Lucky number seven for Carrefour BuyBye in Belgium: this week's biggest retail technology stories
It's Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail tech space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past few days, including M&S, Asda, Ocado Group, AliExpress, The Very Group, InPost UK, Bringg, Walmart, and Gopuff.
1. M&S taps WalkSafe Pro app as it looks to support worker safety on the move
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."
2. Asda inks deal to use Ocado Group technology in move to overhaul its online groceries business
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, Asda says 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 need 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.
3. Carrefour Belgium opens doors to seventh BuyBye automated store at Corda Campis in Hasselt
Carrefour Belgium is opening its largest automated BuyBye store to date in Hasselt, featuring eight refrigerated display cases and also a cash machine.
This is located at the Corda Campus in Hasselt, one of the largest technology and innovation campuses in Europe. It is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is the seventh BuyBye location to date.
Carrefour previously opened BuyByes at its Service Center in Zaventem, at the Carrefour Express in Yvoir, at the ibis hotels at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and at Brussels-South Station, at the NATO base SHAPE in Mons, and at the MontLégia Hospital in Liège.
4. AliExpress launches summer sale with focus on Brand+ sellers and creator powered livestreams
AliExpress is using its summer sale (1st-10th June) to ramp up its push into live commerce. The company is partnering with more than 100 US creators and livestreamers to showcase products through live demos and product discovery, while highlighting Brand+, its channel for authenticated global brands.
"Summer is a peak season for discovery, whether shoppers are gearing up for outdoor adventures or refreshing their home setups," says Chris Gu, U.S. Country Manager, AliExpress.
"With Brand+, we're making it easier to find official products from recognised global brands, while our new creator led livestreams offer a dynamic way to see these products in action. We're combining competitive pricing with a more interactive, curated shopping experience."
AliExpress and select Brand+ partners will also host activations and giveaways on Reddit, with the aim of connecting directly with hobbyists and shoppers where they already discuss their passions.
5. The Very Group expands InPost UK lockers partnership with introduction of new online delivery option
The Very Group, which operates digital retailers Very and Littlewoods, has partnered with InPost UK, allowing customers to collect orders from InPost’s nationwide network of over 14,000 lockers for the first time. As well as standard delivery, the new partnership will also offer customers a next-day delivery option.
The integration follows Very’s roll-out of InPost lockers for returns earlier this year. It will be free on standard orders over £30.
Sean Hallows, Chief Operations and Technology Officer at The Very Group, comments: “We’re always looking for ways to enhance the customer experience and the introduction of InPost lockers does exactly that. We know that the families we serve are tight on time, so to be able to give them the option to collect their delivery at a time that suits them, from a convenient location, really does offer a new level of ease. The expansion of our delivery network is just one of the many ways we’re enhancing the customer experience to deliver on our purpose of helping families get more out of life.”
6. George Hayworth joins last mile delivery firm Bringg following departure from Co-op earlier this year
George Hayworth has joined Bringg as Retail Director. This follows his departure from Co-op, where he held the role of Head of Quick Commerce Development, amid structural changes at the UK convenience retailer.
The move sees him reunited with Chris Conway, who joined Bringg from Co-op as Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA during April.
In a LinkedIn post, Hayworth said: “After an incredible journey of almost eight years at Co-op, where I had the privilege of helping build and scale our quick commerce proposition, I'm excited to begin a new chapter with a company at the forefront of delivery orchestration and last mile innovation.”
He added: “Throughout my career I've been passionate about creating customer centric solutions, building strategic partnerships, and driving growth in rapidly evolving markets. Bringg's vision, technology, and ambition make this a hugely exciting opportunity, and having seen first hand just how hard last mile delivery is to get right at scale, I'm looking forward to working alongside such a talented team to help customers optimise and transform their delivery operations.”
“A huge thank you to everyone who supported me throughout my time at Co-op. The people made it special. I'm excited for what lies ahead - if you're working in delivery, logistics, or retail tech, I'd love to connect.”
7. Live selling app Tilt bags $26 million in funding with Vinted Vnetures joining as new investor
Tilt, a live auction app where AI connects people selling products in real-time, has secured $26 million in fresh funding. Joining the round is Vinted Ventures, the investment arm of Vinted, alongside existing backers TQ Ventures, Balderton Capital, Earlybird, Seedcamp, and others. The additional capital brings the total funding raised to date to over $50 million.
“The next generation won't browse static listings the way their parents did - they'll discover and buy through video, conversation, and live interaction, across every category,” says Abhi Thanendran, CEO and Co-founder at Tilt. “What Vinted did for second-hand, Tilt is doing for live. Their backing is the strongest possible signal that this is where the category is going next - and beyond the capital, we'll be drawing on Vinted's operational expertise and learnings as we scale."
The platform is now live across the UK, Italy, Spain, and Poland, and lays claim to being the only major live commerce platform operating at scale in Europe. The capital will be used to accelerate Tilt's AI roadmap, expand the seller base across new markets, and continue scaling the team.
Martijn van Heeswijk, Corporate Development Principal at Vinted, says: “Our mission is to make second-hand the first choice worldwide. Through Vinted Ventures, we back founders building the next generation of re-commerce. Tilt is creating a genuinely differentiated experience in live selling, a format we believe has strong potential in fashion and beyond, and we are excited to support them on that journey.”
8. Gopuff and SpaceXAI launch AI powered shopping tool that predicts and delivers orders in minutes
Gopuff has announced the launch of Go, a personal shopping ‘genius’ built for the quick commerce venture’s app. Developed in collaboration with SpaceXAI, this fuses frontier reasoning, voice, and image generation models with Gopuff’s dataset of hundreds of millions of orders, plus real-time cultural signals from X.
Those involved claim that Go understands intent, inspires discovery, and delivers to customers in as fast as 15 minutes from Gopuff’s 400+ micro-fulfillment centres.
Go prepares a suggested cart the moment a customer opens the app. It quickly learns each individual’s shopping habits and automatically builds a personalised cart based on the time of day, location, order history, and real-time indicators. By anticipating intent, returning customers can check out with a single tap.
The experience blends content and commerce with a visual, TikTok style shoppable feed. A custom Imagine model uses Gopuff’s behavioral and local inventory data, plus real-time cultural insights from X, to generate hyper-personalized product moments. These scenes display products in context to help customers discover new items, get inspired, and check out in seconds.
For example, if a big game is happening in a customer’s city, wings and drinks may appear in a living room scene. On a snowy afternoon, the screen may fill with hot chocolate and cozy essentials. Customers can talk or type to Go like a human, thanks to its Grok voice integration, asking it for ”Snacks under 100 calories,” “a gluten-free sweet treat that’s not too heavy,” or “inspiration for an easy, healthy dinner.” It provides shoppable products directly within the chat so customers can build their cart in real-time. Plus, its voice integration works natively with SpaceXAI’s low latency intelligence, so customers can ask, adjust, and check out hands free.
"Thirteen years ago, we bet that instant delivery would change the world and built the infrastructure to enable that vision," says Yakir Gola, Gopuff's Co-founder and Co-CEO. "Today, we believe the greatest friction left in commerce is not delivery or instantaneous access to the essentials customers need. It's the moment before: the thinking, the deciding, the remembering. So, we're combining Gopuff's demand intelligence with xAI's frontier reasoning to create an everyday shopping experience that feels like a true extension of you."
9. Walmart Live experience moves beyond livestreaming and on to the big screen with Vizio devices launch
Walmart Live is a feature on the US retail giant’s website and app, enabling consumers to watch livestreamed shopping events hosted by influencers and celebrities.
Vizio, meanwhile, is an American designer of televisions, soundbars, and related software and accessories owned by Walmart since 2024.
In a LinkedIn post, Walmart’s Justin Breton said: “As audiences continue to spend more time with streaming, gaming, and entertainment first platforms, we're exploring how content can do more than capture attention. It can also earn intentional time spent. By extending Walmart Live beyond the livestream moment, we're creating new opportunities for customers to discover products, learn something new, and be inspired through storytelling that feels helpful, relevant, and engaging.”
He added: “I've long believed that the future of marketing sits at the intersection of culture, commerce, and community. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, the brands that win won't simply advertise to customers. They'll entertain, educate, and invite participation. The future of commerce isn't just shoppable content. It's content worth watching, whether a purchase happens immediately or not. That's the opportunity we're actively building toward.”
You can find Live in the Kitchen with Chef AB on Vizio WatchFree+, along with Live at Home with Landyn cutdowns across HOUSE, Fork & Flight, and Free Romance Network FAST channels, with more launches set to follow.
10. Currys partners with Pennies on launch of digital divide focused online microdonations drive
Currys customers are now able to make microdonations to charity when they shop online. The UK&I technology retailer has partnered with Pennies on this.
The move is part of Currys' efforts to help eradicate digital poverty, with online donations expected to at least double the funds currently raised in-store. As part of the launch, it will match customer microdonations made this weekend.
Having raised over £800,000 since Pennies launched, until now, customers have only been able to make microdonations via card terminals when paying in-store. The new set up allows the website’s over 500k daily visitors to add 25p or 50p donations at checkout. The initiative was made possible through collaboration with several key suppliers, including LTM, an AI centric technology services company, who played a vital role in developing the website's donation functionality.
With one in five children and one in seven adults living in digital poverty in the UK, this will support Currys in growing its partnership with the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA). Having provided over 3,000 laptops so far through its flagship programme, Tech4Families, Currys and the DPA say that they are committed to delivering practical, scalable solutions that empower communities and support those most in need.
“We know just how life-changing access to technology can be and yet too many families are still shut out of the opportunities it can provide. By taking our donation programme online, we’re making it even easier to donate and moving one step closer to helping end digital exclusion. None of this is possible without the generosity of our customers and we’re excited to see the impact this expansion will deliver,” says Paula Coughlan, Chief People, Communications and Sustainability Officer, Currys.
