eCommerce UK will be rebranded as Evri Premium - a network of DHL, and it will remain a separate network that offers time sensitive deliveries for high value and large items. The combined group will bring together a team of over 30,000 couriers and van drivers, along with 12,000 colleagues, and a fleet of 8,000 vehicles.

Martijn De Lange, Chief Executive Officer, Evri, which hasn’t always been loved by the UK public, says: “This is a pivotal moment and the biggest milestone in our 50 years as we create a premier parcel delivery business of significant scale. I am excited to welcome our new DHL colleagues who share our commitment to great customer service.”

$55 million...A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. reports a $55 million purchase order with Yochananof, an Israel supermarket chain, covering the deployment of 5,000 Cust2Mate 3.0 smart shopping carts across its network.

The PO is comprised of an upfront payment and monthly charges per cart, for at least 60 months. In addition, both companies have entered into a data, retail media and digital services agreement.

The deployment will see up to 250 units allocated to each large store and 100 units to medium sized sites. It has kicked off and will follow a monthly cadence of cart deployments to be completed by end of 2026.

"This partnership represents a revolution in retail innovation," says Gadi Graus, CEO at A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions. "Through this breakthrough collaboration, smart carts will become the predominant shopping route for customers at Yochananof stores, setting a new standard for retail technology integration.

5...Walmart+ is introducing a new video streaming benefit as it celebrates its fifth anniversary.

Beginning on 15th September, members will be able to choose between the ad supported plans of Peacock and Paramount+ at no additional cost, with the former coming onboard as a new streaming partner. 

Since its launch in 2020 with three core benefits, Walmart+ has expanded to now offer 12 benefits at $98 a year. Offerings include free same day delivery on grocery and Rx, free shipping with no order minimum, deeper gas discounts, and 5% unlimited cashback through the newly announced OnePay CashRewards Credit Card.

“The additional option of Peacock Premium adds even more value and more choice to our membership, without raising the price,” says Deepak Maini, SVP of Walmart+. “By offering the ability to switch between two top-tier video streaming services, we’re empowering our members to customise their entertainment experience and enjoy significant savings. This is just one of the many ways we’re evolving Walmart+ to meet the needs and wants of today’s consumer.”

86%...New research from The Harris Poll UK has found that 86% of UK consumers believe limits on returns are reasonable - once the policy has been explained to them.

The news follows shortly after many Asos customers took to social media to complain their accounts had been closed after being flagged as ‘serial returners’. The fast fashion giant also introduced a charge for customers who “regularly” return items of £3.95 if they choose to keep less than £40 worth of items.

Despite the initial backlash, a The Harris Poll survey of a nationally representative sample of UK adults found that 75% agree such returns policies protect the majority of shoppers from being charged for returns and only 4% believe these policies are unfair.

11,000...NomadGo reports deployment of its Inventory AI solution in more than 11,000 Starbucks locations across North America.

The technology combines computer vision, 3D spatial intelligence, and augmented reality to automate inventory counting using smartphones and tablets.

Inventory AI recognises and counts items, such as milk jugs or coffee bags, while overlaying real-time data using augmented reality for instant validation. NomadGo runs directly on the handheld device, enabling responsiveness even without a network connection.

Starbucks is integrating this into all company owned and operated coffeehouses across North America by the end of September. “This technology streamlines a critical but time-intensive task,” says Deb Hall Lefevre, Starbucks Chief Technology Officer. “With faster, more accurate inventory counts, our partners can spend more time focusing on what matters: crafting high quality beverages and connecting with customers.”

21%...Unless you've been holidaying on Mars of late, you'll be aware that Cracker Barrel has been facing a backlash for its attempt at rebranding, labelled crazy, bland and nothing by co-founder Tommy Lowe.

Lowe, now 93, founded the US roadside restaurant with his friend Dan Evins in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, to serve country food to interstate travellers.

A new text only logo was recently unveiled, which removed Uncle Herschel (aka the 'Old Timer') leaning on a barrel. This has now been binned after accusations that Cracker Barrel was abandoning its roots.

It might have looked like everyone hated the change. But according to Cyabra research, a sophisticated disinformation campaign targeted Cracker Barrel across social media platforms, particularly X.

This found that 21% of attacking profiles were fake, running a coordinated campaign. They pushed boycotts, targeted the CEO, and drove outrage that contributed to a 10.5% stocks drop (~$100 million lost in days).

“What’s alarming is how real these fakes looked - framing the change as betrayal, amplifying boycotts, and sparking genuine engagement. Just a few hundred fake accounts generated 4.4 million views and thousands of real engagements,” says Dan Brahmy, Co-founder and CEO at Cyabra.