Morrisons embraces AI and Lush returns to social media: 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 Quadrant, Footasylum, THG Fulfil, John Lewis Partnership, Kevel, East of England Co-op, Uber Eats, New Look, Fermat, and Lidl GB.

1. Lush ends social media silence as it joins Bluesky platform following stand against toxic digital spaces

British beauty retailer Lush has joined social media platform Bluesky, pitched as an alternative to X (formerly known as Twitter) due to its ‘greater transparency around how content is surfaced’. It famously departed all social media platforms in 2021, labelling the move "a firm stand against predatory algorithms, surveillance capitalism, and the systematic decay of online spaces."

In an online post, Taniya De Abrew, Global Head of Digital Marketing & Programmes at Lush, said: "When the global business stepped away from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and Snapchat a few years ago, the internal conversation was not just a simple "we're anti-social media." It sparked a much bigger debate about what healthier digital spaces could look like, the responsibility brands carry within online ecosystems, and whether growth alone should always be the ultimate goal. Being close to those conversations over the last few years completely shifted how I think about digital marketing."

"It’s getting impossible to ignore the toll certain platforms can take on mental health, especially for younger audiences. When you look closely at how parts of the modern internet operate, it becomes really hard to separate "performance marketing" from the wider societal impact of systems driven by predatory algorithms, outrage baiting, and surveillance capitalism."

She added: "One of the things I’ve always respected about working at Lush is that the business rarely takes the easiest route. It could easily rely on constant discounts, endless promos, and marketing strategies designed around urgency and overconsumption. Plenty of brands do. Instead, there’s a genuine belief in product value, craftsmanship, and human connection over short-term wins."

"That mindset extends beyond the products themselves. It’s been incredibly inspiring to see how seriously topics like ethical sourcing, biodiversity, social justice, and digital wellbeing are taken alongside commercial priorities. If something feels fundamentally misaligned with the business's values, there’s a willingness to question it rather than simply accept "that’s just how the industry works."

“That thinking is what led Lush to step away from major social platforms in the first place, and why the business has continued to push for better standards through initiatives like the Big Tech Rebellion and the Safer Socials Summit, alongside creators and tech justice groups like People vs Big Tech and ctrl+alt+reclaim."

2. UK grocery retailer Morrisons taps AI to rack up £940 million in savings over the last three years

Earlier this year, Morrisons announced plans to ramp up its use of data and AI as part of a cost cutting push. This included job cuts across all functions at is head office. It's a move that has contributed to the delivery of significant cost savings, Rami Baitiéh, CEO at Morrisons, revealed last week.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "Many leaders talk about AI, and many companies invest heavily in it, but often without a clear, genuine outcome. ​Recently, I shared at VivaTech Paris, and The Good Consumer Forum in Vienna my vision for how we approach AI differently."

"​At Morrisons, we’ve paired a bottom up investment strategy with a top down educational strategy. By empowering our teams with the right directions and knowledge while funding practical, grassroots ideas, we’ve unlocked massive value."

He added: "​While I can't share every detail, this specific tech driven vision has materially contributed to the delivery of £940 million over the last three years, all without compromising our customer experience."

"​We are reinvesting these savings exactly where they matter most: the future of our company. ​My goal is to make Morrisons stores as easy to navigate and clear to understand as our digital website. Personalised retail media, accurate stock tracking, and competitive pricing are the ultimate keys to success for bricks and mortar retailers wanting to stay ahead of the curve in the coming years."

3. John Lewis Partnership teams with Kevel as retailer looks to ramp up its retail media offering

The John Lewis Partnership has appointed Kevel to power its on-site retail media network, across both the John Lewis and Waitrose websites.

Drawing on its AI powered, API first Retail Media Cloud, coupled with its experience supporting multi-brand retailers, Kevel has worked with the John Lewis Partnership to develop a bespoke advertising platform. The first-party data allows brands to target customer segments that enable advertisers to reach the right shoppers at the right moment.

It features self-service tools, enabling brand partners to quickly go live with custom campaigns, and supports native ads and sponsored listings across John Lewis and Waitrose websites. It also includes new ‘ROPO’ measurement capabilities; closed loop reporting designed to reflect the ‘research online, purchase offline’ shopping habits of customers. For the first time, this allows brands to track whether their retail media has led to sales, even if the purchase is made in-store, by bringing in data like the use of a loyalty card. 

4. Lando Norris' brand Quadrant teams with Shopify on London pop-up store ahead of British Grand Prix

Quadrant, the entertainment and lifestyle brand founded by Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris, has announced its first ever London pop-up activation at Outernet London. Shopify will handle the entire commerce layer behind the activation, allowing Quadrant to bring its online community into a physical space for the weekend.

"Lando is one of the best drivers in the world, and what he and the Quadrant team have built off the track is just as impressive. They understood something every great entrepreneur understands: build the community first, and commerce follows," says Harley Finkelstein, President at Shopify. “They're using the Silverstone race week to convert screens to a storefront in London. That's the kind of ambition Shopify is built for."

“Quadrant has always been about building something with our fans. Racing, apparel and content are all a big part of it, but it’s the fans who’ve made it what it is today. We’ve built so much online over the years, so it’s really exciting to bring that into the real-world with this pop-up. Shopify has helped us make that possible, and I can’t wait for everyone to come and check it out during race week,” says Norris.

The London activation opened at Outernet London from 10:00 am BST on Tuesday, 30th June. A second Shopify x Quadrant activation in a US city will follow later this year. RTIH’s money is on Las Vegas, given that a Formula 1 race will take place there in November.

5. East of England Co-op teams with Uber Eats to expand rapid grocery delivery service across 33 stores

The East of England Co-op has partnered with Uber Eats on rapid grocery delivery for its members and customers, with the service now available from 33 food stores across East Anglia.

Through the Uber Eats platform, customers can order a wide range of fresh food, household products and grocery essentials to be delivered direct to their door.

The partnership forms part of an e-commerce and rapid delivery offering that also includes services such as Just Eat and Snappy Shopper. As part of the launch, East of England Co-op is offering £5 off when people spend £25 through Uber Eats.

Chief Commercial Officer for the East of England Co-op, Simon Dryell, says: “We're delighted to partner with Uber Eats and launch the service across 33 of our Food stores. Convenience will always be a key priority for us, and by working with Uber Eats we're able to offer our members and customers even more choice in how they shop with us. This partnership helps us meet the changing needs of our communities, ensuring customers can access the products they need quickly and easily from their local East of England Co-op."

6. Footasylum teams with THG Fulfil to design, integrate and activate automated AutoStore system

THG Fulfil has announced a partnership with Footasylum, a UK retailer of fashion streetwear and sportswear. The tie up marks THG Fulfil’s first AutoStore implementation for an external retailer, following deployments within its own global fulfilment network.

The implementation will see 85 AutoStore R5 robots deployed across more than 96,000 bin locations, with 24 carousel ports and 100% of Footasylum’s live SKU range stored within the AutoStore grid. At the heart of the solution will be THG Fulfil’s proprietary SaaS infrastructure, including a purpose built warehouse control system (WCS), optimised by THG Fulfil’s in-house development team. The project is being delivered within a three-month build programme, with first order go live targeted for September.  

Tom Killeen, COO, THG Ingenuity, says: “What will make this partnership different is not just the hardware, it is the software and operational knowledge behind it. THG Fulfil has spent two decades obsessing over the end consumer experience as a retailer, and that knowledge is embedded into everything we build. As a unique global distributor and integrator for AutoStore, we bring proprietary SaaS infrastructure including a purpose-built WCS, an AI backed data science function, and a depth of operational experience that compounds in value long after go live.

“For Footasylum, our robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) commercial model removes the traditional barriers to entry for a first major automation project, giving them access to enterprise grade infrastructure without the capital commitment. With their entire SKU range running through a system purposefully designed around their operation, we are confident the results will speak for themselves.”

7. UK fashion retailer New Look announces partnership with AI powered visualisation platform Fermat

New Look has announced a partnership with AI design platform Fermat as part of its digital transformation push. The tie up will equip its buying and design teams with AI powered tools that accelerate product development and help bring new ideas to market faster.

Using Fermat, teams will be able to create virtual product renders, test multiple design iterations and explore different styling options. The aim here is to unlock greater creativity and help teams respond more quickly to customer demand. The technology will also allow designers to reduce reliance on traditional sampling processes.

Anica Wislawski, Creative Director at New Look, says: "Creativity has always been at the heart of New Look. It's what helps us create distinctive products that resonate with our customers and keeps them coming back season after season. Fermat gives our designers the freedom to bring ideas to life faster, explore more creative possibilities and refine products through multiple iterations before they reach the customer.”

“More importantly, it allows us to remove time from parts of the design process and reinvest it where human creativity matters most: understanding our customer, identifying what they'll want next and thinking about how they'll wear and style it. By combining creative instinct, customer insight, and AI powered tools, we're able to make more informed decisions and shape trends into wearable ideas that work in everyday life. It strengthens the golden thread from concept to customer, helping us create better products, better outfits and ultimately more confidence for our customer.”

8. Lidl GB ramps up Lidl & Go self-scanning trial as Scotland and South of England stores go live

Lidl GB is expanding its Lidl & Go self-scanning trial to 37 additional stores across the UK, following positive customer feedback from an initial seven store pilot. This will see the feature become available to shoppers across Scotland, the South East and the wider South of England throughout July. 

Integrated within the Lidl Plus app, Lidl & Go allows customers to scan products as they shop, track their spending and savings in real-time, and complete their purchase more seamlessly at checkout. The feature is available directly through customers' own smartphones, with no requirement for dedicated in-store scanning devices. Feedback from the initial trial has shown particular appeal among customers shopping with children and those looking for greater flexibility during their shop.

Louise Weise, Chief Customer Officer, at Lidl GB, says: “The early response from the initial phase of Lidl & Go has been really encouraging. Customers are telling us they value the control and visibility it gives them over their spend, and the flexibility to shop at their own pace. This next wave of stores brings the feature to many more customers, and we’ll continue to take on board feedback to evolve the offering as we go.”  

9. EPT SNAP payments can now be made directly on Instacart's Caper Carts with McKeever’s Market now live

Instacart’s Caper Carts now support EBT SNAP payments directly on-cart. This capability is live at McKeever’s Market in the Missouri/Kansas region, and aims to provide SNAP participants with the same ease and privacy as any other customer by enabling full checkout directly on the smart cart with their EBT card.

This builds on Caper Carts being the first smart carts to offer EBT SNAP eligible item tracking. The new capability is powered by Forage.

“Caper Carts have been an excellent way to make shopping more efficient for our customers, from helping them maximise their budgets with real-time budget tracking to showing our SNAP customers what items are eligible for benefit use,” says Tim Cosens, Chief Technology Officer at McKeever’s. “We’re excited to be the first retailer to make shopping smoother for SNAP households by enabling EBT card payment directly on Caper Carts.” 

“Customers using Caper Carts tell us they love tracking their spending, discovering deals right in the aisle, and skipping the unload at checkout,” says David McIntosh, Chief Connected Stores Officer at Instacart. “Adding EBT SNAP payments on Caper is another important step towards transforming the everyday grocery trip for families and ensuring every family has access to a seamless shopping experience. We’re proud to partner with retailers, like McKeever’s, that are embracing these new capabilities to better serve all of the communities.” 

10. Sainsbury's expands AI powered facial recognition technology trial in partnership with Facewatch

Sainsburys is to roll-out facial recognition software in over 150 stores before Christmas after a trial showed the technology stopped nine in ten repeat offenders from coming back.

The UK grocery giant currently has the AI powered system live in 55 locations in a partnership with Facewatch. Retailers upload reports of bad behaviour, such as shoplifting or violence, with moderators then reviewing camera footage and tagging suspects. When a flagged person enters a participating store, Facewatch pushes out an instant alert.

Despite Sainsbury’s stating that the trial has been a success, it hasn’t been all plain sailing. Earlier this year, a man was instructed to leave a Sainsbury's store in South East London without explanation, after staff incorrectly identified him as an offender flagged by the aforementioned technology. Facewatch later told him there were "no incidents or alerts associated with [him]" on its database, and Sainsbury's apologised for the "human error".

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "We have been in contact with the man to sincerely apologise for his experience in our Elephant and Castle store. This was not an issue with the facial recognition technology in use but a case of the wrong person being approached in-store."

They added nobody had been wrongly identified by Facewatch technology and this was the first instance of someone being wrongly approached by a store manager.