Robots in stores and autonomous locations in airports: presenting the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail tech news? Then this is the article for you. Including VenHub Global, Lidl GB, Papa Johns, InPost, Shopopop, Virgin Media O2, MINISO, lululemon, Tesco, and Purpl.
2...VenHub Global, a US-based autonomous smart store technology specialist, has announced the opening of its second and larger production and assembly facility in Las Vegas.
This builds on the extension of an agreement with LAX/Metro, a partnership with Circa Resort & Casino for a first of its kind autonomous smart store deployment at the property, and additional agreements for new autonomous locations across Las Vegas.
“The opening of our second production facility is a defining moment in the continuing evolution of VenHub,” says Shahan Ohanessian, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at VenHub.
“We are no longer preparing to scale; we are now fully equipped to meet our growing demand and scale rapidly. With demand growing, new partnerships taking shape, and our footprint expanding, this facility gives us the capacity and power to assemble and deploy our smart stores faster. Every smart store we deliver is a customer served, a partner advanced, and a step toward the future of autonomous retail we set out to address.”
VenHub says that it is prioritising deployments across the transit and airports, campuses and universities, corporate and government, fuel and EV charging, venues and entertainment, and non-fuel convenience and retail sectors.
4...Papa Johns has announced the launch of four Pizza Planet pop up experiences as part of a global tie up plugging Disney and Pixar’s upcoming 19th June theatrical release, Toy Story 5.
Inspired by the sci‑fi pizzeria first introduced in Toy Story in 1995, the activations reimagine the setting for today. Opening on select dates throughout June across major cities including London, Seoul, Madrid and Los Angeles, each pop-up will transport fans into the Toy Storyuniverse, featuring all the elements synonymous with the long running movie series.
Designed as retro inspired pizza arcades, the spaces will feature limited time only Toy Story 5 pizzas - Space Ranger Roni, Sheriff’s Roundup and Reach for the Pie - alongside exclusive packaging, collectibles, and merch. There will also be gifting from adidas, Belkin and more up for grabs through giveaways.
For fans who can’t make it, from 26th May to 19th July, Papa Johns will offer the limited edition Toy Story 5 menu globally. It is also launching the first ever in-app game, Operation Pizza, that unlocks Papa Rewards perks for members. The game will be available only in the US for one month, starting 1st June.
The aim is to reduce employee workload while improving customer service.
A trial at a EUROSPAR supermarket in Sagedergasse and INTERSPAR hypermarket in Eisenstadt demonstrated the contribution that digital technologies can make to day-to-day supermarket operations, according to those involved. SPAR is the first food retailer in Austria to use an inventory robot in regular store operations. The robot moves through the store several times a day, scanning shelves, identifying inventory levels and gaps, and automatically transmitting this information to mobile devices used by employees without disrupting daily operations. Missing products can be identified early and restocked quickly.
In a press release, SPAR states: “The results show that automated shelf scans can significantly reduce time-consuming inspection rounds and the search for missing inventory. This noticeably reduces employee workload, allowing them to devote more time to advising and assisting customers. Acceptance in stores has also been high. The inventory robot is seen as friendly, moves quietly and safely through the aisles thanks to its sensors, and automatically avoids people. Image data of people captured incidentally is deleted immediately and not processed further.”
$250 million and $3 billion...E-commerce logistics specialist Stord has announced a nearly $250 million Series F funding round at a $3 billion valuation. This included Strike Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Founders Fund, Franklin Templeton, Baillie Gifford, G Squared, Bond, and Lux.
It says it will use the cash to accelerate its mission to give independent brands the complete commerce stack to own their direct consumer relationships. "For years, every independent brand has been left to figure out on their own how to compete against the consumer experience Amazon has spent decades and hundreds of billions building. By every measure, independent brands have been losing,” says Sean Henry, Founder and CEO at Stord.
“Stord exists to level that playing field. We give independent brands the complete commerce stack: the fulfillment network, software, and AI, to deliver a consumer experience that surpasses Prime. Our vertical integration and scaled network create compounding advantages that deliver better, faster, cheaper outcomes with every order we touch. As AI and physical intelligence advance across our platform, that advantage for our customers is rapidly accelerating.”
2 and 70,000...Meadowhall reports that Inditex brands Stradivarius and Pull&Bear have launched neighbouring stores at the scheme, as firsts in Yorkshire. The two openings take Inditex’s presence at the destination to more than 70,000 sq ft, including the latest Zara and Bershka concepts.
Pull&Bear has gone live with a 13,000 sq ft unit on Meadowhall’s Lower Level High Street, showcasing its collection of menswear, womenswear, and teen clothing, alongside accessories and footwear. The store incorporates the brand’s latest design concept, with the aim of delivering a contemporary retail environment designed to elevate the customer experience.
Next door, Stradivarius has opened its 9,000 sq ft flagship store featuring its womenswear collections.
Richard Crowther, Retail Leasing Director at British Land, says: “Stradivarius and Pull&Bear are compelling additions to our retail mix. They enhance the breadth of our fashion offer and again prove Meadowhall’s regional dominance, with two more Yorkshire debuts for international brands. Meadowhall reaches 20% of the UK’s population, and refreshing our tenant mix with exciting international names such as these means we are providing that vast catchment with access to an unrivalled collection of the best brands.”
$350 million...Global-e, whose platform powers global direct-to-consumer e-commerce, is set to acquire Passport, a US-based cross-border e-commerce logistics and solutions company.
It says that the acquisition will strengthen its logistics capabilities, adding standard shipping solutions powered by an efficient, asset light, multi-carrier network across cross-border, domestic, and last mile deliveries. It will also enhance its ability to execute direct injection and consolidated returns, supporting the delivery of scalable and cost-effective logistics solutions.
Passport will also continue to provide a non-merchant of record (non-MoR) solution, expanding Global-e’s offering to a broader and more diverse range of merchant segments.
Global-e has agreed to acquire Passport for $350 million in upfront consideration, funded via approximately equal portions of cash on hand and ordinary shares of Global-e. An additional contingent consideration of up to $75 million is subject to Passport achieving certain financial results in 2026.
5...Lidl GB is this week basking in the glow of officially becoming Britain's fifth largest supermarket.
Latest Worldpanel figures show that the discounter now holds a 8.6% market share, with sales up 8.8% in the 12 weeks to 17th May. Tesco and Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, continue to hold the first and second spots respectively.
Lidl GB opened its first store in 1994. It says that more than three in five households now shop with it, and it has also secured over £661 million in switching gains from customers moving from competitors over the last year.
Ryan McDonnell, CEO at Lidl GB, says: “Becoming Great Britain’s fifth largest supermarket is a significant milestone and a clear indication of the momentum we have built. As customer expectations shift, households are looking for value they can rely on without compromising on quality, and we remain laser focused on delivering exactly that. "
"Achieving this is a testament to the dedication of our colleagues, whose hard work delivers for our customers every single day. As we move forward with our ambitious expansion plans, we’ll bring great value and quality products to even more communities across Great Britain.”
1...Shopopop, a crowdshipping platform headquartered in France, is officially launching in the UK (Europe's largest e-commerce market) and has set the target of securing a partnership with at least one major UK-based retailer by the end of the year.
Established in France in 2015 with the business recently achieving profitability, Shopopop has over 115 employees and a community of 350,000+ private individuals (‘crowdshippers’) which deliver groceries and goods to over 30,000 people daily across local communities. It has domestic partnerships with over 25 retailers and brands across 7,500 stores, including Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Decathlon, Colruyt and Interflora. To date, it has completed more than 17 million deliveries across Europe.
Shopopop says that it has initiated conversations with major retailers across the country (including Asda, Coop, Kingfisher, Morrisons and Tesco).
Johan Ricaut, Shopopop’s CEO and Co-Founder, comments: “We are incredibly excited about bringing our crowdshipping model to the UK which is a market we have long admired. The UK is known for embracing new online delivery methods and together with its strong sense of community, we see our platform as the ideal tool for rural and hard to reach communities to come together and support one another, forming meaningful relationships in the process.”
3,860...Virgin Media O2 has opened a new store at Westfield White City, London. Spanning more than 3,860 sq ft, this has been designed to showcase the best of the company’s products and services in an engaging, hands on environment while placing the customer front and centre of the in-store experience.
To celebrate the launch, customers were able to take part in a scavenger hunt, designed to showcase the latest technology and experiences across the discovery zones. Visitors who completed the hunt could redeem their entry at a custom designed vending machine packed with more than 500 prizes, including Chilly’s bottles, Lindor chocolate bars, Virgin Experience Days vouchers, Treatwell vouchers, Tastecard memberships and Disney+ subscription vouchers. They could also take part in a quiz within the Virgin Media zone for the chance to win one of two exclusive Disney+ bundles.
The store is divided into discovery zones across an open plan layout, giving customers the chance to test out Virgin Media O2’s latest products as well as popular gaming and entertainment tech, with expert tech advisers on hand to answer any questions.
It also aims to make it easier for consumers to recycle their old or unwanted devices, helping the company to reach its wider sustainability targets. Electronics, including old mobiles, earphones, wearable tech and cables, can all be dropped off and recycled.
1...MINISO has entered the Swiss market with the opening of its first store in Switzerland at Westside Mall in Bern.
Spanning approximately 2,700 square feet, the store offers more than 1,000 SKUs across multiple categories, including IP collectibles, plush toys, home essentials, accessories, and beauty products. Several dedicated IP themed zones are featured throughout the space, with character inspired displays and visual installations designed to create a more immersive and interactive shopping environment.
As of 31st December 2025, MINISO had opened 246 stores in Europe, covering the likes of the UK, France, Spain, and Germany. It plans to strengthen its footprint in Switzerland and across Europe by bringing in additional well known IPs, original content, and innovative retail concepts.
£2 billion...Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is weighing up a £2 billion ($2.69 billion) bid for the British online shopping platform The Very Group.
The move would follow JD.com's failed takeover bid for electricals group Currys and talks to acquire Argos from Sainsbury's that came to nothing.
1...lululemon has announced the opening of its first store in Greece through its franchise partnership with Arion Retail Group.
The first location opened on Saturday at Akadimias 17 & Voukourestiou in Kolonaki, central Athens. A second one is set to go live on Friday, 12th June at the Golden Hall shopping mall.
“We’re excited to welcome more guests to lululemon with the opening of the first stores in Greece, marking another milestone in our continued growth across EMEA,” says Sarah Clark, Senior Vice President, EMEA, lululemon. “Together with our franchise partner Arion Retail Group, we look forward to introducing our premium performance products that blend technical innovation with elevated style to new guests in the market and building meaningful connections with the local community here in Athens.”
The Greece move marks the brand’s third new market entry of the year, following Poland and Hungary in March. This year through its franchise partnership model, lululemon plans a record six new market entries over a 12-month period. Further planned entries in 2026 include Romania, Austria, and India.
€7.8 billion...A consortium consisting of Advent, FedEx, A&R and PPF has launched an all cash buy out offer for InPost at €15.60 per share, valuing the Polish parcel lockers big hitter at €7.8 billion. The offer period runs from 26th May to 27th July, unless extended in accordance with the relevant provisions of the offer memorandum.
InPost will hold an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the bid on 29th June.
The consortium says it will help drive InPost’s growth potential as a leading European e-commerce enabler by supporting its existing strategy including further expansion of its parcel locker network and growth in consumer centric digital solutions.
Regulatory clearances for the deal have already been obtained in several jurisdictions, while the remaining review processes are expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.
8...Purpl, whose platform offers discounts for disabled people in the UK, has teamed up with Tesco for an exclusive eight-week trial.
In a LinkedIn post, Purpl said: “Living with a disability or long-term health condition in the UK brings significant additional monthly costs, and accessing essential grocery items online should not be part of that barrier. This corporate partnership is a massive milestone for our community. Through this trial, Purpl members can claim a £5 discount code to use on online home deliveries, Click & Collect orders, or Tesco Whoosh rapid delivery.”
It added: “While this initiative is an eight-week trial to start, we hope it will pave the way for long-term changes, we are highly confident this collaboration will make a tangible, real difference to our members. A huge thank you to the team at Tesco for backing our vision and working with us to build a more inclusive, financially supportive environment for disabled people across the UK.”
