Binning barcodes and embracing AI: presenting last week’s biggest retail technology plays at a glance

RTIH rounds up the stand out retail technology deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Tesco, Amazon, DressX, Nike, Dairy Queen, Ann Summers, Lidl GB, The Fresh Market, Iceland Foods, atis, The Range, Zippin, Manchester United, Bensons for Beds, and Bauhaus.

Tesco

Tesco has replaced traditional barcodes with QR codes on 13 of its own brand sausage products.

Whilst shoppers will continue to checkout as usual, they can now access detailed product information by scanning the QR codes with their smartphones.

Tesco Development and Change Director Peter Draper says: “For customers, this is a tiny and almost invisible change at the checkout, but for the retail industry it’s a significant step forward. Moving to QR codes will help us reduce food waste, improve stock control and unlock new digital benefits for our customers.”

He adds: “Customers will continue to shop and pay in exactly the same way, but they’ll have the option to access far richer information about the products they buy simply by using their smartphones. Over time, this opens up exciting possibilities, such as personalised digital tools to help customers manage the food they buy and reduce waste at home.”

Amazon and DressX

Amazon and DressX have announced a partnership in which people will be able to purchase virtual clothing items on the former’s site, then redeem a code to wear and use them inside Fashion Rivals, DressX's Meta Horizon experience.

This is the first time virtual clothing has been available for sale on Amazon.

In a LinkedIn post, DressX said: “Users can explore and shop aura effects on Amazon, then seamlessly bring them into the game to style their avatars. Exclusive collection is live! This marks an important step in expanding how virtual fashion is discovered and experienced across platforms, bridging commerce and gameplay.”

You can explore the collection here.

Nike

Nike has launched a new interactive activation at the JD flagship store on Oxford Street in London, introducing an AR mirror experience inspired by sneaker culture and experimental design. The installation is developed in collaboration with LOOOK.AI, a smart mirror platform created by FFFACE.ME.

This draws inspiration from sneaker-based mask concepts created by the creative community Bubble Koppe, translating well known footwear design elements into wearable digital visuals. Installed inside the JD flagship store, the smart mirror transforms visitors’ reflections in real-time, allowing them to virtually try on expressive AR masks derived from Nike sneaker aesthetics.

Users can explore multiple mask variations inspired by different colourways, capture photos and interact with the installation as part of the in-store environment. According to those involved, “the activation merges sneaker culture, digital identity and retail technology into a participatory experience rather than a static display.”

Dairy Queen

American Dairy Queen Corporation has partnered with Presto on voice AI, with an initial focus on the drive-thru. The company has tested the technology in its corporate stores and is now expanding the pilot to select franchisees around the US.

“We’re committed to delivering an exceptional experience to our fans and our staff, and we believe Presto can help us delight them even more. Presto has been an excellent partner and our initial results using their AI look quite promising,” says Kevin Baartman, EVP of IT at Dairy Queen.

“With Presto’s AI, we can enable our staff to focus on high value tasks that ultimately benefit our fans, with a friendly experience, and high order accuracy. We look forward to working with select franchisee partners as we expand our engagement.”

SOLUM and Gander

SOLUM, a retail technology solutions provider, and Gander, a food waste reduction tech specialist, have announced a partnership that aims to help grocery retailers simplify markdowns on short-dated products.

The tie up brings together Gander’s expiry-based pricing intelligence with SOLUM’s Newton electronic shelf labels (ESLs) and Aims SaaS platform.

The integrated solution will be unveiled this week at Retail Technology Show 2026 (RTS) in London, showcasing how retailers can bring together expiry driven pricing decisions and real‑time shelf‑edge updates within day‑to‑day retail operations.

Gander’s technology identifies short‑dated products and automatically applies optimised, rule‑based markdowns based on retailer defined parameters. It also gives retailers clear visibility of waste performance, compliance, and sell‑through rates, while promoting reduced‑to‑clear products across multiple consumer facing channels to help accelerate demand.

Ann Summers

Ann Summers, a UK lingerie, underwear and bedroom toys retailer, reports a 42% reduction in personal safety incidents during a trial of body worn cameras across three flagship stores. The Reveal Media camera technology will now be rolled out to further high risk stores.

The eight-week trial occurred at stores in Edinburgh Princess Street, London Oxford Street and Nottingham city centre. Edinburgh reported zero police attended incidents during the trial period, and recorded its quietest Fringe season on record in terms of incidents.

The body worn cameras also received zero complaints from customers in the trial.

Ann Summers introduced the cameras in response to increasing concerns around staff safety. Many of its stores are staffed by women, including colleagues in early supervisory roles, who were increasingly encountering aggression, intimidation and people under the influence of alcohol or other substances during their work day.

Tottenham Hotspur FC

Tottenham Hotspur FC this week launched two apps and a new website for both the club and its stadium. And it also make a bold claim: namely, that it is now offering the best digital experience in world football.

In a LInkedIn post, Rob Pickering, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, said: “That’s not marketing spin, or me talking my own book (ok, maybe a little bit) - the world class UX, feature rich delivery and connected nature of these apps backs it up - with more still to come through June as we get ready for the new season.”

He added: “We’ve split our single app into two. The new club app covers everything Spurs - news, content, ticketing, fully integrated SpursPlay, Overseas Supporter Club integration and a personalised experience built around what you care about.”

“The stadium app is your match day companion - digital wayfinding from the street to your seat (powered by Situm Indoor Positioning), robotic fan cameras to take match day selfies from your seat (powered by AMPLIFiCAM), integrated ticketing with Ticketmaster and a bunch of other capabilities that push us further towards our goal of being a 365-days-a-year destination.”

Bauhaus

Bauhaus has announced plans to fulfil e-commerce orders from its stores across the Nordics.

To do this, it is working with nShift which provides a delivery management platform enabling every store in the region to act as a local shipping point for online orders. 

The deal follows a pilot deployment fulfilling 200,000 orders using nShift Delivery. Building on that, Bauhaus now expects the solution to support around 750,000 shipments from online orders in 2026. In the process, nshift will provide the foundation for aligning its e-commerce and in-store experience. 

Hakan Asp, Logistics Development Manager at Bauhaus, says: “Our ambition is to significantly grow our online presence in the Nordics, giving customers the same experience online as they receive in-store. During the pilot phase, nShift surpassed expectations while the implementation proved to be simple and fast. nShift’s speed and scalability has given us the confidence to expand the partnership to cover three quarters of a million shipments annually.” 

Henkel

Henkel, in partnership with WPP Media, has launched a new retail media strategy for its Bloo toilet cleaning brand.

Harnessing shopper data from UK retailers, the campaign features messages personalised to shopper needs across a media mix that includes on-site retail display banners, AV, proximity digital out-of-home (DOOH), online video, social, ITV and retailer owned platforms.

This is complemented by accompanying in-store assets for an omnichannel experience, developed by Henkel’s creative agency, Savvy. It kicks off with Bloo’s ‘Power Active’ range.

The Fresh Market

US grocery retailer The Fresh Market has announced a revamped loyalty programme and a newly redesigned mobile app as part of the company’s digital experience strategy.

It is relaunchning its loyalty programme under a new name, TFM Rewards. Shoppers can access their TFM Rewards profile through its first native mobile app, as well as the The Fresh Market website.

According to Chief Marketing Officer Emily Turner, the aim is to better meet guests’ expectations across both digital and in-store experiences.

“We are always challenging ourselves to do more for our guests,” Turner says. “TFM Rewards was redesigned to provide our loyal guests with more value, more personalisation and more engagement, making it easier than ever to shop at The Fresh Market. And with our new app, we’re giving both members and guests a more complete experience, with easy access to more deals, special offers and the engaging content that sets us apart.”

She adds: “Everything we do begins with our guests and our promise to make everyday eating extraordinary. These digital enhancements reflect that promise, helping us serve, support and celebrate our guests in new and thoughtful ways.”

Marks and Spencer

M&S has launched a new look Sparks loyalty programme, with the retailer taking onboard feedback from thousands of customers who called for a more rewarding, personalised experience.

At the heart of this move is a new digital Sparks wallet where customers earn money rewards to spend across any part of M&S - from Food and Fashion to Home and Beauty. For the first time, the retailer will use a suite of AI and data capabilities to power Sparks including machine learning, and generative AI models coming soon after, that promise to deliver even more personalised offers and rewards.

Colleagues have also played a big role helping shape and refine the new Sparks experience with everyone given the opportunity to take part in a beta test for several weeks ahead of the launch.

M&S CEO Stuart Machin says: “Customers told us they want Sparks to be simple, rewarding and personalised, and we listened. New Sparks is built around a much more personalised experience, no tricksy pricing and real money rewards to thank our customers for shopping with us.”

“A stronger Sparks is another step forward on our journey as we invest for future growth. Powered by new and transformed data and AI capabilities, a new Sparks helps us get even closer to customers and deliver an even better M&S experience.”  

Best Home Furnishings

Wonder Suite has partnered with 3D Cloud with the aim of making it easier for customers to shop in stores for customised furniture.

The tie up with 3D Cloud, an AI powered platform for 3D product visualisation and configuration, will allow people to personalise furniture selections in real-time. Shoppers can choose fabrics, colours, sizes, viewing their customised pieces in interactive 3D. They also can explore configurable items alongside all other items without having to bounce between platforms.

“When you’re choosing between hundreds of fabric swatches and multiple configuration options, it’s hard to picture the final result,” says Kaspar Fopp, CEO at Wonder. “While configurators existed on websites, they weren’t integrated into the in-store experience. Guests end up with a configcured item on a website cart, separated from everything else. This disconnected experience made the configurable furniture feel like a foreign object in the sales process.”

Best Home Furnishings is the brand launch partner and is set to unveil the tool with its full catalogue next month.

“This isn’t just about cool technology; it’s about solving problems that cost retailers sales as well as eliminating customer frustration,” says Brian Lange, President at Best Home Furnishings, adding, “When it’s truly integrated into the in-store shopping journey, for our retail partners this becomes the difference between browsing and buying.”

Lidl GB

Neighbourly has launched a new tool, Pulse, with Lidl GB as the first retailer to use it.

Pulse is designed to help organisations understand hyper-local community need, plan meaningful interventions and, where appropriate, evidence delivery as part of public sector procurement. Lidl GB is using it to help better understand local community need and inform how it directs support through its localised giving partnership with Neighbourly.

Developed with the UK’s Procurement Act 2023 in mind, Pulse allows users to analyse deprivation and community need data, identify where support is most needed and connect directly with trusted local charities and good causes to deliver activity in the exact communities where it will have the greatest impact.

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, says: “Pulse marks a real step forward for Neighbourly. As procurement and planning expectations evolve, organisations need to demonstrate not just that they want to do good, but that they’re doing it in an informed, considered and authentic way that meets community needs and stands up to scrutiny. Pulse gives them the insight and practical routes to deliver meaningful impact that’s both credible and efficient.”

Georgina Hall, Director of Corporate Affairs at Lidl GB, says: "We’ve always been committed to ensuring that our support reaches the heart of the communities we serve. Being the first retailer to integrate Neighbourly’s Pulse tool is a significant step forward in making our social impact as targeted and effective as possible. By leveraging hyper-local data, we can move beyond broad commitments to deliver precision-led support directly to the areas that need it most."

Amazon

Amazon is continuing its roll-out of the newest generation of Amazon Dash Carts at Whole Foods Market stores in the US.

In a LinkedIn post, Leandro Balbinot, CTO and Head of Supply Chain at Amazon Grocery/Whole Foods, said: “If you are around downtown Austin, come to our Lamar location and check them out! While the skip the line checkout gets attention, the great experience is how Dash Cart keeps you informed throughout your shop.”

“You see your running total update in real-time as items go in or out of your cart, making it effortless to track your basket. The design philosophy? Don't eliminate interaction - enhance it by putting the right information at your fingertips exactly when you need it.”

He concluded: “This newest generation incorporates significant enhancements and new features specifically requested by customers for an even better in-store grocery shopping experience.”

Tesco

Adobe and Tesco have announced an AI partnership that aims to improve the shopping experience for customers with personalised prompts that offer individual recommendations, ideas and deals.

This includes a Tesco x Adobe Innovation Lab which will see the latter’s engineers working alongside the former’s personalisation and AI teams.

With more than 24 million Clubcard households, Tesco has established one of the largest loyalty and reward schemes in UK retail, with millions of customers receiving offers, product recommendations and recipe ideas.

Through its partnership with Adobe, it aims to accelerate personal engagement and improve the service it offers customers. Using technology like Adobe’s agentic AI capabilities and Adobe Firefly Foundry, Tesco’s personalisation and AI teams will be able to use its customer intelligence responsibly to help it to better anticipate customers’ needs, in order to serve up personalised content, offers and experiences across its digital channels.

Durham Brands

Durham Brands (DBA Gimme Beauty), a hair accessory company in the US, has deployed the Infios Warehouse Management solution.

Following the implementation, it reports that it exceeded its December peak forecast by 170% - the largest month in company history - while nearly doubling throughput from 10,000 to 19,000 cases per FTE without adding labour. It also achieved 98.5% inventory accuracy and recorded zero audit errors for the first time ever. 

“This strategic move was more than a system upgrade, it was a meaningful shift in how we operate. We scaled through our biggest volume surge in company history without adding labour, and we improved accuracy and created opportunities to promote from within. The impact continues to compound across the business,” says Jeff Durham, CEO at Durham Brands.

Iceland Foods

UK frozen food and grocery retailer, Iceland Foods, says it is boosting the way it manages inventory and replenishment with the help of invent.ai.

The move addresses the challenge of keeping thousands of SKUs consistently available across a nationwide network of stores and distribution centres. By leveraging invent.ai’s AI powered platform, Iceland can now turn complex sales, supply and demand data into real-time operational actions at scale, ensuring that the right products are in the right place at the right time.

The platform factors in seasonal demand, promotions, new product launches and one off anomalies. It automates replenishment decisions, with the aim of providing operational teams with optimised stock recommendations that reduce waste, minimising stockouts and maximising sales opportunities.

“AI is giving us the visibility and control we’ve never had before,” says Matt Downes, Supply Chain Director at Iceland Foods. “We can now keep shelves consistently stocked with the products our customers want, reduce lost sales and improve the overall shopping experience across every store and distribution centre.”

Ocado Intelligent Automation

Ocado Intelligent Automation has released Ocado IQ cloud-based software with new capabilities.

These are: Two pick modes run concurrently across the warehouse, configured aisle by aisle based on density, velocity, and layout; Smart Bypass activates direct-to-pick routing, eliminating meet-up points and badge-in delays for fast operations; One system orchestrates every workflow - picking, tasking, routing, and error resolution, through a single interface.

The company claims that operators benefit from three times improvement in picking productivity, with ROI in as few as six months.

“Most software systems lock you into a single pick mode for every aisle in your warehouse. What elevates the Ocado IQ software suite is its two concurrent pick modes that free operators from the one-size-fits-all pick strategies of the past,” says Leah Holding, President, Ocado Group North America. “Ocado IQ turns picking inefficiency into high performance execution for every item, every aisle, and every associate.”

Bensons for Beds

UK retailer Bensons for Beds has selected WorkJam as its new frontline operations platform. The move will digitally connect 1,800+ colleagues across Bensons’ 178-store estate, its manufacturing facility in Cambridgeshire, national distribution network, and support centres in Accrington and Burnley. 

“People sit at the heart of our transformation and future success,” says Carrie Westwell, Chief People and Culture Officer at Bensons for Beds.

“We’re investing in colleague capability and skill development to build on the expertise that already exists across the business. That means ensuring every colleague feels connected and clear on how they make a difference. WorkJam will give us a single platform that brings communication, learning, and performance together, and I’m excited about the journey ahead.” 

Leveraging WorkJam’s AI enabled features and Custom Widgets, Bensons will be able to surface real-time data from existing systems directly within the platform. This will allow store colleagues to view sales performance, schedules, learning modules, and operational tasks all in one place.

JoJo Maman Bébé

JoJo Maman Bébé, an omnichannel maternity wear and baby clothing retailer, has signed on to deploy Retail247’s Origin product information management solution.

In a LinkedIn post, Retail247 said: “A premium maternity, baby and childrenswear brand, JoJo Maman Bébé is known for its high quality, trusted and sustainable products - values that strongly align with what we stand for at R247. We can’t wait to get started on this project and implement Origin for Product Creation, Price Change Management, Channel Syndication and Digital Product Passports.”

atis

atis is set to launch its first customer app this May. Built in-house over the past 18 months, this is powered by atis’ proprietary technology, giving the brand full control over Click and Collect ordering, loyalty and the end-to-end customer journey.

Around 50% of all orders are currently placed digitally, a figure expected to increase further following the launch. By integrating Click and Collect, loyalty and rewards within a single ecosystem, atis says that it is enhancing personalisation and building a more direct relationship with its customers.

The app integrates with the new loyalty programme, atis Insiders, enabling customers to skip the queue, earn and redeem rewards, save favourite build your own orders and access exclusive perks, including future secret menu items.

The company will roll-out a city wide activation across London, which will see 100 QR codes hidden for customers to discover via the app, with free meals available to those who find them first. Those that download the app during launch month will receive £5 off their first order.

Dollar General

Dollar General has announced the roll-out of an AI enabled in-store audio network across approximately 6,000 DG stores in 48 US states.

Through a new partnership with QSIC, Dollar General says it will deliver more relevant, localised and measurable audio experiences to customers while providing brand partners with accountable, data driven advertising across its retail footprint.

This deployment will double DG’s existing in-store audio presence and increase measurement capabilities, bringing the total number of DG stores with in-store audio capabilities to 12,000 in Q2 2026.

“We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to help brands meaningfully connect with our customers, and by introducing an AI powered in-store audio network, we’re unlocking an entirely new layer of relevancy and accountability in the shopping experience,” says Austin Leonard, Vice President and General Manager at DG Media Network.

“This platform allows us to deliver localised, real-time messaging at scale across the thousands of communities we serve, especially in underserved and often overlooked rural areas. It’s a powerful way to create value for our brand partners while enhancing the in-store experience for the millions of customers who rely on Dollar General every day through more relevant, contextual messaging designed to add value, not noise, to their shopping trip.”

The Range

The Range says it has strengthened the technology powering its online marketplace through a new partnership with Mirakl.

The move upgrades the retailer’s previous in-house marketplace infrastructure with Mirakl’s platform, providing AI powered capabilities to manage sellers, streamline operations and support the growth of The Range’s digital offer. The partnership also includes Mirakl Ads, giving marketplace sellers a way to advertise their products in front of The Range's shoppers.

The Range has operated an online marketplace for several years, providing customers with access to almost one million products across home, leisure and lifestyle categories. This model enables third-party sellers to offer products alongside its core retail assortment. Third-party marketplace partners now account for 45% of online sales.

The Range’s e-commerce platform attracted more than 200 million visits during 2025, while product views across the site grew 56% compared to the previous year.

Mindfactory

Klarna has announced a new partnership with Mindfactory, Germany’s biggest gaming retailer. The tie up brings its payment options to Mindfactory's online checkout.

Customers can now choose to pay in full, pay later, or split their purchases into interest free installments.

"Mindfactory has built one of the most recognised brands in gaming retail. Together, we're making sure their customers get a smooth, hassle free checkout experience, backed by our built-in tools that help customers stay in control of their finances," says Nico Schenck, Head of Germany at Klarna.

“We live and breathe technology. Our goal is to offer the gaming community not just the best hardware, but also the best possible shopping experience. With Klarna, we've found the ideal partner to make the checkout process as intuitive, secure and flexible as possible for our community, combining first class hardware with cutting-edge payment solutions," says Marcel Kirchner, CEO at Mindfactory.

Manchester United

Levy, a sports and entertainment caterer in the UK and Ireland, has announced a multi-year partnership with Manchester United to introduce frictionless kiosks and self-service bars at the Premier League club's stadium, with the aim of improving wait times and enhancing choice with local street food.

"By combining our hospitality expertise with cutting-edge technology, we are introducing frictionless grab and go kiosks and self-service bars to reduce wait times," says Thomas Guether, Chief Growth Officer at Compass Group, owner of Levy.

"Supporters can also expect a more diverse menu featuring local Manchester street food vendors, all supported by new digital signage for a modernised service. We are proud to support the club’s commitment to its fans, ensuring that every visit to the Theatre of Dreams is faster, easier, and full of local flavour."

Omar Berrada, CEO, Manchester United, says: “Improving matchdays at Old Trafford is an essential part of our strategy for Manchester United. Old Trafford holds a unique place in world football and, whilst we have plans for a new stadium in the long-term, we have a responsibility to ensure we’re continuing to invest in our facilities and services in the short-term. The changes we are introducing will bring greater choice and better service for supporters across the stadium.”

Zippin

Zippin reports that March was one of its busiest ever months with autonomous stores launching at the Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park (new home of Inter Miami CF), Kauffman Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals), Melbourne Cricket Ground (their fifth Zippin location), and several other venues including college campuses, workplaces and hospitals.

In a LinkedIn post, Krishna Motukuri, Co-founder at Zippin, said: “A big thank you to all our customers - current and new - for your trust and support."

Lyreco

Workplace products and services specialist, Lyreco, has announced completion of a modernisation programme at its logistics centre in Villaines-la-Juhel (Mayenne, northwestern France).

The site is one of the group’s most strategic logistics hubs and is responsible for 60% of the 50,000 parcels shipped daily by Lyreco in France. 

As part of the modernisation project, which began in 2021, Lyreco has built a new 3,000 m² facility and integrated a robotic solution developed by Exotec. The system optimises large scale pallet preparation and order dispatch.

It includes: An automated system for sequencing outbound flows; Algorithms for sorting and pallet building; More than 100 Skypod robots managing the buffering and organisation of parcels prior to dispatch; Ergonomic palletisation stations for operator friendly pallet preparation.

Huws Gray

Huws Gray, the UK’s largest independent builders’ merchant, has selected Slimstock to underpin a supply chain transformation project.

It says that, by centralising planning across its UK branch network, it will improve availability, strengthen customer service and create a more balanced inventory position.

As a one stop shop for trade professionals, self-builders and DIY customers, Huws Gray supplies thousands of product lines across building materials, timber, tools, roofing, electrics and plumbing. Following organic growth and recent acquisitions, the business combines national scale with local branch expertise to keep building projects on track.