Tackling food waste and embraching RFID: presenting 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 Morrisons Daily, Gander, Just Eat, Starship Technologies, JD Sports Fashion, Checkpoint Systems, MediaMarktSaturn, Gap, Lidl Ireland, Maple Group, and Gander.

Morrisons Daily

Gander, a food waste reduction platform, has been approved as a supplier for Morrisons Daily.

This enables the retailer to use Gander’s technology to sell surplus and short-dated food via the firm’s app, helping to reduce waste and provide local shoppers with access to discounted food.

Gander will integrate via the EPoS providers Morrisons Daily works with. Reduced items are automatically uploaded to the app in real-time. 

Ian Bacon, Head of Convenience Sales at Gander, says: “Being approved as a supplier for Morrisons Daily is an important step for Gander. Retailers are looking for practical solutions that work in the real world. This gives them access to a proven platform that reduces waste, supports profitability and delivers value back into their local communities.” 

Raj Takhar at Morrisons Daily says: “We are pleased to approve Gander as a supplier for Morrisons Daily franchisees, giving them access to an additional tool to help reduce food waste while supporting their local customers. Food waste reduction remains a key focus for our retailers. Solutions like Gander offer a practical way to improve margin recovery while supporting our wider sustainability ambitions.”

Gander already works with a number of Morrisons Daily independent retailers including E C Ashton & Son, Freedom Convenience and Newhaven, as well as ‘Together With Morrisons’ retailers Filco, Warners & Chiltern stores.

Kwik Fit

American Express and Kwik Fit have signed a agreement meaning Amex is now accepted as a payment method both in-person and online at the UK car servicing and repair firm. 

Dan Edelman, UK General Manager, Merchant Services at American Express, says: “We are committed to ensuring our Cardmembers can use their card wherever they live, work and travel. We’re delighted that American Express is now accepted by Kwik Fit, a highly respected brand and a staple of many town centres across the UK. This agreement reinforces our strong merchant coverage nationwide, which has tripled since 2021.”   

Dan Joyce, Retail Operations Director at Kwik Fit, says: “Our aim is to deliver peace of mind and convenience for our customers, whether that’s through having the largest stock and range of tyres, an extensive portfolio of services, the greatest availability of MOT slots or centres in the most accessible locations.”

“Allied to all those factors are our expertise and commitment to customer experience and safety. Accepting Amex is another way we can meet our customers’ needs, whether they are in centre or booking online.” 

True Beauty Lashes

Perfect Corp. has announced a partnership with True Beauty Lashes to power LashLovr, a personalised lash matching and virtual try-on experience.

This  leverages Perfect Corp.’s Virtual Try-On and Face Analyser APIs to allow shoppers to visually preview their recommended lashes in real-time, directly on their face, before purchasing.

“LashLovr represents a shift in how beauty should be experienced. Instead of forcing customers to adapt to products, we built a system that adapts to them,” says Lisa Stroud, Founder at True Beauty Lashes.

“We empower shoppers to understand their eye shape and how different lash styles interact with their features, then bring that knowledge to life through visualisation powered by Perfect Corp.’s virtual try-on technology. Together, this creates a seamless way to shop for lashes and sets a new standard of personalisation within the beauty industry.”

Roy Rogers Restaurants

Roy Rogers Restaurants, a US-based quick service restaurant brand, has selected Qu as its technology partner as it looks to modernise its ordering and kitchen operations systemwide.

“We needed technology that supports how our restaurants actually operate day to day,” says John Giffin, Director of Marketing at Roy Rogers Restaurants. “As we build momentum with new openings and continued reinvestment across the system, it was important to put a modern foundation in place to improve reliability today while positioning us for expansion in the years ahead.”

As Roy Rogers invests in both new and existing restaurants, its leadership identified legacy PoS and kitchen infrastructure as a growing constraint on operational flexibility, service speed, and systemwide visibility.

Rather than layering new tools onto an outdated foundation, it chose to replace its core ordering and fulfillment systems with a unified platform designed to keep pace with the pressures of today’s complex and high volume quick service environment.

Gringo’s Tex-Mex and Jimmy Changas

Ziosk has announced a partnership with Gringo’s Tex-Mex and its sister concept Jimmy Changas, casual dining brands rooted in Texas. The tie up includes the roll-out of Drop & Pay, a handheld payment solution, to all Gringo’s Tex-Mex and Jimmy Changas locations.

“We were looking for a platform that could offer our guests secure payments at the table while saving us money on unnecessary fees,” says Heather McKeon, COO at Gringo’s Tex-Mex.

“Originally, we thought Ziosk was only a tabletop platform, but this handheld payment solution is tailored perfectly to significantly improve service efficiency while catering to our guests' needs. With Drop & Pay, our guests can pay at their convenience, sign in for their loyalty and rewards, and leave us direct feedback. The results have been positive, and we’ve seen high adoption by team members and guests very quickly.”

JD Sports Fashion

Checkpoint Systems has signed a multi‑year global agreement with JD Sports Fashion to deploy its ItemOptix RFID inventory management software across the retailer’s Sports Fashion Group stores, starting in Europe.

The tie up began with a pilot in the second half of 2024 in the UK, France and Spain across five stores and has scaled into a full SaaS roll-out. The initial phase will see more than 400 stores go live by the end of the year in the UK and Ireland, with the deployment expanding across Europe to reach nearly 1,000 stores by the end of 2026.

In parallel, Checkpoint’s DC tunnel solutions are now operational in JD Sports’ UK distribution centre, with installation at the Netherlands DC scheduled imminently.

Dan McGrath, JD Group Head of Customer Operations, says, “We are very excited to take our partnership with Checkpoint to the next level over the coming months and years ahead, and we thank them for their support and for everyone’s efforts to date as we start our RFID journey.”

“We are forming a partnership to span many years, and that needs to start on the right footing, and I firmly believe we have created that between us. Both sides have worked tirelessly and in very short timelines to get us to where we are today.”

Uber

Uber Technologies and Manna have announced a partnership that will see Uber’s first European launch of drone deliveries.

Going live first in Ireland, the service integrates Manna’s autonomous drone delivery system with Uber’s platform and logistics experience. The pair are aiming to expand this into more European cities going forward.

“Autonomous technology is shaping the future of delivery, whether it’s on the streets or in the skies. By combining Uber’s scale with Manna’s proven aerial expertise, we’re bringing fast, efficient and sustainable delivery to consumers and merchants alike. We’re proud to launch in Europe and excited to introduce this technology to more Uber Eats customers over time,” says an Uber spokesperson.

“This partnership with Uber marks a defining moment for drone delivery,” says Eoghan Huston Chief Operating Officer at Manna Air Delivery.

“Over the past seven years, we’ve proven that autonomous aerial logistics can operate safely, reliably and at scale in real communities. Integrating with Uber’s global platform allows us to bring that capability to more consumers, merchants and independent retailers, accelerating the shift toward faster, cleaner last-mile delivery. Our focus remains simple: build the safest, fastest and most sustainable delivery infrastructure in the world.”

Just Eat

A new Starship Technologies and Just Eat partnership will see the former’s autonomous robots delivering hot food for local takeaways. The first service under this tie up will be in Sunderland, the home of Just Eat’s operations in the North East. 

Customers will have the option to select Starship deliveries through the Just Eat app. The companies say the service will grow in line with demand, and that the partnership will soon expand to other locations across the country.

Mert Öztekin, Chief Technology Officer at Just Eat, says: “We’re always innovating to improve the delivery experience for our customers and we’re excited to have kick-started our ground robotics trial in the North East with Starship. We’ve teamed up with a diverse range of local independent restaurants to trial the Starship robots and we’ll be listening to their feedback closely, as well as that of our customers.”

Lakeside Shopping Centre

Lakeside Shopping Centre has deployed Living Map, an interactive wayfinding and indoor mapping platform.

Shoppers can instantly load the map to their phone by scanning a QR code from a kiosk, giving them access to clear, accessible, stair free routes throughout their journey.

For staff, Living Map offers a way to update information through its Map Management System. Changes publish instantly across kiosks and mobile, reducing the need for printed materials and supporting Lakeside’s sustainability goals. The platform also captures data on visitor movement and usage trends.

Rob Jewell, Managing Director, Asset Management at Pradera Lateral, says: “Our digital strategy is a core part of Lakeside’s wider vision to deliver excellence at every touchpoint of our guest’s journeys.”

“By investing in intuitive, accessible technology, we’re not only improving how people experience the centre but also supporting more efficient operations and more sustainable ways of working. This is about setting a new standard for how a modern retail and leisure destination serves its guests, both now and in the future.”

7‑Eleven Philippines

NCR Voyix has announced a new customer win with 7‑Eleven Philippines. The retailer has selected Voyix PoS delivered on the Voyix Commerce Platform to upgrade store technology and improve the shopper experience across more than 4,500 locations. This marks the first engagement between the two companies.

It has also enlisted NCR Voyix for both professional and managed services.

“Improving store operations, enhancing deployment efficiency and strengthening security and compliance are critical priorities for our business,” says Richard Lee, President, 7‑Eleven Philippines. “NCR Voyix demonstrated a strong understanding of our needs and how its platform can help us introduce improvements at scale and serve customers better across our network.”

SPAR International

SOLUM and SPAR International have extended their agreement as preferred supplier for electronic shelf labels (ESL) and digital signage.

SPAR International’s preferred supplier programme is designed to help SPAR licensed organisations worldwide evaluate and adopt trusted, competitive solutions more efficiently.

SOLUM can supply them with ESL and E-Paper solutions, including the latest Newton Core+ and Newton E-Paper 32” Series, alongside digital signage tailored to different store environments and use cases.

“This selection is intended to support SPAR licensed organisations in more easily assessing and adopting proven digital solutions,” says Tom Rose, Head of International Operations at SPAR International. “By working with partners that can provide consistent quality and support, we aim to help strengthen digital capabilities across different market environments.”

Munro Footwear Group

Munro Footwear Group (MFG) has gone live with Fluent Order Management, providing the retailer with inventory management and fulfillment to support over 240 of its stores, digital commerce, and distribution centres.   

This is part of the company’s ongoing investment in technology and innovation. It includes the roll-out of a new national Point of Sale solution in 2023 and the creation of a distribution centre in 2022.

Munro Footwear CEO, Jay Munro, says: “Our investment in this platform is part of our ambitious transformation agenda, which seeks to find efficiencies and enhance the customer experience by drawing on the most innovative technology in the market.”

“Fluent Commerce and Amblique have an excellent reputation for delivering real value to retailers, and we look forward to seeing the benefits this distributed order management system brings.”

MediaMarktSaturn

Nuvei is working with MediaMarktSaturn to support online marketplace payments across its European markets.

The partnership enables localised payment experiences for customers and sellers across Europe.

“For large online marketplaces, payments are not just a transaction layer, they are a growth enabler,” says Phil Fayer, Chair and CEO at Nuvei. “MediaMarktSaturn operates at significant scale across a highly-fragmented European payments landscape. Our ability to support local payment preferences across markets, combined with our international reach, service model, and strong focus on complex B2B commerce, made Nuvei a natural partner for their online marketplace strategy.”

Nuvei offers various local payment methods (LPMs), including global wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and European methods such as Klarna, Wero, BLIK, and Bizum.

Gap

Gap has launched a new membership programme, Encore, running across its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta brands.

With nearly 40 million active members, this is now live in the US, with enrolment available online and in stores.

Members can unlock: Early access to select products and exclusive drops; Members only cultural moments and partner offerings; Curated behind the scenes content. They can also donate rewards to select charitable organisations.

“Fashion is entertainment, and today’s customers aren’t just buying apparel, they’re buying into brands that shape culture and tell compelling stories,” says Richard Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer at Gap.

“Encore connects our brands and partnerships in new ways to meet that demand and change how customers engage with our brands. By bringing fashion, entertainment and access together, we are building momentum, deepening relationships and creating long-term value across our portfolio.”

“Encore is a powerful new tool to bring our Fashiontainment platform to life,” says Pam Kaufman, Chief Entertainment Officer at Gap. “Through partners like Disney, NBCUniversal and AMC Theatres, we can translate what people love on screens and stages into experiences they can actually access - from early drops and exclusives to cultural moments you can’t get anywhere else. It’s a new way to participate in entertainment through style, and to feel closer to our brands.”

Maple Group

Irish retail group Maple Group has become the first in the Republic of Ireland to use AI powered technology from Gander across its estate to tackle food waste.

It piloted the integration in January 2025, going live simultaneously across all seven stores in Donegal. And it has now committed to a full contract until the end of 2026.

Through integration with its Station Master EPoS, back office and handheld systems, reduced price products are instantly visible to shoppers via Gander in real-time. During the pilot, Maple Group increased its sell-through rate of reduced products from 30% in March to 57% by October, saving almost 60% of reduced-to-clear food from going to waste.

The initiative has also helped the group recover an additional €13,000 in 2025 while keeping perfectly good food in the food chain.

“This pilot has been transformative for our business,” says Arthur McMahon, Managing Director at Maple Group. “From a purely operational perspective, we have further reduced food waste across all seven stores by more than 27 per cent, while the recovery of value has exceeded €13,000 in less than ten months. 

“The integration of AI technology has allowed us to optimise stock visibility and drive measurable improvements in efficiency, all without impacting our daily store operations. These results confirm that sustainability and commercial performance can go hand in hand, and we are proud to be leading the way in Ireland.”

Berrang Group

Exotec has implemented its Skypod robotic system at the new Ingersheim (Baden-Württemberg) warehouse of the Berrang Group, a European wholesaler in the mechanical fastening technology space.

This is managing more than 23,000 bins and 7,000 trays at a rack height of 12 metres, delivering 137 bin movements per hour to support strict just-in-time requirements across automotive, optoelectronics, medical technology and mechanical engineering supply chains.

"The Skypod system is highly flexible and ideal for our just-in-time delivery requirements at Berrang, where every single minute matters," says Andreas Essewein, Project Manager for Logistics and Operations Planning at Berrang. "The strong support from Exotec has been extremely helpful during implementation and is already paying off as our warehouse operations have become more efficient."

Lidl Ireland

Lidl Ireland is celebrating a self-checkout technology milestone. In a LinkedIn post, it said: “We are thrilled to announce a major milestone in our mission to provide the best shopping experience in Ireland: our 100th store (Lidl Fonthill) has officially gone live with self-checkout (SCO) technology.”

It added: “We’re investing €10.7 million to modernise how you shop. But this isn't just about new screens - it's about giving you time back. Our data shows that using SCO is 55% faster, and since rolling them out, customer satisfaction has jumped by 9%.”

It is also investing €2.7 million to upgrade traditional manual tills. New till furniture featuring extended belts and dual packing areas is being rolled out across the country. These provide customers with more space to pack their groceries comfortably, while allowing store assistants to begin serving the next customer immediately.

Lidl Ireland concluded: “A huge shoutout to our project and store teams for making this rapid roll-out possible while continuing to deliver the best service for our customers.”

The retailer made its debut in the Irish grocery market in 2000, and now has over 5,000 colleagues across 190 sites in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Hashgraph Group

The Hashgraph Group (THG), a Swiss-based Web3 and AI technology engineering company operating within the Hedera ecosystem, has announced the launch of TrackTrace, a solution focused on real-time tracking of products from origin, ethical sourcing, and carbon emissions data.

TrackTrace enables the certification of product authenticity and immutable data audit trails, while providing end-to-end transparency and traceability through cryptographically verified decentralized identifiers (DIDs). The platform creates verifiable audit trails of product specific data, sustainability credentials, durability, reparability, and various other product data, while applying agentic AI for workflow automation and compliant DPP reporting.

TrackTrace enables the linkage between physical events and digital records in a tamper-proof environment by integrating THG’s IDTrust product to provide decentralized identity and verifiable credentials, with digital executable business processes and immutable data audit trails anchored on Hedera, which is governed by a council of global organisations such as Dell, Deutsche Telecom, EDF, FedEx, Google, Hitachi, IBM, Mondelēz, and Standard Bank.

GoWit and Publicis Media Middle East

AdTech specialist, GoWit, and Publicis Media Middle East, part of the French multinational advertising and communications holding company Publicis Groupe, have announced a commerce and retail media partnership across MENA and Turkey.

The tie up brings together GoWit’s AI first retail media technology, GoWit One, with Publicis Media’s regional scale, advertiser demand, and expertise.

Tony Wazen, CEO, Publicis Media Middle East, says: “Retail media in MENA and Türkiye is entering a more mature phase, where long-term value will depend not only on technology, but also on strong operating models, governance, and execution discipline. Our partnership with GoWit reflects our focus on helping build a more structured and scalable environment for brands and retailers across the region”.

Emrah Adsan, Co-Founder and CEO at GoWit, says: “This partnership brings together world class demand and next-gen retail media technology. Together with Publicis Media, we’re building a truly unified and intelligent retail media ecosystem for MENA and Turkey.”

“This collaboration reflects our ambition to lead the evolution of commerce and retail media across high growth markets,” adds Mazen Mroueh, Head of Retail Media & Partnerships at Publicis Media.

“By combining advanced AI powered technology with our regional scale and commercial expertise, we are enabling retailers to unlock new revenue streams and empowering brands to drive measurable growth. It is a strategic step toward building a more consolidated, connected, and sustainable Retail Media ecosystem across MENA.”

James Hall & Co.

James Hall & Co., a family owned business and primary retailer, wholesaler, and distributor for SPAR across the North of England, has selected RELEX Solutions to upgrade forecasting and replenishment across its operations.

The project includes planning for the company’s single SPAR distribution centre based in Preston, Lancashire, and both its company owned stores division and independently owned SPAR stores across ambient, fresh, and frozen categories.

“As our business continues to grow, we need systems that help our teams work efficiently while supporting excellent service for our retailers,” says Niels Dekkers, Joint Managing Director at James Hall & Co. “RELEX brings proven experience across the SPAR network, and we look forward to working together on a roadmap that strengthens our supply chain.”

Vinted Go

Post-purchase and returns network, ZigZag, has announced a partnership with Vinted Go, the logistics branch of Vinted Group.

With Vinted Go now live in its carrier library, ZigZag is expanding its European footprint and enabling retail clients to offer shoppers access to more than 14,000 out-of-home (OOH) drop-off points across France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal.

Gavin Sarjeant, Head of Network Development at ZigZag, says: “Vinted Go is an ideal option for our retailers. As more and more retailers start charging for returns, consumers will expect more from the experience.”

“That means hassle free, local options that they can use on the way to the shops, work or school. By connecting retailers to Vinted Go’s extensive parcel locker and parcel shop network, we can offer more convenient return options that meet the expectations of modern consumers and help retailers operate more efficiently.”

Nerijus Mazėtis, Director of Product at Vinted Go, says: “We are delighted to partner with ZigZag to open up Vinted Go’s out-of-home network of parcel lockers and parcel shops to retailers using the ZigZag platform. We share a strong commitment to reducing the impact of logistics, and this partnership enables fast and cost-efficient returns across our network. The ZigZag team has been great to work with, and the integration has been seamless.”

Relay

Relay, a global travel essentials brand owned by Lagardère Travel Retail, has worked with Vusion on the launch of its first store in Australia.

In a LinkedIn post, Hiva Hoss, Country Manager ANZ at Vusion, said: “This week, the team at Relay, the global travel retail experts, successfully deployed their first store in Australia at Sydney Airport, Terminal 2 (Jetstar), powered by Vusion electronic shelf labels.”

He added: “Leveraging existing HPE Aruba Networking access points and VusionCloud, the roll-out delivers: Significantly reduced staff overhead for ticketing now being redirected to merchandising and customer service; Real‑time, fully synchronised pricing with instant, reactive promotions; 100% price accuracy at shelf. A fantastic milestone and a smooth deployment from start to finish.”

Clarins

Clarins has launched AI Shade Finder, an in-store service that integrates an AI driven make-up recommendation engine to assist customers and employees.

This has been developed in collaboration with IlluminateAI, a Silicon Valley startup. Instead of relying on a single photo, the system captures a rapid sequence of images while changing a smartphone screen's light.

By analysing how light reflects on the skin, the algorithm can precisely identify skin tone, undertone and overall colorimetry, those involved claim. The servcie is available exclusively in Clarins boutiques and counters.

"It's like turning a smartphone into a scientific reader of skin colour," says Konrad Jarausch, Founder and CEO at IlluminateAI. "The technology quantifies pigmentation and undertones with a level of precision that was previously impossible in-store with a smartphone. It's ten years of make-up expertise, now accessible through a simple face scan."

"The AI Shade Finder enables us to put AI and beauty tech at the service of our ambitious strategy of accelerating in makeup,” says Jonathan Zrihen, President and CEO at Clarins "We are proud to offer an innovation built with and for our clients."

Amazon

Amazon might have ditched its Amazon Go and Fresh physical stores experiment, but it continues to make progress with its Just Walk Out technology in the higher education space.

In a LinkedIn post, Vic Nowak, CEO at Craft Construction Company, said: "We’re excited to announce the opening of our first autonomous Grab & Go store at the Bren Events Center at the University of California, Irvine."

"Powered by Amazon Just Walk Out technology - the pioneer of the “Grab & Go” model used in Amazon Go stores - this location delivers a truly frictionless retail experience."

He added: "Students, families, and staff can now simply: Grab a drink; Pick up a snack; Walk out. No lines. No checkout. Just speed and convenience. Speed of service doesn’t get much better than this. Proud of the team that brought this to life and grateful for the partnership that made it possible. Looking forward to seeing this technology continue to enhance the guest experience at high traffic venues."