Do you like numbers? Do you like retail tech news? Then this is the article for you. Including Amazon, Morrisons, Simbe, Miniso, DPD, Dollar General, Instacart, Uber Technologies, McDonald's, Vudoo, Scandit, and Alchemy.

£2,000...Greggs reports that it is rolling out Auror crime reporting and intelligence technology across its stores amid a rise in shoplifting.

The British bakery and fast food chain made the announcement as a shoplifter who stole more than £2,000 worth of soft drinks from a single Greggs store returned to the community after being handed a suspended sentence.

Since May, Tiffany O'Neill, 28, has been arrested, charged and remanded to court 11 times. She was ultimately charged with 69 theft offences.

Yet when she appeared for sentencing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, having pleaded guilty to a total of 80 offences, she avoided being sent to prison and was handed a 26 week sentence, suspended for 12 months.

New constraints on magistrates and judges that came into force earlier this year require a sentence of less than a year to be suspended unless very specific exceptions apply. 

1...Gopuff is laying claim to being the first and only company to offer a fully integrated delivery experience through Grok Bot, SpaceXSI’s AI agent, with the launch of its new connector.

Customers can browse thousands of everyday essentials, build a customised order, choose a payment method and check out without leaving the chat. Orders are fulfilled from Gopuff’s local micro-fulfillment centres and delivered in as fast as 15 minutes. 

“Shopping with AI should feel effortless, from the first message to the moment an order arrives,” says Yakir Gola, Gopuff’s Co-founder and co-CEO. “Our connector lets Grok Bot users turn a simple request into a Gopuff order in seconds. Because we own the inventory, the micro-fulfillment centres and the delivery network, orders arrive exactly as requested with a 99.5% order accuracy rate, in as fast as 15 minutes.”

381...UK parcel delivery company DPD is set to deploy a further 381 electric vans as part of its plan for an expected record peak period. 

The new Ford E-Transits will all be on the road by mid-November. The order follows on from the delivery of 341 new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter vans in September.

In 2025 DPD delivered over 85 million parcels on electric vehicles including a predominantly diesel free final mile service within the North and South Circular in London. 

Olly Craughan, DPD’s Head of Sustainability and Social Purpose, comments: “Ford is a strong partner for DPD, and we already operate a significant number of E-Transits. They have performed well for us over the last four years, while the TrustFord mobile service network also played a big part in us choosing Ford again. The enhanced range means we can now get more of these larger electric vans out on our longer routes, making a bigger difference in terms of reducing emissions."

He adds: “This is set to be our biggest peak yet, so it is great to be able to say to customers that we will have more electric vans delivering on the road than ever before. We know this is a key issue for many shippers, large and small and we are delighted to be delivering more of their parcels on electric vehicles.” 

1,700...Morrisons Media Group (MMG) is expanding its retail media proposition to include Morrisons' approximately 1,700 convenience stores, with the aim of giving brands and suppliers a more joined up approach to planning campaigns across the grocery retailer's supermarket and convenience estates

Steve Newbould, Head of Commercial Data & Media, Morrisons Media Group, says: "Expanding our proposition into convenience is an important step in how we support our supplier partners. Our customers shop across different formats for different reasons, and bringing these opportunities together allows us to offer brands a more comprehensive way to engage with them. This is about building on the strength of our existing retail media proposition while recognising the growing importance of convenience."

The expanded proposition combines Morrisons' first-party customer insights with SMG's retail media capabilities. Suppliers will benefit from MMG's existing support, including insights informed by Morrisons' first-party data ecosystem, MoreViu, to help shape campaign planning around relevant customer missions and commercial objectives.

20,000 and 48...Dollar General and pOpshelf are now available for same-day delivery on the Instacart Marketplace across approximately 20,000 stores in 48 US states.

“Dollar General is a trusted part of communities across the country, and as one of the largest store footprints on Instacart, we’re excited to bring that reach to customers nationwide,” says Ryan Hamburger, Chief Commercial Officer at Instacart. “Whether it’s a weekly shop or a quick top-up, Instacart customers can now get groceries, pantry staples, and household essentials delivered right to their door.”

“As our customers’ needs evolve, we’re continuing to expand the ways they can shop with Dollar General,” says Tony Rogers, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Dollar General. “We’re proud to now be live on Instacart, giving customers in communities across the country another way to get everyday essentials on their schedule.”

A$22 million...Vudoo, which focuses on building infrastructure connecting media, retail and emerging AI environments, has closed a A$22 million Series B funding round, led by US private capital fund Blue Sky Capital.

The cash will primarily support international commercial expansion and investment in commerce technology.

Vudoo has also announced four appointments. Isabella Spragg joins as Chief Operating Officer, while Tash Henderson takes on the role as Managing Director, North America. Sophie Abrahamsson has been appointed as Head of Retail, North America. And Julian Colantuono is the company's new Customer Success Director.

1...Amazon reports that its Prime Air service has become the first in the world to secure a SAIL 4 (Specific Assurance and Integrity Level 4) Operating Authorisation and Flightworthiness Validation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Reaching SAIL 4 means more households in the Darlington area, growing from around 600 eligible customers to roughly 8,000, can now get items delivered by drone to their door in under two hours.

Since launching in Darlington in early 2026, Prime Air has been operating under CAA authorisation for beyond visual line of sight flights in less densely populated areas.

"Prime Air is the first in the world to receive a SAIL 4 approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Earning it took years of disciplined engineering and a commitment to safety from day one. I want to thank the CAA, who worked alongside us at every step. For customers in Darlington it means getting what they need quickly, safely, and reliably, and it is the foundation for bringing Prime Air to more of the UK," says Theunis Scheepers, Director, Prime Air Europe.

14 years after disappearing from Britain’s high streets, Comet has officially returned to the UK market.

Rather than holding its own stock, Comet is coming back as a dedicated electricals online marketplace, bringing products from 2,500 sellers together in one destination.

Cas Paton, CEO at Comet, says: “Ask almost anyone in Britain about Comet and they’ll have a memory attached to it. It might be the first TV they bought when they moved out, the family computer, a games console at Christmas or the washing machine they suddenly couldn’t live without."

“Comet is a brand that still has such a positive impression on so many people. That connection hasn’t gone away, and now we have the opportunity to bring it back for a whole new generation."

“But this isn’t about trying to recreate the Comet of the past. We want to take that nostalgia, history and trust and build something for the way people shop today. Our ambition is simple: when you need something that plugs in, we want Comet to be the first place you think of.”

1...Morrisons has gone live in its first store with Emerald, the UK grocery retailer's new checkout software. It is working with NCR Voyix on the project.

In a LinkedIn post, Laura Critchley, Support Office Specialist- Front End Operations, said: "This is a project that I, alongside so many fantastic colleagues across the business, have been working on for the last two years, so seeing it finally come to life in store is a brilliant feeling."

She added: "Emerald will replace our existing Storeline software across checkouts and cash offices, bringing a more streamlined, modern and user-friendly experience for colleagues, while helping to make everyday processes easier and improve the customer experience."

"It’s been a huge collaborative effort to get us to this point, and it’s fantastic to see all the hard work starting to pay off. A brilliant step forward for our Front End teams, and we can’t wait to see Emerald rolled out across our stores from next year."

35%...US grocery retailer DeCicco & Sons has expanded Simbe’s Store Intelligence platform chainwide following a 35% reduction in out-of-stocks within the first 60 days at its pilot locations.

Simbe’s autonomous shelf scanning robot, Tally, captures detailed shelf conditions multiple times daily. That intelligence flows into the retailer’s existing systems, helping teams identify and resolve issues faster while supporting applications spanning store operations, e-commerce, and business intelligence.

“Our customers count on us to have the products they love and a team ready to help,” says John DeCicco Jr., CEO, DeCicco & Sons. “Simbe helps us deliver on both. Digitising our shelves is foundational to our broader technology strategy, because it gives every system we run an accurate picture of what’s happening in our stores. With real-time visibility into stores, our teams can address corrective fixes sooner and spend more time providing the personal service that brings people back to DeCiccos.”

14...Uber Technologies and McDonald's have announced a multi-year expansion of their partnership, bringing new delivery and rewards features to customers in 14 markets across the world.

This includes the US, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

The pair first partnered in 2017 in the US, and McDonald’s is now available on Uber Eats in 30 countries. Uber will now be the preferred delivery partner for orders placed in the McDonald's app, and the two companies will connect Uber with MyMcDonald's Rewards.

As McDonald's expands delivery capabilities within its app, Uber Eats will serve as the preferred integrated delivery fulfillment partner for orders placed through the McDonald's app in participating markets including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK.

Customers will be able to order delivery and track their orders from checkout to doorstep without leaving the app. They will also have the option to order directly through the Uber Eats app.

McDonald’s app orders will primarily be fulfilled through Uber Direct, Uber’s white labelled delivery solution, in partnership with Deliverect. Uber will also serve as the fast food giant's exclusive delivery and rideshare rewards partner in participating markets.

Three in four UK shoppers want to trade-in, but only 46% were offered it at their last purchase, according to new research by circular technology company Alchemy.

The study was conducted for Alchemy by FDM CCS Insight across 11,217 consumers in the UK, US, Germany and Poland. It shows that running a trade-in programme is not enough on its own - it needs to be accessible and worthwhile.

For 74% of those surveyed, a competitive trade-in value would make them more likely to choose a higher-end product than they had planned, and the same proportion (74%) would upgrade sooner if their preferred brand offered good trade-in value, with laptops seeing the largest pull forward, at around seven months earlier on average.

63% would be more likely to add accessories, warranties or other items to their basket. Beauty and personal care consumers are 1.4 times more likely than smartphone owners to do so, pointing to real cross-sell potential in categories where trade-in is less established.

The benefits also extend to how consumers see the brand itself. Three quarters observe that offering trade-in improves their perception of a brand, with affordability the leading reason: 51% of them state it makes upgrading feel more affordable.

31% of British shoppers are planning to cut back on Christmas spending this year as the cost-of-living crisis takes its toll on disposable income, according to a survey of 1,000 people carried out by brand research agency Hall & Partners.

Presents are the first thing consumers are looking to save money on, with 39% saying they can’t afford to spend as much on gifts this Christmas. Instead, nearly half of all shoppers, 46%, are going to prioritise experience over gifts as they look forward to catching up with friends and family over the festive season.

Traditionally, Black Friday deals are deployed by retailers to persuade cautious shoppers to loosen their purse strings but, this year, there’s a clear cynicism to promotions.

Among those spending less on Christmas this year, one in five now believe Black Friday sales do not represent good value. Just 4% of cost cutting consumers believe deals always offer good value.

People are a little more trusting in general deals and promotions, but only just. Of those cutting back, only one in four think promotions can be good deals and 10% are convinced they do not represent good value.

When it comes to paying for Christmas this year, 37% will use disposable income while 29% tell us they will use savings. The cost of Christmas will be spread over several months by 12% of consumers relying on using credit cards and 10% by using buy now pay later. 

120,000 and 90%...FoodFacts reports that it now delivers comparable carbon footprints for more than 120,000 food products every week to retailers ICA Sweden, Coop Sweden and Axfood, which together represent around 90% of the Swedish grocery market.

The initiative addresses two key challenges: agreeing how food emissions should be calculated and having the technology to apply those calculations consistently at scale.

To establish a common approach, the Swedish Food Retailers’ Federation and the Swedish Food Federation commissioned the Swedish research institute RISE to develop an industry methodology for calculating food related carbon footprints, first published in 2023. In 2025, FoodFacts was selected to operationalise the methodology across the grocery assortment.

“For the first time, Swedish grocery retail has access to comparable carbon footprints across the food assortment, calculated according to a common methodology. This gives the industry a shared starting point to understand climate impact, prioritise action and strengthen climate reporting," says Jenny Hagberg, Head of Sustainability, Swedish Food Retailers’ Federation.

1...Miniso will open a Friends store at St David’s Cardiff in 2027, more than doubling its footprint in the centre and introducing its larger format, IP led concept to the UK market.

Spanning more than 6,600 sq ft, this will be designed to turn a shopping trip into a destination visit.

“Friends is our most immersive format, and St David’s is the right place to bring it to the UK first. Cardiff has been a strong store for us since 2020, and this move more than doubles our space in a centre that continues to attract the best names in retail and leisure. The format is built around IP, collectables and experience - the things that turn a visit into a destination - and it sets the standard for how we want customers to experience Miniso across the UK," says Saad Usman, COO at Miniso UK.

46%...Stock information matches what store associates find on the shelf just 46% of the time, according to research published by Scandit. This has led to only 8% of associates trusting store data completely, a figure that falls to 3% in the UK.

The company commissioned Sapio Research to survey 2,200 store associates online in September. All worked in physical stores for retailers with more than 1,000 employees across the US, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada, and Poland. The research covered grocery, mass merchant and department store, hypermarket and supercentre, DIY and home improvement, convenience, and drugstore and pharmacy formats.

“Inaccurate inventory data means compromised decisions,” says Samuel Mueller, CEO and Co-founder at Scandit. “This threatens return on investment, because AI cannot operate on flawed records."

$15 million...firmly, an agentic commerce platform connecting merchants to high intent digital channels, has announced a $15 million Series A funding round led by Squarepoint Capital, with participation from investors including J.P. Morgan Payments, Mastercard and Samsung NEXT.

The company has also launched Ask Agent, an end-to-end conversational shopping experience for merchant websites that includes AI powered natural language product discovery with a real-time catalogue, in-chat checkout and traditional customer support functionality.

The capital will be used to accelerate the growth of firmly Connect globally with merchants and across AI agents, marketplaces, social networks, shoppable advertising platforms and other commerce destinations.

“AI is quickly creating new storefronts for commerce, but merchants cannot build a new integration every time one emerges,” says Kumar Senthil, Co-founder and CEO at firmly.

“Our north star has always been to enable the merchants to sell in any channel with ZERO engineering effort. Unlike other players in this space who expect the merchant to integrate with them, firmly Connect integrates with the merchants and gives them complete control to sell wherever their customers choose to shop. This funding allows us to bring more merchants and more destinations onto that infrastructure much faster.”