Co-op veteran Ian Whittleworth talks major retail shifts as he announces exit and heads to Mitchells & Butlers

Ian Whittleworth has announced his departure from Co-op, where he spent the past 14 years, most recently serving as Product Manager - EPoS, Hardware & Payments. He is joining Mitchells & Butlers, a chain of pubs, bars and restaurants in the UK, and taking on the role of Senior Project Manager.

In September of last year, The Co-operative Group reported a £75 million underlying pre-tax loss for the first half of 2025, a significant downturn from the £3 million profit recorded in the same period in 2024.

This was primarily due to an £80 million earnings hit caused by a cyber attack in April, which also included £20 million in one off costs. It stated that it was refining its member and customer proposition and making structural changes for long-term success.

In a LinkedIn post, Whittleworth said: “After 14 years at Co-op, I have officially taken redundancy and left the business. Standard practice here dictates that I write a deeply reflective post about my personal journey (likely generated by AI), but anyone who knows me knows that’s not really how I operate. Instead, while completing my handover, I found myself reflecting not on my own timeline, but on how the grocery retail industry has entirely shifted since the day I started. It is unrecognisable.”

He added: “A few major shifts that stand out: The Death of Customer Loyalty & The 'Big Shop': Consumer habits have completely transformed. The traditional weekly shop at a single supermarket is largely a thing of the past. Today, no matter how many loyalty points you offer, true brand loyalty is incredibly rare. The way consumers shop, transact, and pay has changed forever, and retailers have had to run just to keep up.”

“Crime & Colleague Protection: This is more critical than ever. As society changes, the real-world output of a decade of austerity is visibly playing out across our high streets and within our communities. Protecting the frontline has rightly become a top priority. The Evolving Frontline Role: When I first started, the old adage was always, "We just need to put beans on shelves and serve customers." Today, the job of our customer-facing colleagues is vastly more complex. While technology has removed some of the mundane tasks, it has introduced a mountain of KPIs, analytics, and operational demands.”

Whittleworth concluded by noting that, between online picking, quick commerce, self-checkouts, and relentless device notifications, the job is a world away from just stacking tins. But that constant evolution is exactly what makes the grocery industry so fascinating.

“It sits at the absolute forefront of consumer technology and societal change. While I am moving away from the sector for my next chapter, I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on where it shifts to next. And finally, it goes without saying that I will continue to support Co-op from the sidelines. The core purpose and ethics of the business will always shine through. Thank you to everyone who made the last 14 years what they were. On to the next challenge,” he commented.

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Grocery retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.