Carrefour ramps up QR codes on products push: bringing you 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 Ulta Beauty, Lidl GB, Boot Barn, Holland & Barrett, B&Q, Coop Estonia, Dollar General, Amazon, Outcast, Stater Bros. Markets, and OTB Group.
Carrefour
Carrefour reports that 50 of its private label products now feature QR codes powered by GS1.
The move builds on the French retail giant initially adopting the technology across its private label wine products.
“The barcode is 52 years (half a century!) of a system deeply rooted in the entire distribution chain. This is why cohabitation with 2D codes is a major transformation, far from being anecdotal for mass consumption,” says Miguel Ángel González Gisbert, Global and France Chief Digital Officer at Carrefour.
“The increase in possible data - from 13 characters to more than 4,000 - is not just a technical feat: it is an open door to concrete improvements for our customers, as well as for our employees in stores and logistics. At the level of a distributor like us, this lever has enabled us to anticipate regulatory changes, starting with wines and spirits, before extending to textiles and batteries.”
He adds: “Today we are taking a new step for our customers. Thanks to the great collaboration between the MDC and digital teams, 50 products from our own brands already have a QR code on their packaging. A little scan and hey presto, our customers discover everything: online purchase, product information and (soon) the history of the brand. It's easy transparency, without cluttering up our packaging.”
“This project is particularly close to my heart because it enhances our private labels. As a loyal customer, I am convinced that our private labels are among the best on the market, with nuggets such as Reflets de France. This brand embodies the richness of our terroirs with exceptional products such as Normandy shortbread, Espelette pepper pâté or Normandy Camembert. A real treat! These 50 or so references are only the first step in a profound transformation. The deployment of QR codes is intensifying in the coming months.”
Ulta Beauty
Uber Technologies and Ulta Beauty have announced the addition of more than 1,500 of the latter’s stores to the Uber Eats marketplace.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, customers across the US can shop an assortment of beauty and wellness products, including makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance, tools and devices and much more, for on-demand or scheduled delivery.
“We’re focused on creating seamless, flexible ways for our guests to discover and shop the brands they love, whenever and wherever they need them,” says Jodi Williams, Vice President of eCommerce at Ulta Beauty.
“Partnering with Uber Eats allows us to extend our omnichannel experience, bringing our differentiated assortment of beauty and wellness products directly to our guests’ doors with speed and convenience – whether they’re planning ahead or need something in the moment.”
Paul Smith
Voyado, a Sweden-based agentic CX suite for retail, reports a 73% year-on-year increase in its UK customer base alongside a 66% rise in annual recurring revenue, as four retail brands opt to deploy its technology.
This includes Paul Smith which has selected Voyado's AI powered product discovery capabilities to enhance personalisation and localisation across its digital experience. Geo-personalisation was a central decision driver in enabling it to deliver experiences that reflect where its customers are, not just who they are, and supporting the brand's broader growth strategy across international markets.
"We're excited to welcome Voyado as a key partner as we look to elevate the on-site experience for our customers," says Hannah Bennett, Head of Digital at Paul Smith. "Improved personalisation and stronger localisation are central to our growth strategy, and Voyado's solutions puts us in a great position to deliver on both."
Lidl GB
Lidl GB is expanding its Lidl & Go customer trial to seven stores, allowing customers to scan items as they shop and monitor their spending in real-time via the Lidl Plus app before completing their purchases.
Following a friends and family trial in three stores last year, this will now be available in locations located in Airdrie, Cardiff, Epsom, Glenrothes, Kingston, Guilford and Eastleigh. This next phase of the trial will provide the insights needed to enhance the customer experience ahead of any further roll-out.
Louise Weise, Chief Customer Officer, at Lidl GB, says: “This trial is another step forward in our digital evolution, giving shoppers a smarter, faster, and more flexible way to shop. As we continue to invest in Lidl Plus, our focus remains on making the shopping experience simple and rewarding. Whether a customer chooses a traditional checkout, self-service, or the autonomy of self-scanning, our priority is ensuring they have the flexibility to shop on their own terms.”
The expansion of the pilot follows the latest phase of the Lidl Plus experience, which introduced points earlier this week. This offers shoppers more choice in how they’re rewarded and a way to save even more on their shop, launched in response to customer demand for greater flexibility in how rewards are earned and used.
OTB Group
OTB Group, the parent company of brands including Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni, and Viktor&Rolf, and Google Cloud have announced a collaboration to launch a new personalised shopping experience using the latter’s virtual try-on API.
The project will initially launch with Diesel and Jil Sander across the United States and Europe, and will expand in the coming months to Marni and Maison Margiela, followed by a roll-out to additional markets.
OTB Group designed this service as a premium clienteling tool, enabling advisors to share curated, hyper-realistic visual previews with selected customers, offering a 360-degree view of the product. Google Cloud's portfolio of AI products including infrastructure, Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and Gemini models, will underpin the solution, with OTB planning to extend these capabilities across its portfolio.
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, a US multi-format food and pharmacy retailer, has joined the Ibotta Performance Network, selecting Ibotta as its exclusive provider of digital promotions across its 200+ supermarkets and digital platforms.
This will begin rolling out in the coming months.
“Our 'Because It Matters' strategy is our promise to prioritise what truly matters to our guests: quality, service, and meaningful value,” says Justin Weinstein, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Giant Eagle.
“Partnering with Ibotta allows us to deliver on that promise by providing our shoppers with hundreds of high quality, brand name promotions accessible anytime on the groceries they buy most. This transition to the Ibotta Performance Network ensures our customers have access to the industry's most robust and relevant offer gallery, strengthening the overall value our customers can realise by shopping at Giant Eagle.”
Boot Barn
Boot Barn Holdings is set to deploy the Aptos ONE Point of Sale platform across its 500-plus US locations.
By transitioning to this mobile first solution, the lifestyle retailer is aiming to streamline IT operations while enabling associates to deliver cohesive, high touch shopping experiences. Beyond the store, Boot Barn will leverage Aptos ONE to power its large scale pop-up activations, including rodeos and music festivals.
“As a high growth retailer, scalability was nonnegotiable in our search for a next-generation PoS platform," says Julie Ting, Senior Vice President of IT at Boot Barn. "We required a flexible solution capable of evolving alongside our business. By adopting Aptos ONE, we are reducing technical debt and lowering our total cost of ownership, all while empowering our teams to go above and beyond for customers, whether in our stores or at a major pop-up event."
Aptos General Manager Jeremy Grunzweig says: “It is a privilege to deepen our longstanding partnership with Boot Barn as they embark on this exciting new phase of growth. Aptos ONE will give Boot Barn’s associates the tools they need to deliver exceptional experiences - in-store, at events and beyond - while providing the operational agility the business needs to scale confidently toward its long-term vision.”
De'Longhi Group
De'Longhi Group is teaming up with Unsociable for a TikTok Shop launch across multiple markets.
In a LinkedIn post, Ben Muir, CEO at Unsociable, said: “Delighted to announce our partnership on a global TikTok Shop launch with one of the biggest home appliance brands in the world. That’s right, we’re officially taking De'Longhi Group into the new era of e-commerce.”
He added: “Together, we’re launching six shops across multiple markets, with plans to continue globally. We’ve been having excellent conversations about the potential of TikTok Shop for a while now, and it’s incredibly exciting to see the potential De'Longhi has on the platform. Watch this space, De'Longhi is here to take over!”
BON CHARGE
THG Fulfil, part of THG Ingenuity, and BON CHARGE, a wellness technology specialist, have announced a new partnership. This will see THG Fulfil manage BON CHARGE’s UK fulfilment operations from its Omega distribution centre in Manchester.
By leveraging THG Fulfil’s automation and integrated technology stack, BON CHARGE says it can offer 12:30am next-day delivery cut-offs, extending purchase windows and enabling customers to receive products faster.
Its growth is being driven by a multi-channel strategy, including direct-to-consumer sales, a partnership with wellness platform Healf and brand building initiatives, such as its announcement as Fulham FC’s official Red Light & Recovery partner.
In the past year, it has also partnered with Smartech to showcase its wellness range with an exclusive shop-in-shop experience at Oxford Circus’ Selfridges, introducing a physical presence in the UK. Its visibility and commitment to UK customers has expanded with its tools hosted in luxury wellness facilities, such as Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, whilst being spotlighted at monthly community wellness experiences.
Amazon and Gallery
Amazon has partnered with Gallery on the launch of a Just Walk Out technology powered autonomous store at Tropicana Field, in St. Petersburg, Florida, the home of the MLB Tampa Bay Rays.
This offers a selection of snacks and drinks and combines AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and RFID to deliver a friction free shopping experience, with the aim of saving time for customers and streamlining operations for retailers.
Holland & Barrett
Holland & Barrett, a UK health and wellness retailer, has announced a new partnership with Phlo, a provider of digital health services, with a focus on supporting a more sustainable, holistic approach to weight management.
The tie up will see Phlo’s clinical weight management services featured across Holland & Barrett stores and online, signposting customers to additional support alongside its existing nutrition and wellness range.
The service is powered by Phlo Connect, an API driven digital infrastructure platform, which sits behind the customer experience to deliver clinical assessment, prescribing, dispensing and ongoing patient support.
Leila Thabet, Director of Wellness Platform at Holland & Barrett, says: “We know that weight management is deeply personal and that the right support can look different for everyone. As one of the most pressing health concerns facing customers today, it requires a flexible approach, and our role is to support customers in a way that works for them.”
“This partnership with Phlo allows us to broaden the offer available within our stores and online, while staying true to what we do best - supporting customers with trusted wellness expertise. By working with a regulated partner with market leading expertise and technology, we can ensure that those seeking clinically supervised support can access it in a responsible way, alongside the nutrition and wellbeing guidance needed to support sustainable, long-term health outcomes.”
Between The Bridges
Between The Bridges, an events destination situated at London’s South Bank, and FinTech firm SumUp have announced a partnership that will see SumUp become the venue’s official payment partner.
From the 2026 season opening on 30th April, every card payment, PoS transaction, and QR code order across the venue will be powered by the company’s technology.
Between The Bridges is home to around 50 independent traders, food vendors, and creative entrepreneurs. As part of the agreement, SumUp will deploy its Solo card readers, PoS systems, and QR code payment technology across the venue, enabling traders to accept payments contactlessly - whether at the monthly SoLo Craft Fair, during headline events, or on busy weeknight residencies.
The deal also includes naming rights; the venue will be known as Between The Bridges Powered by SumUp. It follows SumUp's appointment last year as official payment processor for the O2.
Coop Estonia
Estonian grocery retailer Coop has chosen StrongPoint and Vusion for a project involving the digitalisation of its stores. The companies will act as its exclusive electronic shelf labels supplier. The value of the contract could reach approximately eight million euros.
The ESLs will be rolled out in a selection of Coop Estonia’s stores. The project is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2026. StrongPoint Baltics will be the main contractor for the installations, service and support.
Coop Estonia is the largest grocery retailer in Estonia, with approximately a 23% market share. It operates 320 stores and employs around 6,000 people. Coop also uses self-checkouts, a self-scanning solution, in-store collection point Vensafe and other solutions from StrongPoint.
“This agreement represents a major milestone for StrongPoint. It reflects the confidence our long-standing customer places in our outstanding local Baltic team, built through a long standing close partnership and a strong culture of customer intimacy,” says Jacob Tveraabak, CEO at StrongPoint.
“This is our first major Vusion electronic shelf labels project following the launch of our multi-faceted partnership, and it demonstrates both the potential and the strategic importance of our collaboration with Vusion.”
“Together with StrongPoint, we are supporting Coop in transforming store operations. We connect the shelf to digital workflows, enabling faster, smoother operations, while elevating in-store execution. The result is a more efficient, scalable model that better serves both store teams and customers. This milestone also reinforces our growing footprint in the Baltic region,” says Sébastien Fourcy, EVP EMEA at Vusion.
Stater Bros. Markets
In-Store Marketplace has announced a partnership with Stater Bros. Markets, the largest privately owned grocery retailer in Southern California.
Stater Bros. will leverage ISM’s programmatic platform for in-store media integration combined with Mood Media's existing hardware footprint, enabling streamlined campaign activation, centralised inventory management, targeting and programmatic buying capabilities.
The first phase of the roll-out will focus on in-store audio, delivering timely, contextually relevant messaging to shoppers at the moment of purchase. Future phases will expand the network to include digital screens, creating a unified in-store media ecosystem that enables brands to engage Stater Bros. shoppers through multiple touchpoints using a single point of entry.
B&Q
UK home improvement and garden living retailer, B&Q, has announced the launch of an EV charging partnership, following an £11 million investment by RAW Charging to develop EV charging points designed for the trades.
The tie up will deliver high power, ultra-rapid EV charging hubs at B&Q locations across the UK. The bays are also spacious and include longer dwell time options so customers can take their time while they shop.
The DC rapid and ultra-rapid charging bays will be installed at up to 26 B&Q stores across England and Wales over the next 12 months, and grid upgrades and high voltage connections will be delivered by RAW where required.
The first wave of installations is underway with charging bays installed at B&Q Cheltenham, Sidcup, Boston, Stanmore and Galashiels. Once live, customers are able to access the network via contactless payment and all major EV charging apps.
Lavazza
Adyen has announced a partnership with Lavazza that aims to unify the coffee brand’s digital payments ecosystem across international markets, while supporting the growth of B2B and B2C e-commerce and retail initiatives.
The collaboration is now live in the US for B2B channels and in the UK and Australia for direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels. The aim is to reduce the complexity of managing different payment methods across various countries, strengthening security, and creating a scalable infrastructure for future growth.
"The true benefit of a unified platform isn't just processing transactions; it's seeing the whole picture," says Roelant Prins, Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen. "By linking its retail, e-commerce, and B2B channels globally, Lavazza is turning fragmented data into a clear commercial advantage. The phased roll-out planned for the upcoming months is a tangible example of this: a path that lets Lavazza evolve consistently, market by market, while maintaining operational continuity across channels and touchpoints.”
For B2C channels, payments will launch in Italy in the second half of the year, followed by the US and Germany by the end of 2026. For B2B channels, go lives in Australia, the UK, France, and Denmark are planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. The expansion will continue into 2027, with the planned activation of B2B payments in Germany and B2C payments in France.
Morrisons
Morrisons reports that it has installed its 50th store with digital shelf edge labels.
In a LinkedIn post, Charlotte Rush, Senior Productivity Manager - Projects at Morrisons, said: "Through our strategic partnership with Vusion, we are leveraging technology to enhance the shelf-edge experience for our customers whilst driving operational efficiency. By automating historically manual processes, we are empowering our store teams to focus more on serving our customers."
She added: "A massive thank you to the amazing team whose hard work and expertise have enabled us to deliver the roll-out at such a pace. I am looking forward to working with you all more as we continue the roll out across the rest of our estate."
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee, an employee owned grocery retailer serving the US Midwest, has selected RELEX Solutions as it looks to improve forecasting, replenishment, and fresh store ordering across its stores and distribution network.
Hy-Vee operates more than 560 business units across nine states. With RELEX, it will deploy AI driven unified planning capabilities that improve demand forecasting and help automate replenishment decisions.
It says that the new platform will provide greater visibility across stores and distribution centres, helping make processes more efficient while improving accuracy and supporting daily ordering decisions, particularly in fresh departments where precision is critical.
“Hy-Vee has built its reputation on freshness and service,” says Doug Iverson, Senior Vice President, North America at RELEX Solutions. “By bringing forecasting, replenishment, and fresh store ordering together in one platform, we will help Hy-Vee simplify planning and improve coordination from its distribution centers to its store shelves.”
Ahold Delhaize USA
Ahold Delhaize USA has announced an expanded partnership with Uber Eats involving on-demand grocery delivery to customers across the US Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Nearly 2,000 stores - operated by Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, encompassing GIANT and MARTIN’s, Hannaford and Stop & Shop - are now available on the Uber Eats marketplace.
“Customers expect flexibility in how they shop, and that means being wherever they are, whether through our own brand experiences or trusted marketplaces like Uber Eats,” says Keith Nicks, Chief Commercial and Digital Officer, Ahold Delhaize USA. “This partnership reinforces our brands’ commitments to being leading omnichannel retailers, making it even easier for customers to access the brands they know and trust.”
The move builds on an existing partnership between Ahold Delhaize USA and Uber Direct, a delivery solution supporting Ahold Delhaize USA brands’ first-party delivery channels.
Stater Bros. Markets
Stater Bros. Markets, a supermarket chain in California, has announced a new agreement that expands its relationship with NCR Voyix and brings the firm’s PoS and payments solutions to Stater Bros. on the Voyix Commerce Platform.
The pair expect work to begin in the third quarter of 2026, starting with initial lab efforts, followed by phased deployments beginning in 2027.
“Stater Bros. has proudly served Southern California families for generations, and we remain committed to investing in technology that empowers our teams to deliver an exceptional customer experience every day,” says Gil Salazar, SVP and CIO at Stater Bros. Markets.
“By expanding our relationship with NCR Voyix, we are embracing modern Point of Sale and payment solutions that enhance operational efficiency today while positioning our business for future adaptability. NCR Voyix’s deep industry expertise is reflected in its latest innovations, and we are excited to bring these advancements to our stores.”
Dollar General
Kevel has partnered with Dollar General and The Trade Desk to deliver a retail media solution that unifies onsite and offsite activation with consistent measurement.
They say that retail media today is often fragmented, with separate systems for onsite and offsite activation and limited visibility into performance across channels. This collaboration, those involved claim, addresses those gaps by connecting inventory, activation, and measurement into a single, decisioned approach to commerce media.
The solution combines Dollar General’s onsite retail media inventory with offsite activation across the open internet through The Trade Desk, supported by Kevel’s retail media technology.
Amazon
Amazon reports that it is rolling out Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS) as it opens up its logistics network for other businesses to use.
The online giant says that it is extending its entire portfolio of freight, distribution, fulfillment, and parcel shipping solutions to businesses of all types and sizes.
“Amazon is bringing the infrastructure, intelligence, and scale of its supply chain services, proven over decades, to businesses everywhere, much like Amazon Web Services did for cloud computing,” says Peter Larsen, Vice President at Amazon Supply Chain Services.
“Supply chain wasn’t just a function at Amazon - it was core to providing an exceptional shopping experience. Our differentiator. The reason we could offer fast, dependable delivery that nobody else could. And with the launch of ASCS, we’re confident we can give any other business access to the same cost efficiency, reliability, and speed that we’ve built for Amazon customers.”
Procter & Gamble is using Amazon’s freight services to transport raw materials to production facilities and move finished goods across its distribution network; 3M is leveraging Amazon’s freight services to move products from its manufacturing sites to distribution centres worldwide.
Lands’ End, meanwhile, is tapping a unified inventory pool within Amazon’s network to fulfill orders across multiple sales channels; and American Eagle Outfitters is deploying the parcel shipping network to deliver online orders from its American Eagle and Aerie website directly to customers across the US.
Outcast
Refundid has announced a partnership with Outcast, an Australian women's fashion brand that was founded in 2014.
"By leveraging our returns and exchanges portal (including instant exchanges, store credit and powerful data analytics), Outcast is delivering a seamless post-purchase experience for customers globally, while driving meaningful efficiencies across their customer service and operations teams," says Matt Thurin, Head of Commercial at Refundid.
"We've loved working with the entire Outcast team (too many to name) and are excited to build on our partnership."
