M&S goes electric, eBay buys Depop and Sephora loves London: the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail tech news? Then this is the article for you. Including Walmart, Wing, Royal Mail, Minimal, Butlin's, Boxbar Tech, Freehand, Pret A Manger, Tesco, ICE, Frasers Group, Amazon Now, eBay, Depop, Morrisons, and Instacart.
$1.2 billion…eBay has completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop, following clearance from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
"As a global leader in C2C and recommerce, eBay's acquisition of Depop further strengthens our C2C value proposition. This combines two distinct customer experiences and expands our reach with the next generation of buyers and sellers," says Jamie Iannone, Chief Executive Officer at eBay. "Our goal is to preserve Depop's strong brand, community, and product experience, while helping the team accelerate the roadmap that is already underway and explore synergies with eBay in areas that can supercharge our combined growth potential."
"Joining eBay, a company with a longstanding record of driving innovation in recommerce globally, is an exciting new chapter for us and our community," says Peter Semple, Chief Executive Officer at Depop. "We've built a marketplace centered on creativity, self-expression, and connection, and we're just getting started. Depop is a natural fit with eBay and together we can accelerate our growth while continuing to deliver the unique experience our users value."
10%...Walmart and Alphabet’s Wing drone delivery offering this week started service across Central Florida, marking the expansion of the USA’s largest such network into the state. The companies say that they are now making deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes from multiple local Walmart Supercenters.
Walmart customers in Greater Orlando can now use the service. Over the next year, Wing and Walmart are expanding drone delivery to 270+ stores, with a view to building a coast to coast network in 2027, ultimately reaching over 10% of the US population. They claim that the offering solves unique local dynamics by bypassing traffic, helping retirement communities get groceries and medicine without braving the severe summer heat, and showcasing retail tech to Orlando's global tourist audience.
“We measure success in minutes saved and life made a little easier in Central Florida,” says Heather Rivera, Wing’s Chief Business Officer. “Whether it’s helping a family grab a quick lunch without loading everyone into the car, or delivering sunscreen to a visitor at their vacation rental, we want drone delivery to be a simple, seamless part of daily routines.”
“We’re always looking for new ways to give customers more choice and flexibility,” says Greg Cathey, Senior Vice President, eCommerce Fulfillment Transformation at Walmart. “Working with Wing allows us to bring Orlando customers a wide assortment of everyday items through one of the fastest and most innovative delivery options available.”
$75 million...Freehand, a startup whose AI agents manage supply chain spend for enterprises, has announced $75 million in funding co-led by Battery Ventures and NewRoad Capital Partners, with participation from former U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker’s venture capital PSP Growth, Nexus Venture Partners and others.
This follows Freehand’s recent emergence from stealth with global deployments at Meta, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Dunkin' and Cardinal Health.
"Freehand marks one of the first full scale agentic deployments at Unilever and is an early anchor in the shift from software that assists to software that runs our supply chain," says Matt Algar, Global VP of Supply Chain at Unilever.
"Enterprises spend $16 billion a year on supply chain software and another $348 billion hiring people to do what this software cannot," says Nitin Jayakrishnan, Co-founder and CEO at Freehand, who previously built and sold Pando, an enterprise SaaS platform for logistics.. "We built Freehand to close that gap - with AI agents that decide, act and take accountability for outcomes. This is the beginning of true autonomy in the enterprise."
"The very nature of work is changing, with AI," adds Abhijeet Manohar, Co-founder at Freehand. "Shifting from building software for the user to building software that is the user meant we could drive far deeper transformation for our customers. The difference between an agent that acts and a chatbot that suggests is context."
1, 19 and 21...Cubitts has announced the opening of its first Manchester store, at 16 Smithfield Buildings on Hilton Street in the Northern Quarter. This becomes the British spectacle maker’s 21st store worldwide and 19th in the UK, following the recent opening of The Yard, its new headquarters and optical manufactory in King’s Cross, London.
The Manchester location occupies part of the former Affleck & Brown department store. Established in the 1860s, the business grew from a drapery on Oldham St to occupy the full block between Oldham St, Church St, Tib St and Hilton St, becoming known as the “Harrods of the North”. For more than a century, the building sold cloth by the yard, made garments to measure and served generations of Mancunians.
Designed in partnership with Manchester-based studio YOUTH, the store has been conceived as a working optician first and a quiet reflection of the city around it second. It includes a dedicated repairs desk, an optometric room, a bespoke consultation area and display space for 72 optical frames and sunglasses.
20...Royal Mail has launched its first electric cargo cycles, expanding what is claimed to be the UK's largest electric delivery fleet. The first 20 Minimal Pedal 4 cycles will be deployed this month in cities including London, Brighton, and Cambridge, with plans to roll-out to further locations in the future.
Manufactured at Minimal's microfactory in West London, their introduction marks a step towards Royal Mail's target of achieving Net-Zero by 2040. It says that using e-cargo cycles will help it reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality and make delivery rounds more efficient.
Giving posties their own dedicated vehicle rather than sharing a van will help to streamline routes and speed up deliveries. The cycles can also be charged from a standard three-pin plug socket, allowing them to operate from any delivery office, including sites with limited yard space or electricity capacity.
£1.5 million...MASAJ, a female founded London bodywork brand, has raised £1.5 million in a round co-led by FIGR Ventures and Sorven Capital, taking total funding to date to £2 million and powering new London studio openings over the next 12 months.
In recent years, specialist multi-site brands have already consolidated wellness categories from facials to nails and blow dries. MASAJ aims to be the first to do the same for massage. Its mission to build trust amongst both guests and therapists has seen the company report 90% therapist retention, 40% of customers returning monthly, revenue growth of 43% YoY, and partnerships with Nike, Gymshark and other luxury and wellness brands
FIGR Ventures becomes the first women led fund on MASAJ’s cap table, with Managing Director Fiona O’Callaghan joining the board.
2...Coach is ramping up its open access tie up with The Sims 4 with the introduction of a new collection inspired by the brand's (Re)Loved initiative. Marking the second collaboration between the pair, Coach says that the launch continues its “exploration of gaming as a space for creativity, self-expression, and personal style”.
Available for free to all players through The Sims Marketplace, the collection introduces four new Coach items to Create-A-Sim: Repurposed Cotton Trench Coat; Coach Cardigan; Horse And Carriage Striped Rugby Polo; Repurposed Denim Mini Skirt. The new pieces invite players to express their personal style and tell creative stories through virtual fashion, while honouring the in-game universe with localised Simlish apparel.
The move builds on the Coach x The Sims 4 collection launched earlier this year, which introduced ready to wear styles, Tabby and Brooklyn bags, and the interactive Coach Trunk.
1...Morrisons has launched Instacart’s Caper Cart smart trolleys at a Preston supermarket, marking North American firm Instacart’s first retail partnership in the UK for its AI powered solution. These automatically recognise items as they are placed in the trolley, including weighing fresh produce on the spot.
Customers can bag items as they shop, saving time throughout the trip and making checkout quicker and easier. The trolley's touchscreen displays a running basket total to help customers stay on budget, makes relevant product recommendations, and enables them to scan their Morrisons More Card to access loyalty savings and promotions throughout their shop. At the end of their trip, they scan the barcode displayed on the trolley's screen at a dedicated Caper checkout lane to complete payment.
"Caper smart trolleys represent a new era for in-store grocery shopping - one where the physical store is as intelligent and personalised as the best online experience," says David McIntosh, Chief Connected Stores Officer at Instacart. “Customers want technology that helps them stay on budget and discover products they love, and Caper smart trolleys deliver both, directly in the aisle. We're proud to bring this to the UK for the first time through our partnership with Morrisons, who share our belief that technology should make the weekly shop not just easier, but genuinely more enjoyable."
"Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we're always looking for ways to make their weekly shop easier, more rewarding, and more enjoyable, to give them more reasons to shop at Morrisons," says Gordon Macpherson, Productivity Director at Morrisons. “Caper smart trolleys do exactly that, giving customers real-time visibility of their spending, instant access to their More Card savings, and a more seamless experience in the aisle. We're proud to be the first UK retailer to bring this technology to our customers, and we look forward to seeing how shoppers in Preston and across Lancashire respond to this innovative new trolley in this in-store trial.”
Caper Carts are now live in more than 100 cities across the US and Australia with the likes of Kroger, Wakefern Food Corp., Schnucks, and Coles.
10...M&S has announced the roll-out of ten new lower emission DAF XD electric trucks across its supply chain logistics fleet, including what is pitched as a first of its kind vehicle. As part of its Plan A roadmap to Net Zero by 2040, the retailer has committed to move to low carbon logistics, increased use of new technologies and cleaner fuels.
M&S is introducing new technologies to its fleet with a vehicle fitted with an integrated inverter that draws power from the vehicle’s main battery and converts it to supply the trailer’s refrigeration unit.
Developed through the eFREIGHT 2030 project, part of the UK government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure programme, this marks the first deployment of this technology on a DAF truck in the UK and reduces the need for diesel powered refrigeration on chilled journeys.
The new vehicles build on M&S’ electric fleet expansion and join eight other zero tailpipe emission battery electric HGVs and five battery electric Rigids. Five of the new vehicles are now in service and a further five will enter operations this year.
Mick Pethard, Group Fleet Manager at M&S, says: “Adapting our logistics network is vital in achieving our Plan A Net Zero ambitions. We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions from our transport and, through collaboration with Gist and DAF, we are able to trial new technologies, reduce carbon, save energy and drive operational efficiencies across the business.”
600...ICE recently announced a partnership with Tesco, launching autonomous cleaning robots across 600 Express stores. The pair said that this was the first deployment of this scale in the UK convenience sector. The initial phase of the roll-out has now been completed.
The machines are designed as "co-bots" to work alongside Tesco colleagues. By taking over routine floor cleaning, they free up time for the store teams to focus on serving customers. The technology promises a highly consistent, premium clean every single day, backed by data tracking and reporting.
In a LinkedIn post, Tabitha Gafencu, Project Manager - Stores Transformation and Operations Development at Tesco, said: "600 stores. One vision. Countless people behind the success. We've officially completed the initial phase of our 600-store cleaning automation roll-out - the largest deployment of its kind delivered in the UK to date."
She added: "A project of this scale and complexity is never about one team alone. It has taken the commitment, collaboration, and dedication of many stakeholders across the business, store colleagues, shift leaders, store managers, ICE engineers and suppliers to turn a shared vision into reality."
119...Butlin's has completed the roll-out of 119 automated self-serve bar terminals across its three UK resorts, becoming the world’s first holiday resort operator to introduce the Boxbar machines. This is pitched as the largest deployment of its kind anywhere in the world.
The installation spans entertainment venues at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness. The aim is to increase bar service capacity all year round, maximise sales during peak trading periods, reduce queues and improve the guest experience. The 119-unit deployment spans Boxbar's full machine portfolio including Boxbar Mobile (2-Bank & 3-Bank), Container and fixed TapWall installations. By combining permanent and mobile formats, Butlin's says it can service a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues whilst retaining the flexibility to support special events and changing guest demand.
The units can pour two drinks in as little as six seconds and serve a broad drinks menu, with 20 different products on offer across the Butlin’s portfolio. Across the three resorts, the deployment has the capability to dispense hundreds of drinks every minute. The technology has been integrated into Butlin's existing guest experience, including support for the resort's popular All Inclusive Drinks package.
9....Pret A Manger this week opened its new flagship store in Terminal 5 at London Heathrow - its ninth at the UK’s busiest airport. This offers Pret’s usual menu of barista made drinks and freshly prepared food, including Super Plates and Protein Pots.
There are also mobile handheld tills to help team members serve customers more quickly in the arrivals area, along with seating for 104 people.
In a LinkedIn post, Luke Kan, Global Head of Shop Format & Design at Pret, said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved with our new shop at Heathrow Terminal 5 Arrival Hall, a truly unique opportunity to showcase the best of Pret A Manger to the millions of international passengers that will be travelling through Heathrow every year.
He added: “The site presented a complex design challenge: to create a flagship vision and tailored shop format that will welcome all Heathrow customer groups. Working in collaboration with Draw Creative and KAD Retail, we are really happy with the outcome and hope the design will play a part in helping those visiting the UK form their best impressions of the country with inspiring design, freshly made food and prepared drinks and incredible customer service. Big thank you to the amazing team who worked tirelessly to deliver this project.”
85,000...Sportswear chain Sports Direct and Everlast Gyms+ have opened a flagship store on Dublin’s Henry Street on the site of a former Debenhams location. Both brands - owned by Frasers Group - are operating across four floors in the 85,000 sq ft building.
"Some moments don’t just mark progress - they redefine what’s possible. Today (25th July) is one of those moments," says Sanjay Dhiman, Chief Development Officer at Frasers Group.
The building was originally a Roches department store in 1960 which underwent redevelopment in 2003 extending to 210,000s sq ft. Debenhams acquired the building in 2006 and traded until 2020, which ended 60 years of continuous retail trading on the site. Frasers Group acquired the site in 2022 and commenced design and planning for the latest iteration of both its Sports Direct and Everlast brands.
"Our elevation journey continues with this high impact, vibrant, modern store design. Anchored by a central atrium which houses a footwear delivery system, backed by a 14 metre tall digital screen housing ten million pixels," says Dhiman. "The 60,000 sq ft store is an expression of the very latest designs from our brand partners/own brands and evolution of our Running, Women’s Fitness, Outdoor, Kids and Bootroom concepts."
"A 25,000 sq ft Everlast connected by a floating, feature staircase adds a state-of-the-art gym with a Hyrox Performance Centre, Cafe, Sauna and Ice Baths. The building has achieved LEED Silver certification, recognising its strong environmental performance and commitment to sustainability."
30...Amazon Now, Amazon’s rapid delivery service, has launched in Manchester, promising thousands of groceries and household essentials in about 30 minutes or less. The move marks the first city outside of London to get the offering following go live in the capital earlier this year.
“Amazon Now brings a new level of speed and convenience to customers, delivering thousands of groceries and household essentials in less than 30 minutes," says John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager at Amazon. “It’s the latest example of our commitment to faster delivery, building on the millions of items we already deliver the same or next day to customers across the UK.”
Amazon Now uses a network of micro fulfilment centres that are positioned near residential and inner-city areas, with sites in Southwark, Bethnal Green, Battersea, Lewisham, Hampstead, Notting Hill, Haringey, Walthamstow and Wembley, alongside East Manchester, with sites in Salford and Stockport to follow in the coming weeks.
Customers in eligible Manchester postcodes can shop from the likes of everyday essentials like milk, eggs, fresh fruit and veg, toothpaste, pet treats, nappies, and medicines, alongside local favourites from Kellogg’s, PG Tips, and Warburtons.
1...Sephora UK has officially opened the doors to its first boutique store concept in the UK on London's Carnaby Street. The 2,691 sq ft location has been designed to bring Sephora's premium beauty experience to a more intimate, high street setting, while maintaining its signature service and product offer.
It also introduces Sephora's new Beauty Scan technology. Powered by a lens attached to a Beauty Advisor's phone, this analyses customers' skin to deliver insights beyond app only solutions, including oil and hydration levels for skincare needs and more precise foundation shade matching.
Sarah Boyd, Managing Director, Sephora UK, says: "Today (23rd July) marks an incredibly exciting milestone for Sephora UK as we officially open the doors to our very first boutique in market. Since returning to the UK, our community has continued to ask for more Sephora locations across central London, so we're incredibly proud to bring this exciting new format to one of the world's most iconic shopping destinations after a period of regional expansion.”
She adds: “Everything about this boutique has been designed around how our customers shop today. Whether they're discovering a new brand during their lunch break, browsing with friends at the weekend or looking for personalised beauty advice before an evening out, we've created a space that delivers everything people love about Sephora in a format that feels effortless, inspiring and perfectly suited to the rhythm of city life.”
“Carnaby Street has always been synonymous with creativity, individuality and self-expression values that perfectly reflect our own. We can't wait to welcome both Londoners and visitors from around the world into our newest store as we continue building the future of prestige beauty retail in the UK."
