Frictionless shopping finds right habitat at 7-Eleven: last week’s biggest technology plays at a glance

RTIH rounds up the stand out retail technology deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Loblaw Companies, Gant, Asos, Amazon, Carrefour, Vusion, Walmart, Unilever, REWE, Habitata, Pinterest, and adidas.

Loblaw Companies

Loblaw Companies has announced a new collaboration with Google that will bring its beauty, apparel and general merchandise assortment directly into AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app.

Loblaw is laying claim to being the first large retailer to make products available for purchase directly through Google’s AI mode in Canada.

In a LinkedIn post, Lauren Steinberg, EVP, Chief Digital Officer at Loblaw Companies, said: “Powered by our early adoption of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), the integration will enable secure, standardised connectivity between AI agents and our commerce infrastructure.”

“This milestone marks another deliberate step toward what we see as the next chapter of agentic commerce. Canadians are already discovering products through conversational AI. Our focus is on closing the gap between exploration and action, connecting intent to inventory, securely and seamlessly.”

She added: “Our philosophy is straightforward: partner with the best and deploy purpose-built applications that deliver real value to customers. Different AI platforms have distinct strengths. The advantage lies not in exclusivity, but in thoughtful orchestration. Proud of the team at Loblaw Digital for continuing to push the boundaries, and excited to be among the first in Canada to bring this capability to market alongside Google.”

“We are seeing a generational shift where AI is becoming the foundational engine for business transformation. Loblaw’s commitment to scaling AI across its entire enterprise is a clear roadmap for how retailers can convert technical innovation into measurable value,” said Karthik Narain, Chief Product and Business Officer, Google Cloud.

“By optimising everything from merchandising to inventory management, they are proving that AI native systems are the key to driving both operational efficiency and a superior customer experience at scale.”

Gant

Gant has chosen IMPACT Commerce as a digital commerce partner.

In a LinkedIn post, Kasper Holst, CEO at IMPACT Commerce, said: “Gant is a brand with a strong heritage and a clear sense of identity. When a company like that puts its trust in you, you don’t take it lightly.”

“Our role is to help connect commerce, loyalty, CRM, content and in-store systems into one cohesive ecosystem, strengthening architecture, unifying data and enabling scalability across markets...all powered by a strong composable setup, including Salesforce, Contentful, Mastercard Dynamic Yield, Cegid and Ingrid.”

He added: “For me, this is what meaningful digital transformation looks like. Not chasing trends, but building a foundation that can evolve with the business. Thank you to André Lago (Global DTC Director at Gant)  and the Gant team for the trust. We’re excited to take this journey together.”

TrueLayer and PayPal

TrueLayer has partnered with eBay to introduce Pay by Bank at checkout in the UK.

With Pay by Bank, eBay’s UK buyers can pay directly from their bank accounts, authorising the transaction through their own bank app in seconds, with no cards or manual entry of account details required. Bank login information is not shared with or stored by eBay. TrueLayer connects the buyer’s bank to process the payment.

The move builds on eBay Ventures making an undisclosed investment in TrueLayer.

“Our partnership with eBay brings Pay by Bank into the everyday shopping journey of millions of UK customers,” says Francesco Simoneschi, CEO and Co-founder at TrueLayer. “By integrating directly into eBay’s checkout, we’re enabling instant, bank-authenticated payments at scale that allows merchants to benefit from a faster and more streamlined payment experience. This is another step towards a real-time payments ecosystem that aligns with modern consumer expectations.”

“We’re constantly evolving eBay’s checkout experience to expand choice and make paying on our platform safer, faster and more seamless,” says Avritti Khandurie Mittal, Vice President of Product at eBay Services.

“Pay by Bank represents an important step in diversifying our payment mix with a secure, real-time way for buyers to pay directly from their bank accounts. Through our partnership with TrueLayer, we’re bringing this innovation to millions of UK customers while continuing to build a more modern, efficient payments experience.”

Amazon

Amazon is launching Amazon Integrations, an initiative that will enable it to begin self-installing AutoStore systems beginning in 2027.

The ultimate aim here is for the company to become even more vertically integrated. The move will see Amazon and AutoStore collaborate on changes to the latter’s system.

In a LinkedIn post, in which he cites unnamed sources, Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive, said: “Amazon has shut down its Local Vending Machine (LVM) fulfillment system and its latest picking robot, Blue Jay. I broke the story that Amazon has built a new modular fulfillment system it refers to as Orbital. Orbital is capable of being customised to fit inside stores or large logistics facilities.”

The US online giant is also, Ladd noted, opening a Supercenter in Chicago with a 50,000 square feet micro-fulfillment centre; an AutoStore system is being installed inside the MFC. Amazon is also planning to install an AutoStore MFC inside a Whole Foods Market store being built in Frisco, TX.

According to Ladd, the original idea was to leverage Orbital for MFCs and as a replacement for AutoStore. But it appears those plans have changed.

Ladd said: “Keith White, Chief Commercial Officer at Autostore, spent several weeks with Amazon in December to review their partnership and come to an agreement on terms, strategy, and estimated system purchases. I was unable to confirm the total number of AutoStore systems Amazon may purchase by 2030. However, a source stated, "It will be in the double digits."

“Amazon and AutoStore have discussed an acquisition but a deal couldn't be reached. I have stated in multiple LinkedIn posts and articles that Amazon will not maintain a partnership with AutoStore (or any other vendor) if it can't take on greater command and control including requiring design changes to their solutions.”

Enter Amazon Integrations. Element Logic has been selected to install six AutoStore systems for Exol sites, according to Ladd. The project will include installation of technology from Berkshire Grey and Symbotic. The number of installations could reach 50 or more, according to Ladd’s source.

Amazon and AutoStore did not respond to our request for comment.

Circ

Circ, a specialist in textile‑to‑textile recycling, has announced the scaling of its Fiber Club initiative.

Building on an inaugural programme in 2025, Circ is bringing together the lifestyle brand Madewell (under J.Crew Group), sustainable fashion brand Reformation, and European retailer C&A, alongside supply chain partners Lenzing and Linz Textil.

First launched in January of last year with Bestseller, Eileen Fisher, Everlane, and Zalando, alongside supply partners Arvind, Birla Cellulose, and Foshan Chicley, Fiber Club aims to address minimum order quantities and pricing challenges that have historically limited the adoption of new materials.

By aggregating demand across pulp, fiber, and yarn stages, its roadmap is helping brands move from pilot testing to commercial product launches and long-term material commitments. Each brand within this cohort is developing collections using TENCEL| Circ with REFIBRA technology, made with 30% Circ pulp sourced from recycled polycotton textile waste.

Circ provides the recycled pulp, which Lenzing converts into TENCEL| Circ with REFIBRA lyocell fibers. Linz Textil spins the fibers into yarn, and each brand nominates its own fabric and garment manufacturers to ensure smooth integration into existing supply chains.

Akeneo and Stripe

Akeneo, a product experience (PX) company and provider of product information management (PIM) solutions, has announced a new partnership with Stripe involving the latter’s Agentic Commerce Suite.

The pair say that the tie up will enable businesses to make their products discoverable by AI agents, simplify checkout and accept agentic payments, all through a single integration and with minimal changes to existing systems.

“AI agents can only deliver reliable shopping experiences when they have access to centralised, enriched, activated and well governed product information,” says Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo.

“We help businesses prepare their product catalogues for AI driven discovery, while Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Suite enables agent ready checkout and payments. Together, we’re making it easier for merchants to participate in agentic commerce without reworking their existing systems.”

Wakefern Food Corp.

Eagle Eye has been selected by US retailer Wakefern Food Corp. to accelerate its loyalty strategy and deliver AI powered customer engagement initiatives. The programme is expected to go live in mid-2026.

Wakefern will deploy Eagle Eye’s MACH approved loyalty and personalisation platform, moving away from a PoS-based approach in favour of a more flexible, future-proof, omnichannel solution. The platform will enable centralised loyalty management across all Wakefern banners through a single, system, with no custom development or coding required.

“We are very excited to partner with Wakefern and their members to help create a comprehensive loyalty engine that provides Wakefern with complete flexibility in offering personalised experiences that are right for their customers,” says Jeff Baskin, Chief Revenue Officer at Eagle Eye.

“Our solution not only applies proven AI functionality, but allows Wakefern to implement and, most importantly, scale very quickly.

Wakefern is a member owned cooperative comprised of independent companies that together operate more than 380 supermarkets across nine East Coast states under banners including ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage, Di Bruno Bros., and Morton Williams.

As part of the implementation, it will leverage Eagle Eye’s AI powered personalisation capabilities to deliver real-time, personalised promotions and gamified challenges.

Sodastream

Sodastream has chosen GoBolt as its Canadian fulfillment and last mile delivery partner.

It says that, by leveraging GoBolt’s fulfillment technology and carbon neutral last mile delivery, it will provide Canadian customers with faster, greener deliveries.

“Sodastream customers are already making a conscious choice to reduce waste every time they use their sparkling water maker,” says Mark Ang, CEO at GoBolt. “They deserve a delivery experience that matches that commitment. Not just sustainable, but fast, transparent, and reliable. We’re bringing the customer centric service Sodastream customers expect while staying true to the values that brought them to the brand in the first place.”

“Sustainability is at the heart of our mission to help Canadians drink better and make positive choices for the environment,” says Ryan Denys, Sodastream Canada’s GM.

“Our beverage ecosystem empowers households to replace thousands of single use plastic bottles each year, and now our partnership with GoBolt allows us to take this commitment even further. By integrating greener delivery solutions, we are strengthening our broader strategy to create long-term environmental benefit. This collaboration reflects our ongoing dedication to innovation that benefits both our consumers and the planet.”

Swix

Sitoo, a cloud native PoS and unified commerce platform, has landed Nordic winter sports brand Swix as a customer.

In a LinkedIn post, it said: “We have new friends! And they’re the beating pulse of Nordic snow sports and outdoor adventure. Swix started when a frustrated skier and a scientist had enough of unreliable wax. In 1946, this duo introduced colour coded ski wax - scientifically tested across thousands of trials - and changed winter sports forever.”

“Their colour coded wax was so precise that by the 1948 Olympics, every gold medalist had Swix under their skis. From then on, Swix became synonymous with quality, performance, and innovation. They've since grown into a full-service winter sports brand providing wax, poles, apparel, and tools - all trusted by elite racers and weekend warriors alike.”

It added: “Now, with Sitoo taking the tech lead in-store, Swix is bringing that same precision to the shopping experience. Unified tools, stock visibility, and seamless checkout mean staff can spend less time juggling systems and more time doing what they love - sharing hard earned know-how, fitting gear, and sparking that thrill you feel when you're locked in on fresh snow. We’re proud to help Swix write the next chapter in their legacy.”

Metapack

Delivery platform, Metapack, has announced a new generation of AI powered capabilities.

As fulfilment becomes more complex and customer expectations continue to rise, it says that these give retailers instant access to delivery data, helping teams predict issues before they affect their customers, and support faster decisions that improve delivery reliability and protect revenue.

Amazon

Amazon has begun construction on its first delivery station designed to achieve Living Future's Zero Carbon Certification in the UK and Europe. This is situated in Stockton-on-Tees in the north-east of England, with Amazon set to stump up more than £40 million, creating 100+ roles in the process including managers, supervisors, and associates.

The investment is part of Amazon's plans to invest £40 billion in the UK from 2025 to 2027.

The 10,800m² delivery station, where packages are sorted for delivery to customers’ doorsteps throughout North Yorkshire and parts of County Durham, is set to open in the autumn. The building becomes eligible for certification in 2027 following a full year of operational data collection and third-party assessment.

It will be constructed to the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the new UK framework. It incorporates several key sustainability features including locally sourced and lower carbon building materials, and energy efficient systems. Amazon will track performance data and share learnings to help refine the methodology for future industry adoption.

“Decarbonising buildings means tackling both how we build and how we operate,” says Prajvin Prakash, UK Director at Amazon Logistics. “This site shows how we’re using smarter materials, advanced technology, and AI driven insights to cut emissions from day one and improve performance over the long term.”

“When fully operational, it’s expected to consume around 50% less energy than a typical logistics building - a significant step forward as we work toward our goal to achieve net-zero carbon by 2040. Backed by our £40 billion UK investment, we’re pairing sustainability progress with long-term economic growth in communities like Stockton-on-Tees.”

Carrefour

As part of its Carrefour 2030 plan, Carrefour is tapping Vusion’s platform as it looks to digitalise all of its hypermarkets and supermarkets in France by 2030. The partnership covers deployment of electronic shelf labels, smart rails, and AI driven cameras.

The deal sees Pricer lose its position as exclusive ESLs supplier to the retail giant.

In a press release, it said: “Today Carrrefour has decided to introduce an additional supplier for the sourcing of digital in-store solutions based on electronic shelf labels in France. In 2025 total sales to Carrefour was below 10% of our total net sales, and its contribution to our total gross profit was mid-single digit. The assessment for 2026 is that the contribution to Pricer total gross profit will be low single digit.”

“We look forward to continuing to build on our long lasting relationship, serving our large base of Carrefour stores, and supporting the growing base of franchise stores in Europe,” said Magnus Larsson, President and CEO at Pricer.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Bompard, Chairman and CEO at Carrefour, commented: “Carrefour 2030 is a growth plan that relies notably on accelerating tech and AI. By partnering with Vusion, a French technological champion with global reach, we are propelling our stores into a new era. The digitalisation of our shelves is the essential foundation for deploying our vision of modern retail, serving competitiveness, quality of life at work for our employees, and customer satisfaction.”

C&A

European fashion retailer C&A is seeking to optimise omnichannel logistics through Nedap’s Inventory Engine. This collaboration enables real-time tracking and status assignment of e-commerce items, enhancing inventory accuracy and improving the Click & Collect customer experience.

With more than 1,300 stores, C&A’s Click & Collect (BOPIS) service allows customers to order online and pick up in-store. However, this model can hold operational challenges, e.g., if in-store cycle counts mistakenly include items reserved for pickup if item status isn’t accurately assigned.

To improve this process, C&A deployed Nedap’s Inventory Engine in its e-commerce warehouses. RFID enabled read points at dispatch locations automatically scan outbound items and assign the correct status. This information is synced in real-time, ensuring that Click & Collect items are excluded from store inventory counts.  

Dosenbach-Ochsner

Swiss company Dosenbach-Ochsner, part of the Deichmann Group, has deployed the Exotec Skypod system at its Luterbach site (Canton of Solothurn) - a robotic solution designed for intralogistics and warehouse automation. 

More than 100 Skypod robots are now operational, supplying picking and packing stations from approximately 174,000 storage locations. 

Dosenbach-Ochsner sells its footwear under the Dosenbach, Ochsner Shoes and Ochsner Sport brands across nearly 380 stores throughout Switzerland, and also online.

"E-commerce places very different demands on logistics compared to traditional bricks and mortar retail," says Gregor Oberfranz, Head of Logistics at Dosenbach-Ochsner. "This is particularly evident when sudden spikes in demand need to be absorbed and processed at pace. With Exotec, we are fully able to meet that challenge."

Derbion

UK shopping centre, Derbion, is partnering with Living Map in a bid to enhance the visitor experience. It is the latest Savills managed retail destination to invest in the company’s digital wayfinding offering.

Living Map has developed an interactive digital map designed to help visitors navigate the centre with ease. The solution will focus on reducing confusion, preventing lost journeys, and enabling instant redirection in the event of store relocations, closures or layout changes.

It will also provide data analytics to support smoother day-to-day operations, while offering insights that help optimise centre performance and drive improvement across the space. The technology will be accessible to shoppers via on-site kiosks, mobile and desktop.

Evri

Zebra Technologies reports that UK parcel delivery firm, Evri, has deployed its technology across 7,000 ParcelShops.

Its self-service solution is integrated into a customised, one stop shop for parcel drop-off, scanning, and labelling. According to Evri, collection experiences are now more intuitive and the service is more reliable, which is reflected in improved customer satisfaction scores. 

Evri’s new fleet of print-in-store self-service kiosks feature the Zebra ET4 series enterprise tablet and ZD600 series linerless printer within a custom built housing unit. Each ET4 series tablet connects to Evri’s network, running its internal app on Zebra hardware.

The latter manages the entire kiosk lifecycle, and if a terminal ever fails, its OneCare Fastrack Service ensures that a replacement arrives the next day. If a ParcelShop team member needs help or training, Zebra’s service desk guides them through step by step troubleshooting.

With this new solution, service failures have been cut by 99%, while a reduction in downtime now sees fewer than ten shops a week offline thanks to a quicker online return.

REWE

Working with Cimcorp, REWE has opened an automated fulfilment centre for fresh produce in Oranienburg, which is designed to handle ultra-fast, error free distribution of fruit and vegetables to over 370 supermarkets and 580 stores in the greater Berlin region.

“In fresh food logistics, every minute counts and every delivery is critical,” says Matthias Menzel, General Manager at REWE’s Oranienburg Logistics Centre. “Missing the delivery window means a significant financial loss. That’s why we invested in automation that delivers absolute reliability, real-time control and the capacity to serve Berlin and the surrounding regions.”

Each day, around 29,000 units are handled by Cimcorp’s automated order picking system at the centre, with material flows governed by the company’s warehouse control system (WCS). The software manages everything from inbound barcode scanning and depalletising, through inventory and picking, to precise outbound labelling and shipping.

“Our customers expect that our reliability increases every year,” says Menzel. “As stores learn that they can trust our deliveries, it brings improvement not just to our logistics, but right through to the customer experience in the store. We’re no longer fighting to fill overtime hours; instead, our staff are excited to work with new technology and see the benefits of automation in their daily roles.” 

Unilever

Unilever and Google Cloud have announced a five-year partnership involving the use of the latter’s AI, data, platform and marketing capabilities. 

Unilever’s brand portfolio, including Dove, Vaseline and Hellmann's, will be using Google Cloud’s technologies, such as its Vertex AI platform, to build new capabilities in brand discovery, measurement and AI augmented marketing.

The aim is to create a new model for how consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are discovered and shopped, as consumer journeys shift toward more conversational and agentic experiences. 

By migrating its integrated data and cloud platform to Google Cloud, Unilever says that it will build an enterprise wide, AI first digital backbone to generate demand faster, turn data into actionable insights, and respond to market shifts with greater agility. This foundation will also support the development of agentic workflows - intelligent systems capable of executing complex tasks across Unilever’s business processes.

“Technology has moved to the core of value creation at Unilever,” says Willem Uijen, Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer at Unilever. “As brands are increasingly discovered and chosen in environments shaped by AI, we must lead this shift. This collaboration with Google Cloud sets a new level in how technology can power commerce and growth in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, ensuring Unilever is agile, fit for the future, and equipped to unlock value at every level of the company.”

Las Palapas

Las Palapas has teamed with Paytronix to overhaul its tech stack, including a new mobile app and loyalty programme. Guests can download the app and join the LP Club to begin earning rewards. The project comes as the San Antonio-based Tex-Mex chain celebrates its 40th anniversary.

“Partnering with Paytronix was a strategic move to simplify the Las Palapas tech stack, making it more efficient and bringing more functionality. This digital backbone positions us to succeed as we look to a new period of growth, further scaling the brand,” says Joseph Fain, VP of Operations at Las Palapas.

“We now have a cutting-edge digital foundation that streamlined our restaurant operations and is bringing new ways to engage and excite our guests. Online ordering is much easier, as is loyalty enrollment, and more than 100,000 loyalty members are transitioning to the new app where they can re-order favourites, browse new offers, earn and check their rewards and now they can even manage or pay with e-gift card balances.” 

Asos

Asos is laying claim to a unique hybrid approach to virtual try-on that lets customers see how selected products could look on them by uploading their own image or choosing an AI generated virtual model that represents their likeness. 

This initially launches in partnership with AI fashion platform AIUTA with around 10,000 products on the Asos IOS app. The feature will be available to select UK and US customers before being rolled out more broadly. It is claimed that each experience loads in just four to sevent seconds, well ahead of typical industry solutions.

Melissa Lim, Head of Digital Product at Asos, says: “We know customers want the confidence of seeing how something will really look but don't want to be pushed into doing it one way. Our hybrid approach meets them where they are, giving everyone a try‑on option that feels right for them.”

7-Eleven

7-Eleven is expanding its frictionless checkout pilot using AiFi computer vision technology in select US locations.

Customers scan products with their smartphone as they walk through the store, then pay for purchases using Apple Pay, Google Pay or a traditional debit or credit card. After this, they pay via a QR code on a screen at a dedicated station to complete the transaction.

In a LinkedIn post, Michael Guzzetta, Retail Innovation & Strategy Leader at Cookie Plug San Antonio, and a former H-E-B executive, said: “After Amazon pulled back from large format Just Walk Out, the easy narrative was that frictionless checkout had been overhyped and exposed. That was always too simple. The real issue was format economics.”

He added: “Large grocery boxes carry serious margin pressure, complex assortments, and higher shrink exposure. The math gets tight super fast. Convenience is different... Smaller footprints, fewer SKUs. high traffic density, and sales built on speed. If one register backs up at lunch, you feel it immediately. In my opinion, that’s where frictionless still has a shot.”

7-Eleven operates thousands of compact stores where throughput matters more than theatrical innovation, Guzzetta noted. If autonomous checkout can smooth peak demand without a massive ceiling retrofit or painful capex curve, it starts to look less like a tech experiment and more like operational plumbing.

He concluded: “Frictionless didn’t fail. It just needed the right habitat. The interesting story now isn’t whether the model works. It’s which formats can support it today without breaking the unit economics.”

“I expect to see more expanding pilots in convenience/grab 'n go, stadiums, airports, and possibly even theme parks, where margin is high, throughput is crazy and the need for quick convenience is the highest.”

Walmart

Walmart has partnered with Procter & Gamble for its latest shoppable livestream event. This went live yesterday on Walmart Live, Facebook, and YouTube and was made available on-demand afterwards.

In a LinkedIn post, Walmart’s Justin Breton said: “In today’s attention economy, entertainment and content have become the new storefront. The brands that win aren’t just showing products... They’re creating moments people actually want to spend time with. That’s exactly what we’re leaning into with our next shoppable livestream with Procter & Gamble.”

The pair went live from the Olympic Village in Milan with a Make Her Day Easy livestream event.

“Hosted by US Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez, this experience brings customers inside a cultural moment most people never get access to, while making it instantly shoppable. Because increasingly, commerce works best when it feels less like shopping and more like access,” said Breton.

“During the live, Laurie spotlighted her everyday essentials, from Tampax to Crest to Venus, that help her stay confident, focused, and ready to perform at the highest level across three segments designed to feel human, authentic, and connected to real life. The livestream also featured Tampax’s newest brand ambassador, Tami, in one of the segments.”

Breton concluded: “What excites me most about moments like this is the ability to bring customers closer to something special. Sports, culture, content, and commerce are increasingly converging and livestream events continues to be one of the most powerful ways to meet customers where attention already lives.”

THG

THG has announced a partnership with advertising technology specialist, The Trade Desk. For the first time, media buyers (advertisers and agencies) can access THG’s segments from Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC via self-serve across the digital ecosystem on The Trade Desk’s media buying Kokai platform.

“We’re extremely proud of how our retail media offering is evolving as we enter the next phase of our partnership with The Trade Desk. Over the past year, we’ve welcomed several new partners and increased our investment in marketing services to strengthen and modernise our proposition. We’re excited about what the next 12 months will bring for THG Beauty Media as we continue to expand and innovate,” says Rachel Moss, Retail Media Director at THG.

Marketers using The Trade Desk’s platform can activate their omnichannel campaigns across the open internet, including channels such as connected TV (CTV) and audio. Advertisers can extend their reach and apply retail data throughout the marketing funnel, with the afo mi helping to reduce media waste and maximise impact on business outcomes, such as direct sales or brand impact.  

Polytag, Saica Flex, and Paragon

A new sustainability partnership combines Polytag’s detection technology and expertise, Saica Flex’s packaging production, and Paragon Inks specialist UV inks.

This is the collaboration behind Waitrose’s recently launched UV tagged milk cartons.

Labels carry invisible UV tags, printed with Paragon’s inks products. Once they enter the recycling stream, Polytag’s detection systems scan the labels and capture detailed, item-level data. Using this data, recyclers can track in real-time which products enter recycling, measure recovery rates, and demonstrate compliance with regulations such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), facilitating the sharing of this information with brands.

The solution integrates into existing packaging and printing workflows. Saica Flex’s collaboration with Waitrose, combined with its experience in this specific packaging, enabled deployment without disrupting established supply chains.

adidas

project44, an AI powered decision intelligence platform for supply chains, has landed adidas as a customer.

In a LinkedIn post, Jett McCandless, Founder and CEO at project44, said: "Been chasing adidas for eight years. Last week, we officially closed them."

He added: "Eight years ago, Germany had just lifted the World Cup. Some of the players we’ll be watching this summer were still kids back then. That is how long this has been in the making. The adidas team impressed me from day one. Thoughtful. Grounded. Ambitious.”

“They have the rare ability to manage immediate, high stakes pressure, especially with a World Cup on the horizon, while staying obsessed with how software and AI will transform their supply chain over the next decade."

McCandless concluded: "Huge credit to our Europe team for earning trust the right way. This win wasn’t down to one person. It was a massive lift across product, sales, CS, and engineering. This is the team building the decision intelligence platform and logistics operating system for the world’s most demanding brands."

"I want to personally thank Sridhar Bhargav (Senior Director, Digital Process Management & Solutions) and Benedikt Birner (Vice President Global Partnerships) for the partnership. We don’t take the trust you’ve placed in us lightly."

Klarna and Google Pay

Klarna is now available on Google Pay in the UK. This builds on its availability in the US market.

Raji Behal, Head of Western and Southern Europe, UK & Ireland at Klarna, says: “We’re really excited to bring Klarna’s fair, flexible and interest free payment options to Google Pay users.”

“This is a big moment for us and a major step towards our goal of being available at every checkout, everywhere. Together with Google, we’re making it easier than ever for millions of shoppers to choose Klarna and pay in a smarter, more transparent way - all from their phone.

Lisa Yokoyama, Director of Product Management at Google Pay, comments: "Expanding our  collaboration with Klarna to the UK underscores our goal to empower more people with the flexibility to pay how they choose. With people shopping on Google over a billion times a day, this broader footprint provides even more checkout options to help businesses drive tangible growth."

Klarna on Google Pay will offer the latter's UK consumers the former's Pay in 3 interest free offering. Users will be able to manage their purchases in the Klarna app, tracking deliveries, handling returns, and managing repayments.

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani has introduced an immersive fragrance activation at KaDeWe in Berlin, inviting people to experience the new Power of You perfume through an interactive storefront installation. This was developed in collaboration with Loook.ai and runs until 28th February.

Positioned directly in the store window at the entrance of KaDeWe (Tauentzienstraße 21–24, 10789 Berlin), the installation turns the traditional fragrance display into a responsive digital mirror visible from the street.

Anyone walking by can instantly become part of the experience, engaging with motion-based visuals inspired by the campaign’s aesthetic without downloading apps or entering the store first.

As pedestrians approach, the mirror activates in real-time, integrating them into the visual narrative of the fragrance campaign. According to those involved, the format aims to shift the role of the storefront from passive advertising to interactive discovery, allowing Berliners to encounter the new scent through participation rather than observation.

The installation also encourages organic content creation, enabling visitors to capture and share moments generated through the experience.

Habitat and Pinterest

Habitat and Pinterest have launched the final story in their ‘Home of Attention’ partnership. This was brought together and creatively delivered by DRUM, while media planning and buying was managed by PHD UK.

The initiative asks the nation to see homeware differently by showing how to transform everyday spaces with just a few well chosen pieces.   

The final short film in the series, directed by Amirah Tajdin, is called THE make your own rules TABLE and aims to deliver a modern, relatable story about making your space your own.   

When an overbearing mother invites herself to lunch, a daughter is quietly determined to prove she’s her own person. As her mother’s rules for the ‘perfect’ table setting echo in her head, she begins to style the table on her own terms. Plates that don’t match. Glassware that clashes. A table runner instead of a tablecloth etc etc.

Through these small, deliberate design choices, the lunch table becomes a declaration of independence and growth. What starts as an everyday moment transforms into a confident expression of personal style, showing that hosting doesn’t have to follow inherited rules.

As with its two predecessors, THE make your own rules TABLE will be brought to life by a series of interactive and immersive Pinterest experiences, film inspired creator content, as well as curated collages - a new ad format that gives users, who come with commercial intent, new ways to interact with Habitat products. 

Waitrose

Waitrose has renewed its relationship with Flooid for a further five-year term. The pair have been working together for the past 20 years.

"For more than 20 years, we have supported Waitrose with trusted Point of Sale technology, and we remain committed to delivering the high performing, flexible and resilient platform needed to enable great shopping experiences for their customers," says Martyn Osborne, Chief Executive Officer (EMEA, APAC) at Flooid.

Debenhams Group

Debenhams Group, home to PrettyLittleThing, boohoo, boohooMAN, Karen Millen and Debenhams, has partnered with PayPal on an AI driven shopping experience, becoming the first retailer in the UK to enable customers to discover, receive personalised recommendations and check out entirely within the PayPal app.

PayPal is currently testing the AI assistant with select US customers, where it has also been integrated with AI tools such as Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot, with a broader US and UK launch planned later this year.

Shoppers can use an AI assistant within its platform to ask for product suggestions, explore relevant items and browse curated selections from brands including Karen Millen, boohoo and boohooMAN. Customers can then complete their purchase directly within the chat experience, with PayPal automatically using saved account details for home delivery.

Dan Finley, CEO at Debenhams Group, says: "Our goal is to help customers discover and be inspired by new products and brands, while making shopping as easy and enjoyable as possible.”

“This kind of innovation has the potential to fundamentally transform online retail; in a way we haven’t seen since the shift to mobile shopping. We’re proud to be the first UK retailer to partner with PayPal on this experience, bringing a faster, more intuitive way to shop to customers across our brands.”