High profile departures and hefty funding rounds: 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 Evri, Morrisons, Vusion, Quadient, M&S, Lily AI, Aldi USA, Currys, Walmart, Holland & Barrett, SAP, and Gymshark.

1. Parcel delivery specialist Evri hits back at BBC following 'libellous' Panorama TV programme

Evri is suing the BBC for around £1.2 million over a Panorama programme that examined the pressures of working in one of its delivery units, and spoke to unhappy customers as well as couriers who said they struggled to make a living.

Evri disputes these claims and says it provides a fast, reliable and cost-effective delivery service. It also stresses that its couriers earn more than the national minimum wage.

In High Court documents it claims that it suffered "serious financial loss" and lost contracts worth more than £1.1 million as a result of the programme, which remains available to view online, as well as other sums. It claims that the BBC wrongly suggested it used "exploitative business practices" and misled a parliamentary committee by giving assurances its couriers weren't paid under the minimum wage. It is also seeking an injunction to stop the BBC repeating the claims.

The BBC has not yet filed a defence and has said it doesn't comment on ongoing legal cases. A hearing in the claim is yet to take place.

2. Morrisons hits 100 stores milestone as it rolls out digital shelf edge labels in Vusion partnership

Morrisons reports that it has installed its 100th store with digital shelf edge labels. In a LinkedIn post, Charlotte Rush, Senior Productivity Manager - Projects at Morrisons, said: "Reaching the 100 store milestone is a huge testament to the strength of our strategic partnership with Vusion."

"By digitising the shelf edge, we are using technology to enhance the customer journey while driving operational efficiency across our estate. We’ve eliminated thousands of manual paper updates, freeing up our store colleagues to focus on our customers. We are now utilising innovative Pick to Light functionality. By using flashing lights on the digital labels to guide our online picking teams directly to the correct items."

She concluded: "A big thank you to our in-store teams, our regional support teams, and the core project team who have supported this roll-out every step of the way, enabling us to scale to 100 stores at an incredible pace. Onward to the next 100 stores!"

3. CTO John Elliott talks people power as he announces Starbucks exit and preps for new career chapter

John Elliott has announced his departure from Starbucks where he has spent the past couple of years, most recently serving as EMEA Vice President for Technology and Supply Chain & Global Vice President for Licensed Technology.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "Today (Friday 3rd July) marks my last day at Starbucks as I prepare for an exciting new chapter later this month. For all the conversations about strategy, technology and transformation, it’s always the people who make the difference and I’ve had the privilege of working alongside exceptional partners in technology, supply chain and across the wider business, supporting markets throughout EMEA and beyond. Together we’ve helped deliver meaningful change."

He added: "I’d also like to thank our licensees and supplier partners. So much of what makes Starbucks successful happens through collaboration and I’ve been fortunate to work with people who care deeply about delivering for our customers every day. And most importantly, thank you to our green apron partners. You create the moments our customers remember and represent the very best of the Starbucks brand every single day."

Elliott concluded: "I leave with great confidence in the Back to Starbucks strategy and the talented teams across EMEA who are bringing it to life every day. The future is in very capable hands. To everyone who has been part of this journey, thank you. I leave with wonderful memories, friendships and enormous respect for the people who make Starbucks what it is."

4. Walmart Realm goes back to school with new shopping experience pitched at dorm room inspiration

Walmart’s immersive virtual shopping platform, Realm, has graduated from an off-site pilot to an on-site experience.

In a LinkedIn post, Justin Breton, Head of Partnerships, Content & Emerging Experiences at Walmart, said: “This evolution brings immersive commerce directly into the shopping journey, making the experience feel more familiar to shoppers while preserving the joy of discovery that made Walmart Realm unique from the start.”

Back to school season, he added, felt like the perfect moment to introduce it, helping customers explore dorm room inspiration from social trends while shopping products at everyday low prices. This season's rooms include: Dopamine Dorm - a little whimsy, a lot of personality; Game Zone - fully equipped for finals and fun; Holistic Haven - a cozy sanctuary all you you; Midnight Archive - BYOB (Bring Your Own Book); Canopy Cottage - fresh nature inspired style.

Each room also features Walmart+, including access to its streaming partners as a benefit. And for a limited time, college students can save 50% on membership.

Breton added: “We also partnered with Walmart Connect to spotlight must have back to school essentials, such as Tide PODS, in select rooms, creating even more opportunities for customers to discover products in context. Proud of the team for continuing to evolve how inspiration and commerce come together and for pushing us (and the industry) to create shopping experiences that are as engaging as they are useful.”

5. Quadient extends Morrisons tie up as UK grocery retailer grows parcel locker network

Quadient has announced the expansion of its partnership with Morrisons, bringing parcel collection and returns services to hundreds of supermarkets across the UK. This follows the deployment of Parcel Pending by Quadient lockers at Morrisons Daily stores.

Installations began in June, with an initial roll-out across 125 locations before extending across Morrisons’ network of c.500 supermarkets in the coming months. 

“The expansion of our partnership with Morrisons, one of the UK’s largest and trusted supermarket brands, reflects a shared vision of making everyday services more accessible for consumers,” says Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, EVP Parcel Locker Solutions Europe at Quadient. “By extending our open locker network across Morrisons supermarkets, we are helping consumers collect and return parcels as part of their normal routines, while providing retailers and carriers with a scale efficient delivery infrastructure. Together, we’re making out-of-home delivery more convenient and accessible across communities.”

"We are committed to providing services that make life easier for our customers and strengthen the role our stores play within local communities," says John Parry, Head of Popular & Useful Services at Morrisons. "Following the success of our Morrisons Daily partnership, expanding Quadient lockers into our supermarket estate is a natural next step. This partnership enables us to offer customers greater flexibility and convenience while enhancing the range of useful services available through our stores."

6. RTIH top 100 retail technology influencer Michelle Grant swaps Salesforce for new role at SAP

Michelle Grant has joined SAP as Global Head of Consumer Industries Go-to-Market. She was previously at Salesforce, where she served as Director, Strategy and Insights, Retail and Consumer Goods.

In a LinkedIn post, Grant, who is included in the latest RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List, said: “I'm excited to join a company that connects customer facing technology with the operational systems that power the business. In today's environment, delivering exceptional customer experiences requires seamless coordination across marketing, commerce, service, supply chain, operations, and more. This becomes even more critical in the age of AI.”

She added: “AI is most powerful when it has context rich data, process expertise, and governance across all business functions. SAP has over 50 years of experience in all three. At this year’s Sapphire, SAP unveiled its vision for the future of business in the age of AI: the Autonomous Enterprise. The Autonomous Enterprise is a company where humans and AI work together seamlessly. By embedding AI assistants and agents across business processes, SAP helps organisations reduce manual effort, accelerate decision making, and streamline operations. It empowers employees to focus on what matters most: customers, strategy, and innovation.”

Grant concluded: “For consumer industries, this creates new opportunities to serve customers better while improving business agility. I'm excited to be part of this journey and look forward to partnering with our customers, colleagues, and partners to bring that vision to life.”

7. Aldi USA wraps an epic digital transformation project across the retailer's stores and DCs

Aldi USA reports completion of a digital transformation project covering its stores and DCs. In a LinkedIn post, Brent Laubaugh, Chief Operating Officer at Aldi USA, said: “I’m proud to share that, after years of planning and hard work by our teams, we have completed the digital transformation of our technology and systems across our entire network of 2,600+ stores and 26 distribution centres in the United States.”

The aim of the multi-year project, which included upgrades to replenishment, transportation, and warehouse management systems, is to provide improved supply chain visibility and lower the cost to serve customers. 

Laubaugh added: “Why does this matter? Effectively managing our supply chain is one of the most important ways that we can ensure a great shopping experience for our customers, delivering fresh, high-quality products at unbeatable prices.”

“As with any project of this scale, there were technical hurdles and challenges along the way, but the Aldi teams working on this project were resilient and never stopped collaborating. I am always amazed by what we can accomplish together with great people and great culture. I am so proud of our team; thank you to everyone who contributed, supported, and led this incredibly important initiative. Today is a day to celebrate! Congratulations to all on a job well done!”

8. Currys picks Metapack to support UK omnichannel tech retailer’s delivery operations across UK&I

Metapack, an e-commerce delivery management specialist, has announced a partnership with UK retailer Currys. The deal brings Metapack’s technology to Currys’ customers, with the aim of giving shoppers delivery options at checkout and improved real-time visibility on every order.

“We’re pleased to be partnering with Metapack, making it easier than ever before for customers to shop with Currys,” says Simon Boss, Director of Logistics and Home Delivery at Currys. “The technology will help us respond quickly to demand and deliver a more seamless shopping experience for our customers. It’s just one part of our mission to help everyone enjoy amazing technology.”

“We are proud to be chosen by Currys, a British institution and one of the country's most trusted retail names,” says Mark Honeyben, SVP and Managing Director, Europe at ShipStation Global. “Currys understands what delivery has become: a genuine driver of loyalty, revenue and brand reputation. The retailers leading in this space are those treating every post purchase interaction as an opportunity, not an obligation, and our platform gives Currys the intelligence and scale to do precisely that.”

9. M&S taps Lily AI Product Intelligence Platform to boost Google shopping and organic search performance

Lily AI has announced a partnership with Marks and Spencer. The retailer is using its tech to automate and improve the creation of structured product data at scale. It says that it has dramatically reduced the manual effort and multiple partners required to bring new items to market while ensuring every product is accurately attributed, categorised, and ready for discovery from day one. 

M&S deployed Lily AI’s Product Intelligence Platform to improve its Google shopping and organic search performance. By boosting its product feed with AI powered attributes, it claims to be driving stronger visibility, higher click through rates, and a meaningful lift in revenue from paid and organic channels.

"Lily AI has become a core part of how we manage and scale our product content at M&S. From setting up new items to optimising for Google, the platform delivers across the board. It’s already making a measurable difference to our efficiency and our commercial performance,” says Stephen Orford, Head of Online Experience, Marks & Spencer.

“In a world where your product feed is your storefront - on Google, in AI powered search, and across every channel the quality of your product content is a competitive advantage. Marks & Spencer gets that. And we’re proud to be their partner,” comments Purva Gupta, Co-founder and CEO at Lily AI.

10. Holland & Barrett Group CFO Vineta Bajaj added to stellar 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel

We're hugely pleased to announce the addition of Vineta Bajaj to the judging panel for the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Vineta is an industry expert in the e-commerce and grocery industry, bringing several years experience in this space.

She spent ten years at Ocado Group, the FTSE 50 online grocer and technology provider supporting its growth and strategic M&A, strategic divestments and fundraising over £1.5 billion. She then took on the Group CFO role at Rohlik Group, a Pan European online grocer spanning five countries that has unicorn status.

Vineta recently joined Holland & Barrett as Group CFO. Her experience spans the US, UK, Europe and Asia. She is a finance, tax and business expert. She acts as an angel investor and advisor to a number of pre-series to Series A startups across a variety of industries and gives her time to supporting small businesses.

Welcome aboard, Vineta!

Further information on our judging panel can be found here. In addition to Rob, it includes representatives from Walmart, JD Sports, Amazon, Boots, Warner Bros. Discovery, East of England Co-op, PoundFun, Austen & Blake, and Gordon Ramsay Restaurants.