Ryman and Deliveroo agree exclusive stationary tie up: last week’s biggest retail technology plays
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail technology deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including VenHub Global, Papa Johns, Catalyst Brands, Figure, Lands' End, Klarna, Deliveroo, Ryman, SPAR Austria, Simbe, Hellenic Hypermarkets Sklavenitis, Hanshow, M&S, Wheat, Sitoo, Square, and Magnolia Soap & Bath Co.
Ocado Group and Asda
Ocado Group and Asda have announced a partnership to develop the former’s online business across the UK with the Ocado Smart Platform. The focus of the tie up will be to quickly replace and upgrade Asda’s existing e-commerce infrastructure, with Ocado’s solutions to be rolled out across both stores and dark stores from 2027.
The pair plan to deploy Ocado’s end-to-end solutions across Asda e-commerce operations. These include Ocado’s front-end (webshop), In-Store Fulfilment, and software to support last mile planning and route efficiency. Go live is set for early 2027. Using Ocado’s Smart Platform, Asdas say it will be able to offer a full range of online services, including scheduled and short lead-time orders, as well as Click & Collect. It will also use the platform to fulfil and deliver orders placed through aggregator platforms such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.
Tim Steiner, CEO at Ocado Group, says: “We’re delighted that Asda has chosen Ocado to support the next phase of their online growth. The UK remains one of the world’s most competitive and fast evolving online grocery markets, where technology, scale and continuous innovation are increasingly important for retailers looking to maintain leadership positions."
“Through this partnership, Asda will be able to deploy a technology platform already processing more than 70 million orders annually worldwide, supporting market leading customer propositions across 11 countries. Asda will also benefit from Ocado’s significantly evolved platform, giving them the flexibility to adapt as the market continues to develop.”
Allan Leighton, Executive Chairman, Asda, says: “We are the cheapest full range supermarket, as consistently shown by independent price comparisons from Which? and The Grocer, and have a large, well established online offer. We know that continued success in this highly competitive market is dependent on providing a positive experience for customers every time they shop. Partnering with Ocado will strengthen our online offer and provide a consistent and high quality experience for millions of shoppers, from order through to delivery, while supporting our formula for growth.”
Asda will be hoping that the move helps it tackle recent sales weakness under its private equity owners, TDR Capital and Mohsin Issa, and fight back against its rivals, including a buoyant Lidl GB. Its UK grocery market share has dropped from 14.3% before their 2021 takeover to 11.5%, according to Kantar data, leaving it just above Aldi on 10.8%.
It’s also a much needed boost for Ocado Group, which has been ending mutual exclusivity contracts in most of the markets where its automation grocery tech is live, including in the US with Kroger.
Ryman and Deliveroo
Deliveroo has announced an exclusive partnership with Ryman, marking the first time a national stationer has joined the on demand delivery platform.
Onboarding 185 Ryman stores, nearly the entire estate, this is launching just in time for exam season. Customers will now have access to over 4,000 items for delivery, with Ryman looking to build a stronger omnichannel and digital proposition by expanding into on-demand delivery for the first time.
Orders will be supported by both Deliveroo Shopping and Deliveroo Express; its white label, on-demand delivery solution which allows customers to order directly through the Ryman website or app at checkout.
Suzy McClintock, VP of New Verticals at Deliveroo, says: "The addition of a household name like Ryman is a testament to the massive momentum behind Deliveroo Shopping. We aren’t just adding more choice; we are responding to a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. With stationery orders up 40% in the last year, this partnership ensures we are meeting that demand head on, proving that Deliveroo is the essential partner for retailers looking to unlock digital growth and omnichannel scale."
Theo Paphitis, Chairman and Owner at Ryman, says: “For over 130 years, Ryman has been a staple of the British high street, trusted for our expertly curated range of stationery and office supplies. We’re now delighted to partner with Deliveroo to bring over 4,000 stationery, tech, and gifting essentials, plus print services, directly to our customers’ doors in as little as 25 minutes. From ink cartridge emergencies to eleventh-hour school projects and saving the day with urgent birthday presents for last minute Lucy or Larrys, this partnership will help to keep homes and offices running smoothly.”
Ryman joins the growing list of retailers partnering with Deliveroo Shopping to unlock rapid delivery of retail items, whatever the occasion. Since its launch in November 2023, Deliveroo Shopping has rapidly increased its offering, providing customers with access to a wide range of retail on the platform. Beyond stationery, the selection now includes toys from The Entertainer, luxury fragrances from The Perfume Shop, high-end fashion rental via HURR, and stylish accessories from Accessorize. This breadth ensures customers have on-demand access to everything they might need, from last-minute gifts to DIY necessities.
M&S
M&S is introducing a WalkSafe Pro app, with the aim of helping colleagues feel safer when travelling alone or commuting at night.
Powered by location-based insights from police, local authorities and community partners, WalkSafe Pro helps colleagues make more informed journey decisions by providing information based on both police data and precautionary insights from other app users. They can share their live journey with trusted contacts, while SOS alerts connect directly to Mitie’s 24/7 control centre, enabling real-time monitoring, assessment and a coordinated response where required.
The app can also be used outside of work. Over time, M&S stores will also be marked as designated ‘safe spaces’ within the app, supported by colleague training. This means users will be able to identify nearby stores as a place to step inside, feel reassured and seek support if they feel unsafe during a journey.
Thinus Keeve, M&S Retail Director, says: "Our colleagues’ need for safety doesn’t stop when a shift ends – and our colleagues have told us that travelling to and from work can be when they feel most vulnerable. WalkSafe is a simple but powerful way we’re responding. It’s another way we’re continuing to invest in security – helping our people stay connected and supported wherever they are. And as our stores will become WalkSafe Safe Spaces, we’re to extend our role into the communities we serve, helping to create safer environments for everyone."
Dollar Tree
A new partnership will see on-demand delivery being offered from Dollar Tree’s full US store footprint on DoorDash. With more than 9,000 stores available across 48 states, consumers can now shop over 10,000 products from Dollar Tree on DoorDash.
"We pride ourselves on delivering value, convenience, and discovery to our customers every day. With our broad assortment of affordable products, including our expanded multi-price assortment, we’re excited to bring our unique value and ‘thrill of the hunt’ experience to DoorDash customers,” says Brent Beebe, Chief Merchandising Officer at Dollar Tree.
"Consumers are looking for easier ways to shop for everyday needs at prices that work for them," says Mike Goldblatt, Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships at DoorDash. "We’re excited to partner with Dollar Tree to make it even easier for shoppers to access what they need, find something new, and make the most of their budgets, all with the convenience of on-demand delivery."
TIRTIR
Perfect Corp. has partnered with the makeup brand TIRTIR to launch AR powered virtual try-on features across its official online mall and in its flagship Seongsu store in Seoul.
Korean shoppers can now virtually test and purchase a range of foundation and lip products on TIRTIR's online store. Additionally, visitors to the Seongsu store can use the "FIND MY SHADE” AR service to receive personalised foundation shade recommendations and experience them virtually.
A TIRTIR representative says: “We place strong importance on enabling individuals to freely discover and choose colors that best match their unique skin tones and preferences. Through Perfect’s AR virtual try-on solution, we have enhanced a more personalised shade discovery experience across both our online and offline channels.”
VenHub Global
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.
Decathlon, Whirlpool, Amo Beleza and Grupo CVLB
VTEX reports that its new AI architecture features embedded autonomous agents directly into the core of its platform as the operating layer.
It says that this transition marks a shift for the company as it moves from "running commerce" to "growing through commerce," with AI handling everything from B2B quotations to post-sales service and retail media campaign management, giving brands attribution and share of market visibility.
“AI is no longer a feature; it is the operating layer of modern commerce. For CIOs and CEOs running commerce at enterprise scale, the question is no longer whether to invest in AI, it is whether their commerce backbone can absorb AI safely, profitably and consistently across markets. Our role is to be the connected backbone that lets global brands and retailers move from running commerce to growing through commerce,” says Santiago Naranjo, Chief Revenue Officer at VTEX.
The VTEX Commerce Platform now operates conversationally through specialised agents, with new capabilities including VTEX AI Workspace, an agentic command centre for business teams; AI Personal Shopper for storefronts; AI Quotation for B2B commerce; and integration with Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol in the US., enabling discovery and checkout directly within Gemini and Google AI Mode.
The VTEX CX Platform extends autonomous agents across the customer journey, with agentic experiences on web, WhatsApp and messaging channels, autonomous post-sales handling more than 91% of order, return and exchange interactions, and end-to-end commerce inside WhatsApp.
The VTEX Ads Platform helps retailers turn their digital estates into revenue generating media assets, with AI Campaign Management optimising multi-channel campaigns for return on ad spend and AI Insights for Brands delivering attribution and share of market visibility.
Decathlon, Whirlpool, Amo Beleza and Grupo CVLB are among the early adopters of VTEX AI Workspace, using natural language commands to compress operational workflows from weeks into hours. Whirlpool also migrated its Brazilian B2B channel to VTEX in the quarter, while HOMYCASA in Portugal joined as a new customer, initiating operations on the platform.
Papa Johns
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.
Lands' End
Klarna is now available online at Lands' End, an American lifestyle brand. As a result, customers can now choose from a pay in full option, interest free pay in four instalments, or longer-term financing.
The partnership, powered by Stripe, adds Lands' End to Klarna's network of US retail partners, as the company looks to expand its presence across the categories and brands that matter most to American consumers.
"Lands' End has been a trusted name in American retail for over 60 years, and we’re proud to help them serve the next generation of shoppers,” says David Sykes, Chief Commercial Officer at Klarna. “By bringing our flexible payment options to landsend.com, we're giving millions of loyal shoppers the flexibility to invest in quality summer staples, and giving a beloved American brand the tools to grow with its customers."
"We’re committed to meeting our customers wherever they are,” says Devan Thompson, Vice President Direct to Consumer at Lands’ End. “This partnership with Klarna gives customers greater control and flexibility in how they pay for the quality products they trust."
Catalyst Brands
Humanoid robotics company Figure has signed a commercial agreement with Catalyst Brands, the operator of JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers.
The initial phase involves Catalyst Brands’ Reno, Nevada distribution logistics centre.
The pair aim to automate repetitive, physically demanding sorting and packing tasks, freeing associates to focus on higher skill functions. Figure’s humanoids will first focus on aiding associates in the facility’s Joey Pouch sorting system sequencing, a computerised induction, sorting and packing system.
“As we invest in and scale our portfolio, this collaboration with Figure shows how emerging technologies can modernise our operations while strengthening our workforce,” says Marc Rosen, CEO at Catalyst Brands. “When we automate routine tasks, our associates can focus on higher value work and better serve our customers across all our brands.”
“Catalyst Brands poses a unique opportunity for Figure to partner with a company in an ambitious expansion phase,” says Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO at Figure. “As Catalyst Brands scales its multi-brand portfolio, our humanoids provide a standardised labour solution that can be deployed across diverse industries instantly. This collaboration establishes the playbook for how AI driven hardware can serve as a primary growth engine for modern holding companies.”
Hellenic Hypermarkets Sklavenitis
Hanshow has announced a collaboration with Greek retailer Hellenic Hypermarkets Sklavenitis.
Operating over 460 stores along with distribution centres and eMarket facilities nationwide, Sklavenitis serves more than 680,000 customers daily. With a broad product assortment and high store traffic, simplifying internal processes and maintaining operational consistency are critical priorities for the smooth and reliable operation of its stores.
To support these priorities, Sklavenitis has initiated a nationwide technology roll-out in partnership with Hanshow, deploying electronic shelf labels across its store portfolio. This will standardise Hanshow's Nebular Ultra ESL series across the network. Nebular Ultra enables precise product placement and strong shelf‑level visibility, with the aim of supporting planogram execution and operational management at scale.
The deployment also establishes a digital shelf infrastructure capable of supporting future in-store innovations. Combined with technologies such as computer vision and smart shopping carts, the high precision shelf framework can enable advanced automation, real-time shelf monitoring, and new data driven retail applications as part of Sklavenitis' broader digital transformation roadmap.
"As grocery retail becomes increasingly complex and regulated, leading retailers like Sklavenitis are rethinking the role of in‑store infrastructure," says Liangyan Li, SVP and Head of Global Sales at Hanshow. "This collaboration is about building a digital foundation that supports accuracy, efficiency, and long‑term adaptability, and our role is to enable that strategy at scale."
SPAR Austria
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.”
Gémo
Algolia has announced a partnership with French fashion retailer Gémo.
By implementing Algolia’s AI search platform, including its AI Ranking solution that boosts popular search results based on real-time user behaviour, Gémo says that it has elevated search into a powerful, measurable driver of growth achieving a 2.3x increase in conversions and an 160x return on investment. Today, Algolia powered search drives one-third of its digital revenue.
Gémo also harnesses Algolia’s Merchandising Studio and AI-based Rules functionality to give category managers control over the search experience, enabling them to independently fine-tune and optimise results, boost products, and tailor campaigns in line with seasonality, emerging trends, and evolving business priorities. AI Synonyms, meanwhile, helps minimise zero result queries, ensuring shoppers can quickly find what they’re looking for, regardless of how they phrase their search.
Elsa Souillart, Category Manager, Gémo, says: “As we deepen our investment in e-commerce and omnichannel growth, Algolia has become core to our digital strategy, establishing a strong groundwork for next generation, AI powered experiences and conversational discovery experiences."
"Beyond delivering exceptional returns, it has helped us build a more intuitive, seamless search journey for our customers, whilst equipping our teams with the tools to continuously optimise relevance and drive conversions. This was something that was once exceptionally challenging to achieve given the scale of our catalogue.”
Magnolia Soap & Bath Co.
Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. has selected Square as its unified commerce platform powering more than 50 locations across 17 US states.
“Square has molded to us and grown with us as we’ve expanded nationwide,” says Magen Bynum, Founder at Magnolia Soap & Bath Co.
“We use it in every aspect of our business, from pulling KPIs and coaching franchisees, to managing inventory and processing transactions day-to-day. Having that visibility across all of our locations has been critical as we scale.”
Square for Retail supports this model by handling the operational complexity behind the scenes. Each Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. location operates with a consistent digital foundation powered by Square, including branded micro-sites that enable online ordering, same-day pick-up, local delivery via DoorDash, and party and event bookings.
Square for Franchises also handles reporting and KPI tracking across all locations. Square's inventory management tools ensure product visibility across the network, while the Square Kiosk PoS boosts the brand’s in-person experiences.
Tod's Group
ESW has announced a partnership with Italian luxury house Tod's Group to power its international e-commerce expansion across approximately 50 new markets.
The roll-out encompasses all four of its brands - Tod's, Roger Vivier, Hogan and Fay - extending direct-to-consumer reach to customers across more than 80 international markets.
Tod's Group sayz that it selected ESW because the brief demanded more than a platform, it required a partner that could architect an end-to-end international operation around Tod's specific needs, not the other way around. ESW's composable approach allowed the group to bring all four brands to market simultaneously, without compromising their distinct identities or the consistency of the customer experience across markets.
Maria Grazia Pierazzoli, Group Chief Commercial Officer at Tod's Group, says: "As a group with deep roots in Italian craftsmanship and an established retail and wholesale presence across key international markets, we are focused on extending access to our brands beyond our core regions. With this expansion, the group sets a significant global milestone, positioning its brands among the few luxury players offering such extensive e-commerce accessibility. Customers in these new markets will benefit from local currency checkout, direct brand presence through e-commerce, and a consistent digital brand experience globally.”
Wheat
Danish children's clothing and footwear brand Wheat has rolled out Sitoo’s cloud native PoS and unified commerce platform across its stores.
In a LinkedIn post, Sitoo said: “We have new friends! And they believe childhood should be full of adventure. Founded in 2002 by Charlotte and Peter Galsgaard, Wheat begain with a simple idea: children’s clothing should be comfortable, durable, and made with care for both people and the planet. Inspired by their own three children and a market filled with synthetic materials, they set out to create timeless pieces crafted from natural fibres like cotton, wool, and linen.”
It added: “Over two decades later, they’ve grown into an international favourite, loved for their signature hand drawn prints inspired by nature, a calm Nordic colour palette, carefully selected materials, and the magic of childhood. From outerwear and footwear to everyday essentials, every piece is designed to support children as they explore, play, and grow.”
“Together with Sitoo, Wheat is now bringing that same approach to the store experience. With a cloud native PoS and unified commerce platform powering their stores, they’re bridging the gap between their digital presence and physical stores, giving their team the best tools to provide exceptional service to every parent and child. We’re super excited to work alongside a brand that proves thoughtful design, responsibility, and imagination can grow together - just like the children who wear their clothes.”
