RTS 2026 doubles down on innovation: our most read retail technology articles from last week
Check out our most clicked retail technology articles from last week, including Currys, Uber Eats, Starship Technologies, Waterstones, Pinterest, Roku, Gap Inc., M&S, Amazon Now, and the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
Currys Group Chief Executive Alex Baldock exits after eight year run at electricals retailer
Currys reports that Alex Baldock is stepping down after eight years as Group Chief Executive, to take on a new external position.
No news as of yet regarding his next move, but RTIH will update this article as soon as we have the details.
In a statement, the omnichannel electricals and technology retailer said: “The board will commence a formal and thorough recruitment process for Alex's successor, considering both internal and external candidates, and will provide an update in due course. During this time, Alex will remain in role, continuing to drive business performance and ensuring a smooth and orderly transition, supported by his leadership team.”
Ian Dyson, Group Chair, said: “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Alex for his exceptional contribution to Currys. During his eight years here, he has achieved a huge amount, transforming the business in the face of some difficult headwinds.”
“We are very well positioned for future success with a strategy that is clearly working, great financial health and a very strong leadership team. On behalf of everyone here, I wish Alex all the best in his future endeavours.”
Retail Technology Show 2026 ramps up focus on innovation as it returns to London ExCel in April
Returning to ExCeL on 22nd and 23 April with a new disco theme, RTS is promising its biggest ever technology showcase, highlighting a hotbed of disruptive innovation from over 450 exhibitors.
Call for entries: RTIH's industry leading retail tech innovation awards opens for submissions
The 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards is now open for entries.
The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world. Our latest winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Key dates for 2026
Friday, 20th February: Awards open for entries
Friday, 2nd October: Awards entry deadline
Tuesday, 6th October: 2026 finalists revealed
Wednesday, 7th October - 20th October: Judging days
Wednesday, 4th November: Winners announced at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London
Uber Eats and Starship delivery robots arrive in Sheffield following roll-out in Leeds last year
Uber Eats and Starship Technologies are launching autonomous robot deliveries to 50,000 households in Sheffield.
This builds on a roll-out in Leeds last year. As part of the launch, Brits will also be able to submit their own 15-30 second long recordings of the track that the robots will play on the delivery to customers, for up to a month.
The nationwide search runs until 30th April, with Uber Eats unveiling the winning track and its composer in May. The composer will bag a cash prize of £3,000 and a year’s supply of Uber Eats credits. Anyone in the UK is encouraged to submit their jingle - including choirs, schools and social clubs - so long as the applying representative is over 18 years old.
"Our robots have been a much loved part of daily life for communities across the UK since 2018: picking up shopping, dropping off essentials, there when people need them. Cutting out the short car trips that add up, our robots have already saved over 500,000 kg of emissions across Europe. We're proud to bring that everyday convenience to 50,000 people in Sheffield, making robot deliveries just another normal part of the day,” says Ahti Heinla, CEO and Co-founder at Starship.
"We’ve already proven that robots are a key part of the future of efficient, high tech delivery," says Merve Basci, General Manager at Uber Eats in the UK. "Now, we want to see if they can hold a tune. This moment is about more than just innovation; it’s about bringing a bit of unexpected joy to our customers’ doorsteps. Whether it’s a power ballad or a catchy hit, we’re letting the nation compose the soundtrack to their next takeaway."
Amazon Now hits Lewisham and Battersea as on demand delivery service continues London expansion
Amazon Now has gone live in Lewisham and Battersea in London. This follows the launch during January of QLD1 - the first Amazon Now on demand delivery site in the UK.
The service lets customers purchase thousands of everyday essentials, such as groceries and personal care items, that will be delivered within minutes. In India, it last year brought ten-minute delivery to Mumbai following launches in Bengaluru and Delhi, with 100+ micro-fulfilment centres operational.
In a LinkedIn post, Elisa Michelin Salomon, Ops Lead, EU Quick Commerce, said: "What an incredible day yesterday (19th March). We went live with two new Amazon Now sites in London. Fresh groceries and everyday essentials can now be delivered in as fast as 30 minutes in Battersea and Lewisham."
"A huge team effort behind the scenes - incredible coordination across multiple teams to successfully launch two sites on the same day. Proud to be part of this journey and excited for what’s next."
M&S purchases 11,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot licences to equip employees with AI and Agentic AI tools
M&S reports that it is giving its store managers and support centre colleagues AI and Agentic AI tools, with the aim of making tasks like accessing data and analysis quicker and simpler, freeing up time to focus on customers and colleagues.
The retailer is purchasing 11,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot licences, supported by a training and development programme. A partnership with Microsoft is supporting the use of AI at scale across the organisation.
M&S CEO Stuart Machin says: “We’re already embedding AI across M&S - supporting stock forecasting and ordering, generating marketing materials, and powering a colleague help hub with AI agents. Now 11,000 colleagues will have AI support at their fingertips, pulling together summaries from multiple sources and giving them the data, analytics and insights they need in seconds.”
“As we reshape M&S for growth, scaling the use of AI is central to our technology transformation and today's announcement is just one of the steps forward on that journey."
Tesco Clubcard, Leon Club, and Pret Perks flagged as UK's favourite retail loyalty schemes
The Retail Loyalty Index (RLI), developed by HyperFinity, in partnership with Bloomreach and Eagle Eye, surveyed 2,200 UK customers of 51 major retailers to identify the UK’s top performing retail loyalty schemes and the revenue impact of customer loyalty.
The research covered nine sectors, including grocery, quick service retail (QSR), coffee, health and beauty, and fashion. Customers were asked to rate two loyalty programmes they actively use by answering questions about satisfaction, how likely they are to recommend the scheme and how it influences their decision to shop with the retailer over any other.
They were then asked questions around seven ‘core revenue drivers’ of customer loyalty. These included: how valued the programme makes them feel, personalisation, ease of use, the appeal of rewards and whether the retailer handles their data securely.
The index found there was a clear ‘power trio’ of revenue drivers, accounting for 53% of total influence on customer loyalty. These were: Better value (18.8% influence) - customers want clear financial returns; Feeling valued (18.5% influence ) - recognition matters as much as rewards; Appealing rewards (16.1% influence) - benefits must be desirable and relevant.
The findings were then analysed to generate an all-in-one revenue indicator score for retailers, coined as the ‘RLI score’. The score out of 10 incorporates customer satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, and influence on choice, as well as how highly each retailer scored for the core revenue drivers.
Overall, the analysis showed that a one point increase in RLI is associated with a 7-8% increase in the likelihood to shop again, therefore generating increased revenue for retailers.
Tesco Clubcard is the nation’s favourite loyalty programme - scoring highly across each of the ‘power trio’ of revenue drivers. Fans describe Clubcard as a “very generous programme with plenty of options to redeem” and as making shopping “extra affordable and easy.”
Customers scored Tesco Clubcard highly for emotional loyalty and frequency, with the highest ‘continue to shop’ score (9.16/10). Leon Club ranked second in the UK, scoring highest for providing value to customers (8.03), how valued customers feel (8.28), and the personalisation of loyalty schemes (8.22). Despite a restructure of store estate following administration, Leon's loyalty programme is going from strength to strength.
The quick service restaurant scored highly in the index for personalisation and how valued customers feel. It also scored highly for satisfaction (8.05) and recommendation (8.28), indicating customers are happy to refer the programme to others. One customer surveyed in the poll commented: “It's quicker and cheaper to build up rewards compared to other schemes."
Also making the top ten were Pret Perks, Sainsbury’s Nectar, Itsu Rewards, Wickes Trade Pro, Gregg Rewards, JD Status, Sweaty Betty Insiders, and Hamleys Rewards Points.
Luqmaan Musa departs Selfridges to take on Head of IT Service Delivery position at Waterstones
Luqmaan Musa has joined Waterstones as Head of IT Service Delivery. He was previously at Selfridges where he served as Head of IT Service Operations.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “After an incredibly fulfilling four years at Selfridges, I’m excited to share that I’ve begun a new chapter. I’m delighted to have joined another iconic British retailer, Waterstones, as Head of IT Service Delivery.”
“This is an exciting transformational role focused on modernising the service and operations landscape, and I’m looking forward to leading this work and contributing to the next stage of the organisation’s tech evolution.”
He added: “I’m grateful for my time at Selfridges, for the opportunities, experiences, and relationships that shaped my journey there, and for everyone who has supported me along the way.”
Gap Inc. looks to push how AI technology can elevate its customers' online shopping experience
Gap Inc., the parent company of Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, has introduced two new AI technologies designed to boost the online shopping experience for its customers.
Built on Google Cloud data, these are personalised fit guidance from Bold Metrics’ Agent Sizing Protocol and support for Google’s new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), in a bid to enable more seamless conversational and agentic commerce experiences.
“We are not pursuing AI for novelty,” says Sven Gerjets, Chief Technology Officer, Gap Inc. “These partnerships are about solving real customer problems - helping shoppers feel confident about fit and making it easier to complete a purchase. They also reflect the holistic AI strategy we’ve built to scale intelligence across the enterprise in a disciplined way that drives measurable value over time.”
Pinterest teams with creators as it announces launch of first shoppable TV series on Roku
Pinterest has launched its first shoppable TV series on Roku. A new series, Bring My Pinterest to Life, turns users’ inspiration boards into real-life makeovers, while integrating QR enabled shopping experiences that allow viewers to instantly explore and purchase featured products.
Produced in partnership with B17 Entertainment, the six-episode series follows creators Drew Michael Scott (@lonefoxhome), Caroline Vazzana (@cvazzana), and Tay BeepBoop Nakamoto (@taybeepboop) as they help participants bring their Pinterest boards to life - from room redesigns and wardrobe updates to gathering spaces and small business concepts.
Each episode features on screen QR codes linking to curated Pinterest boards. Viewers can save ideas, explore inspiration and shop featured items from brand partners including Wayfair and eos.
“It’s an entirely new way to move from inspiration to action, right from your living room,” says Nadine Zylstra, Pinterest’s Global Head of Editorial. “Bring My Pinterest to Life offers Pinterest fans and newcomers an exciting opportunity to see what’s possible, while giving advertisers innovative ways to partner with us and reach viewers at home and beyond our app.”
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