Ann Summers gets its data straightened out: 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 Banana Tree, Uber Eats, 3D Cloud, M&S, Lidl GB, Swap, Hungry Howie's, Southern Co-op, Snappy Shopper, Boozt, Amazon, and Fortnum & Mason.
Banana Tree
Southeast Asian restaurant Banana Tree has announced a new nationwide partnership with Uber Eats.
This is now fully operational across all UK locations, enabling Banana Tree to scale its delivery proposition and reach a broader customer base.
Kate Wilton, Managing Director at Banana Tree, says: “Delivery continues to be a key growth driver for the business, and the launch with Uber Eats has already proven to be a valuable addition to our platform mix. We’re seeing strong demand from customers who want high‑quality, fresh and exciting food delivered conveniently, whether that’s at home or in the office.”
“Expanding onto Uber Eats as an additional platform allows us to meet that demand more effectively while giving customers more choice and flexibility. Importantly, it also enables us to reach new audiences and continue building momentum as a brand.”
Ann Summers
Ann Summers reports that it has completed the transformation of its data integration layer in a partnership with PMC.
As part of its transformation strategy, the lingerie retailer sought to modernise its core IT infrastructure, after its legacy systems had, through years of use, become overly complicated. This was making its tech stack not only difficult to manage, slowing innovation and creating operational friction, but also expensive to maintain.
“We’d gotten to the stage where we were continually building on top of things,” says Jeannette Copeland, Technology & Supply Chain Director at Ann Summers. “And that gets to the stage where you’re almost building on top of sand. We got to the point where we needed to dig in and change that.”
“With the most recent push from an AI perspective, unless you've got your data straightened out, it can hold you back. We are trying to ensure we've got foundations within our data so we can scale in the future and that we've got options, so we don't find ourselves in a technical corner.”
The transformation project also needed to support Ann Summers’ marketplace strategy. As a retailer of adult products, its website is often hidden from traditional online - and increasingly AI - search results. To ensure ongoing visibility, Ann Summers wanted to create more discoverability across marketplaces and third-party sellers, such as Next, which also required it to overhaul its data systems set-up.
3D Cloud
3D Cloud has announced the upcoming release of Chloe, an AI powered kitchen design assistant built on the company's recently minted AI patent for conversational AI-based design and the 3D Cloud Platform Visual Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) workflow.
Chloe is designed to help consumers co-create buyable, professional quality kitchen designs through interactive 3D visualisation.
The solution promises an accurate Visual CPQ for kitchen manufacturers and retailers that produces HD renders of the finished space and a complete PDF packet with a bill of materials.
"For decades, selling kitchens has been slow and dependent on expert designers," says Beck Besecker, CEO and Co-Founder at 3D Cloud. "We're combining AI with data driven 3D design tools to deliver faster service, improve the customer experience, and produce accurate designs that can be priced, turned into a bill of materials, and purchased in the same workflow."
"Customers expect faster answers and fewer steps. This approach aligns with that expectation and connects directly to how products are configured, priced, and sold. It's definitively the future of kitchen design."
Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies has announced the launch of its patent pending Intelligent Quality Control tool, an AI powered solution that uses computer vision to support distribution centre associates in maintaining quality and consistency of fresh fruits and vegetables across the company’s supply chain.
Built in house by its technology and supply chain teams, the tool uses Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise, including Vision AI and Gemini models.
“We built the AI powered Intelligent Quality Control tool to support our team of talented quality inspectors in our distribution centres, and early results show it’s been incredibly helpful in increasing the consistency of quality rating which is crucial for highly perishable products such as fruits and vegetables,” says Evan Rainwater, EVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Albertsons Cos. “This is just the latest advancement in how we are using AI within our multi-billion-dollar supply chain to improve operational efficiencies, improve product quality and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction.”
Integrating into the distribution centre workflow, the quality inspector feeds an image of the produce into the AI tool, powered by Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, which evaluates visual characteristics against Albertsons Cos.’s established quality standards. The system then provides an accurate, consistent rating and recommendation to the inspector for approval.
Live now in select DCs, the tool is initially focused on quality inspections for strawberries and red and green grapes. The company is expanding the solution across the entire berry section with plans to scale the tool nationwide and incorporate more fresh products.
MC
MC, the retail division of Sonae that operates in Portugal’s grocery market and health, wellness, and beauty space across the Iberian Peninsula, has selected Blue Yonder cognitive solutions for allocation and replenishment to boost its supply chain transformation.
With more than 400 stores across multiple formats, MC operates major supermarkets and hypermarkets such as Continente, along with convenience stores, health and wellness shops, and online grocery services. Blue Yonder’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) enabled solutions will help the company improve visibility into demand forecasting.
“The grocery retail sector is adapting to a period of significant change, underlining the need for more agile operations across the supply chain. We needed end-to-end visibility and faster, more accurate inventory planning to address demand uncertainty while prioritising our business goals,” says Sofia Castro, Head of Supply Chain, at MC.
"We were impressed by Blue Yonder’s patented AI and machine learning forecasting capabilities, which help us establish a single source of truth and coordinate decision-making across demand and supply planning. They support our need to serve every part of our retail portfolio, enabling our teams to deliver results more efficiently.”
Boozt
Shift4 has partnered with Boozt, a Nordic online department store for fashion and lifestyle, to provide global card acquiring and settlement services through its merchant facing payment gateway, Kronor.
“We continuously optimise our payment infrastructure to ensure a seamless and secure shopping experience for our customers,’’ says Hanui Ye, Payments Director at Boozt. “Partnering with Shift4 strengthens our acquiring setup and provides us with the flexibility and scalability we need to support our growth.’’
“We continue to see strong growth of the e-commerce sector in the Nordics, and our latest partnership with Boozt places us squarely at the forefront of this transformation,” says France Blanchard, SVP Account Management at Shift4 Europe. “This collaboration highlights Shift4’s commitment to helping leading global e-commerce companies strengthen their payment infrastructure. Together with Boozt, we are ensuring each and every one of its customers enjoys a fast, seamless, and secure checkout experience.”
M&S
Marks & Spencer has begun construction on its new automated national distribution centre (NDC) in Northamptonshire.
To mark the start of the build, Michelle Elliman, from M&S Rugby store joined Kevin Bennett, CEO at Gist (M&S Food’s logistics arm), Stuart Andrew, MP for Daventry and Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Prologis for an on-site steel signing ceremony.
This recognised the start of construction on the 1.3 million sqft facility, celebrating the largest supply chain investment in M&S history and a major step toward doubling the size of the Food business. The retailer says that the site will significantly increase capacity, reduce long‑term cost to serve, and improve product availability for customers.
Over 200 M&S Food stores will be serviced by the new DC.
Bennett says: “Starting the build on this site marks a major step in transforming M&S into a true destination for the weekly shop, with a modernised supply chain at the heart of that ambition. This investment will boost capacity for future growth, lower our long‑term cost to serve, and improve product availability so customers get the right products in the right place at the right time.”
“With construction underway, this new site strengthens our network and puts us ahead of the volume curve as we build a bigger, better Food business. By deploying the latest proven automation, we’re future‑proofing our operations and UK retail logistics, while creating 1,000 permanent jobs on site.”
Lidl GB
Lidl GB has ramped up its partnership with Neighbourly, introducing a new trial with the food sharing app Olio to redistribute more surplus food.
Managed by Neighbourly, the model introduces Olio’s Food Waste Hero network as an extra layer to support the discounter’s primary charity partners. Using the free Olio app, registered Food Waste Heroes collect items in the evenings, including chilled food, meat, fish, and poultry, alongside Lidl bakery goods, and share them with neighbours for free.
Launching Friday 15th May across 20 stores in London and Northern England, the trial, if successful, is expected to redistribute more than 5,000 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 11.9 million meals, to those in need annually. With ambitions for a nationwide roll-out by the end of the year, the initiative is pitched as a critical step toward Lidl GB's target to reduce food waste by 70% by the end of FY2030.
Matt Juden, Head of Sustainability at Lidl GB, says: “We believe that no good food should ever go to waste. While we have already made massive strides in reducing our surplus, this extension of our Neighbourly managed programme allows us to have even more impact. It ensures that we are reaching every corner of the communities we serve, making sure edible food stays on plates and out of the bin."
Fortnum & Mason
British luxury retailer, Fortnum & Mason, has partnered with Proximity to launch Fortnum's Connect, a new clienteling platform.
This provides store teams with a real-time, centralised view of customer profiles, with the aim of helping them deliver more informed and personalised service on the shop floor.
Built on Proximity's clienteling technology, Fortnum's Connect gives retail teams instant access to customer insights including preferences, purchase history, and recommendations. The platform also supports: 1:1 communication via email, SMS, and WhatsApp; Customer preference and recommendation management; Appointment booking and in-store event management; Real-time reporting and analytics.
Cathy McCabe, CEO at Proximity, says: "Fortnum & Mason is one of the most recognisable names in British retail, with a heritage built on exceptional service and customer relationships. With Fortnum's Connect, we're giving store teams the tools and insights they need to deliver that experience consistently at scale. By bringing everything into one place, colleagues can focus on what matters most: building meaningful customer relationships and creating exceptional experiences."
Sean Ghouse, Director of UK Retail, Fortnum & Mason, says: "Exceptional customer service is part of our DNA at Fortnum & Mason, and it's something we've been extremely proud of throughout our history. But we can never stand still, which is why I'm delighted to be working with Proximity, and with their support we're launching Fortnum's Connect.”
“It allows our customers to build a personal relationship with our teams in-store, and gives us the chance to enhance our existing levels of service. To connect and talk even more meaningfully to our customers in future, means that we can continue to know, and serve them brilliantly."
Swap
Swap has launched a new AI powered sales channel that lives separately from a brand's existing website and aims to convert shoppers more effectively.
Swap Storefront guides shoppers from product discovery to live virtual try-on to checkout in a single, fully branded experience. Launch partners include SIMKHAI, Retrofête, Odd Muse, Studio Nicholson, and Manors Golf.
"We believe Swap Storefront is the next evolution of commerce, and the results prove it," says Sam Atkinson, Co-Founder and CEO at Swap. "Consumers are using LLMs more every day and increasingly want that same interactive, guided experience when they shop, rather than static browsing. Swap Storefront puts that power directly in the hands of brands, helping them meet that demand while strengthening direct customer relationships and capturing valuable insights."
"As a founder led brand, every detail of how we show up to our customers reflects a specific point of view,” says Aimee Smale, Founder and Creative Director at Odd Muse. “Swap Storefront is the first AI we've used that amplifies that point of view rather than dilutes it – I'm even personally voicing our AI agent. Our customers are getting the exact brand experience we'd want to give them, at a scale we couldn't reach on our own."
Swap Storefront integrates directly with a brand's existing commerce stack, handling payment processing and connecting to the merchant's 3PLs, WMS, and OMS systems.
“We've always believed that our pieces should feel effortless to wear, and now with Swap Storefront, they're also effortless to discover,” says Jonathan Simkhai, Founder and Creative Director at SIMKHAI. “Our new agentic experience powered by Swap will bring the warmth of a personal styling conversation from our stores into the digital space.”
Hungry Howie's
Toast is set to bring its technology suite to Hungry Howie’s entire footprint of approximately 500 restaurant locations.
Hungry Howie’s says it selected Toast to modernise its technology, attract new franchisees, and manage the operational demands inherent in large scale pizza operations. It will implement Toast restaurant PoS terminals, Multi-Location Management, Kitchen Display Systems (KDS), and Toast Payment Processing. It will also leverage AI powered insights provided by Toast IQ.
“Pizza is one of the most complicated categories in hospitality, and the Toast platform is designed to handle it - from toggling between pickup and delivery to allowing guests to accurately place orders for preferred topping mixes,” says Kelly Esten, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Enterprise at Toast. “We are thrilled to partner with a unique, legacy brand like Hungry Howie’s and power the tech stack to deliver that famous flavoured crust to more communities than ever.”
“Hungry Howie’s has spent over 50 years building a brand based on flavour and incredible service. To continue our growth, we selected Toast as a best-in-class technology partner that truly understands the unique technical demands of our business and the enterprise scale at which we operate,” says Dan McKay, Vice President of Technology Services at Hungry Howie’s. “Toast’s flexibility and its ability to integrate seamlessly with our existing partners made it the right choice to help us scale, support our franchisees, and keep our focus on the food.”
Amazon
Amazon has announced the roll-out of its on demand delivery service Amazon Now to dozens of cities and millions of customers across the US.
The offering, which provides thousands of fresh groceries, everyday household essentials, and locally relevant items in about 30 minutes or less, is now widely available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle, and is expanding in several more cities including Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Denver, and Oklahoma City.
The company plans to expand the service to tens of millions of customers in these and other cities by the end of the year.
"Amazon Now is for when you need or want the convenience of getting your Amazon order delivered in 30 minutes or less,” says Udit Madan, Senior Vice President, Amazon Worldwide Operations. “With thousands of items available for ultra-fast delivery, you can get everything from groceries for dinner, to AirPods before a flight, to household essentials like laundry detergent or toothpaste delivered right to your door. Amazon Now complements Amazon’s existing fast-delivery offerings, including one-hour and three-hour delivery on more than 90,000 products and same-day delivery on millions of items.”
Shift4 and Lydian
Shift4, a specialist in integrated payments and commerce technology, and Lydian, a crypto and stablecoin payment platform, have announced a partnership to expand upon Shift4's Pay with Crypto solution, enabling the latter’s merchants to accept all digital assets, in addition to Tether (USDT), with settlement in local currency.
The Pay with Crypto product allows customers to pay with any major wallet, just as they would with a credit card. Merchants receive funds directly in their local currency without holding or touching digital assets. The Lydian partnership adds stablecoin, Tether, to the list of crypto payment options supported on the platform, with no new workflows or crypto expertise needed from merchants.
“We built our Pay with Crypto solution because it is becoming a mainstream payment method. This seamless, secure way to accept Tether expands on our successful programme without added complexity or risk. We’re giving merchants the tools to capture a fast-growing base of stablecoin paying customers,” says Taylor Lauber, CEO at Shift4.
Pay with Crypto is now live across thousands of merchants in the United States.
“Lydian was designed to bridge the gap between traditional money and digital assets by making crypto function exactly like traditional payments at checkout. Our mission is to bring digital assets, like USDT, into everyday commerce, allowing merchants to offer new ways to pay without introducing new risks or operational complexity,” says Carl Grimstad, CEO at Lydian.
Southern Co-op
Southern Co-op has announced a new partnership with Snappy Shopper, enabling customers across 140 stores to access rapid grocery delivery through a digital ordering experience.
Through Snappy Shopper’s Order Aggregation (OA) technology, Southern Co-op has also integrated with Foodhub, expanding customer access points and enabling a more connected and scalable e-commerce experience across multiple ordering channels.
Early performance indicators have demonstrated strong customer adoption and engagement, with an average order value of £28 alongside the launch of a rewards led promotional strategy designed to drive retention and repeat purchasing behaviour. Customer incentives include £17 in rewards, £2 off orders over £50, £5 off orders over £80 and £10 off orders over £120.
The initiative additionally incorporates scratchcard promotional mechanics aimed at increasing customer retention, driving repeat orders and enhancing overall customer engagement with the platform.
Greg Deacon, VP- Snappy Media, Groups and Business Development at Snappy Shopper, says: “Southern Co-op is a fantastic example of a community-focused retailer embracing digital convenience in a way that still keeps local stores at the centre of the customer experience.”
“This roll-out demonstrates how convenience retailers can use rapid delivery not only to drive additional sales, but also to strengthen customer loyalty through accessible, flexible shopping solutions. By combining rapid delivery with integrated ecommerce capabilities, retailers can expand customer reach while maintaining strong local connections within their communities. We’re proud to support Southern Co-op as it continues to evolve its ecommerce offering across such a significant store estate.”
Anuj Christi, Head of Store Operations at Southern Co-op, says: “Our stores are at the heart of the communities they serve, and this is about making it even easier for customers to access them in a way that fits around their day.”
“Whether it’s helping someone who can’t easily get to the shop, or simply saving time for busy households, this service builds on the different ways people can shop with us while keeping that important local connection. We’re delighted to be partnering with Snappy Shopper to bring home delivery to more customers across our communities.”
MUSINSA
Exotec, a provider of warehouse robotics solutions, has announced a partnership with Korean fashion brand, MUSINSA.
The collaboration marks Exotec’s first customer deployment in the Korean market and is pitched as an important milestone in the company’s expansion across the Asia-Pacific region. The project will support MUSINSA’s international growth as demand for K-fashion continues to rise.
MUSINSA is an e-commerce platform and physical retail destination supporting independent Korean labels and luxury brands. Its logistics operations manage hundreds of thousands of SKUs, with inventory levels fluctuating significantly due to seasonal product launches and high-volume sales events. It required a highly flexible automation solution capable of handling SKU complexity, fast inventory turnover, and fluctuating peak demand, while maintaining fast and reliable omnichannel fulfilment.
It selected Exotec to provide the core automation infrastructure for its new warehouse in Yeoju, South Korea, including the Skypod system and Deepsky warehouse execution software (WES). The solution features Exotec’s autonomous Skypod robots, which operate within storage racks up to 14 metres high and can access any SKU in two minutes or fewer.
The modular design of the system also allows capacity to scale as volumes increase, without requiring a full system overhaul. Once fully deployed, MUSINSA expects to significantly increase picking speed and throughput, improve inventory visibility, and enhance labour efficiency - particularly during peak seasons - while establishing a future ready automation foundation to support its expanding business.
Horze
Poq has announced the relaunch of Horze’s native mobile app, following the equestrian retailer replatforming to Shopify.
Horze, which operates across multiple European markets and beyond, originally selected poq to power its mobile commerce ambitions in 2023 when using a legacy digital platform. However, as part of a broader strategy to deepen direct relationships with customers and deliver a best-in-class shopping experience, it made the decision to move to Shopify, but ultimately chose to stay with poq to deliver on iOS and Android.
“After choosing to continue working together, I can confidently say that this was absolutely the right decision. The level of motivation, ownership, and commitment the poq team demonstrated throughout the project was truly impressive. This clearly shows a strong partnership approach and a shared focus on achieving the best possible outcome,” says Dominik Schlag, CFO, Horze.
M&S
M&S has announced a conditional £67.5 million deal to acquire a new 437,000 square foot fully automated fashion distribution centre in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The former Asos site will become operational as part of the retailer’s network in 2027. It will employ 600 people.
It says that this will add capacity and process orders quickly, helping to realise M&S’ long-term ambition to double the size of its online fashion business.
M&S Managing Director for Fashion, Home and Beauty, John Lyttle, says: “As we transform M&S Fashion, Home and Beauty, our ambition is to double online sales. To achieve this and serve our customers faster, more efficiently and with better availability, our 24/7 distribution network needs more capacity.“
"We’ve always said that we’ll deliver our transformation with highly disciplined capital investment, always mindful of spending shareholder money wisely. This acquisition does just that, delivering tangible business benefits that move our transformation forward, at a much lower cost compared to a new build option.”
Nectar and Merlin Entertainments
Nectar has launched a new partnership with Merlin Entertainments. Customers can now spend their loyalty points to secure entry at more than 20 Merlin attractions when they book through the Nectar app.
The offer covers various destinations across the UK, including LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, the London Eye, SEA LIFE aquariums, Warwick Castle, and Cadbury World. Nectar and Merlin are also giving customers the opportunity to double the value of their points. For example, by swapping £5 worth of Nectar points customers can save £10 off Merlin ticket prices.
Mark Given, Sainsbury’s Chief Technology, Marketing and Data Officer, says: “We know our Nectar members want great value and real rewards. That’s why our partnership with Merlin matters. It's all about giving families fun days out for less and making every point count towards something special.”
Henderson Technology
Henderson Technology has unveiled a series of new updates within its EDGEPoS platform.
This includes the launch of digital media dcreens, upgraded electronic shelf label (ESEL) templates and a new automated Date Checking feature, aimed at reducing manual workload while enhancing the in-store customer experience.
The new digital media screens provide retailers with a way to promote products, meal deals and in-store services. Available in a range of sizes, the LED displays enable retailers to schedule content in advance, ensuring promotions are always timely and relevant throughout the day.
By replacing static signage with digital displays, forecourt operators can adapt messaging in real-time - from breakfast offers to evening meal deals - helping to increase engagement and drive incremental sales, particularly in high margin areas such as food-to-go. The screens form part of a wider, fully integrated EDGEPoS system, allowing retailers to manage promotions, pricing and content from a single platform.
In addition, Henderson Technology has introduced updated ESEL templates featuring a new four-colour format, designed to deliver greater visibility and stronger in-store impact. These help retailers create more eye-catching pricing and promotional displays, while maintaining consistency across digital signage and shelf-edge communication.
A new automated Date Checking feature has also been launched to streamline one of the most time-consuming in-store tasks. The system automatically flags products for review based on configurable ‘offset days’, enabling staff to quickly identify which items require attention.
