Challenging long standing online delivery experience assumptions: the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail tech news? Then this is the article for you. Including Morrisons, Everseen, Veho, Snappy Shopper, Alliance Supermarket, Asda, Auror, Sainsbury's, Argos, The Entertainer, Pie, Lidl GB, Olio, and the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
200...Lidl GB and Neighbourly have expanded their partnership with Olio, giving more shoppers the chance to collect surplus food from the former’s stores for free at the end of the day via the Olio app. The initiative is now available at around 200 Lidl stores, with plans to roll it out nationwide by the end of the year.
When local charities can’t make late evening collections, Olio’s volunteers step in to pick up surplus fresh produce, meat, and bakery items before doors close. Instead of going to waste, that food goes to local families, shelters, and community groups.
The roll-out builds on a trial of evening collections in 20 stores which has prevented around 1,200 kg of food waste per week. Once live nationally, the initiative is expected to redistribute 5,000 tonnes of surplus food each year, the equivalent of nearly 11.9 million meals.
Georgina Hall, Director of Corporate Affairs at Lidl GB, says: “Real change requires a community effort, and we are incredibly grateful to our store teams, charity partners and the dedicated Food Waste Heroes who are rescuing good quality food for those who need it most. With our sights set on a nationwide roll-out by the end of this year, this expanding partnership will soon empower communities to rescue up to nearly 12 million meals every single year. This collaboration will make a huge impact on the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities everywhere.”
200...Morrisons has selected Everseen to deploy its Evercheck solution across 200 of the UK grocery retailer’s stores in an initial roll-out phase. The platform uses real-time computer vision to simplify the self-checkout process.
The move builds on a trial of the technology. On-screen prompts allow shoppers to correct any missed items themselves, with the aim of keeping queues moving. The software integrates with existing systems, freeing store teams to focus on customer service.
Francesca Bezoari, Store Support Office Director at Morrisons, says: “Our new partnership with Everseen enables us to provide the fast and seamless checkout experience our customers want, while simultaneously equipping our colleagues to maintain the exceptional service that Morrisons is known for.”
Joe White, CEO at Everseen, says: “Morrisons recognise that the best AI solutions deliver measurable results without compromising the customer experience. Our Vision AI platform enables Morrisons to improve its satisfaction scores, proving that operational performance and customer service aren't competing priorities. We're proud to bring our experience from deploying across thousands of global checkouts to support Morrisons transformation.”
8...The eighth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards is now open for entries. New for this year, we’ve launched an end-to-end entry platform that provides a more streamlined process for both our entrants and judges.
You will be able to create an account, submit your entry, company logos, supporting documents etc, and keep track of the submissions process through to the judging stage. Sign up for an account and submit your entry or entries here.
The awards, sponsored by 3D Cloud, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2027, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world. Our latest winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Please email our awards team if you have any questions or need further information: awards@retailtechinnovationhub.com
1...Snappy Shopper has launched what is claimed to be Guernsey’s first same-day grocery delivery service through a partnership with Alliance Supermarket and The Food Warehouse. Available through the Snappy Shopper app, customers can order groceries directly from The Food Warehouse in St Martin to their door with both same-day and next-day delivery slots available.
This follows the introduction of Snappy Shopper’s first Channel Islands operation in Jersey in June. The company’s VP, Greg Deacon, says: “Expanding into Guernsey is another significant milestone for Snappy Shopper and reinforces our commitment to bringing convenient grocery deliveries to more communities. Following the strong response we’ve seen in Jersey, we're excited to introduce the same level of convenience to Guernsey residents for the very first time.”
Laura Gordon, Chief Growth Officer at Alliance Supermarket, comments: “We're delighted to launch our new online grocery delivery service for customers in Guernsey. We've listened to our customers, who have told us they want a more convenient way to shop, and this service is our response to that feedback. Whether it's busy families, professionals, or those who find it difficult to visit a store, we're making it easier to access groceries and everyday essentials whenever they need them.”
“This launch represents another important milestone in our digital journey and our continued investment across the Channel Islands. We're excited to build on this offering over time by expanding the range available and continuing to deliver the convenience, choice, and quality our customers expect.”
75%...New research from Veho, based on a survey of 1,954 active online shoppers in the US, challenges two long standing industry assumptions: that delivery is primarily a cost to minimise and that speed alone defines a good experience.
75% of shoppers say a positive delivery experience makes them more likely to purchase from a retailer again. 40% have stopped buying from a retailer after a package never arrived, and 33% have done so after a late delivery. The effects extend well beyond the doorstep. 45% say a poor delivery experience has ruined a vacation, special event, or holiday. 22% note that a delayed delivery has caused them to lose sleep, while 20% say one has made them cry.
“For decades, retailers have invested in personalising discovery, product recommendations, and offers, then entrusted the final and most tangible part of the e-commerce experience to delivery networks built for a different era,” says Catherine Dummitt, VP of Marketing at Veho. “Consumers do not care which company carried the package to their doorstep; when it arrives late or not at all, they blame the brand. The reverse is also true. When an order arrives when and how a customer needs it, the brand earns the credit. That is how delivery becomes a competitive advantage: by building trust, creating moments of joy, and giving customers a reason to return.”
54% of shoppers have purchased from a retailer for the first time specifically because of the delivery options offered at checkout. 56% have abandoned a cart because the available delivery options did not meet their needs. 89% have purchased from Amazon or Walmart instead of a retailer they preferred because of the delivery experience; 51% say they do so frequently.
10 and 30...Asda is rolling out Auror, a crime reporting and intelligence platform. It says that a ten-week pilot in 30 London stores demonstrated the value of having a faster, more effective way to report incidents and identify repeat offenders in real-time.
According to the UK grocery retailer, the trial resulted in: more than £100,000 of products recovered and returned to shelves; 55% increase in crime prevention rates; 80% reduction in incident reporting time, from around 25 minutes to under five; improved identification of repeat and cross retailer offenders.
David Lepley, Chief Operating Officer at Asda, says: “Rolling out Auror across our estate will further strengthen our ability to prevent and tackle retail crime. The results from our London pilot demonstrated the value of having a faster and more effective way to report incidents and identify repeat offenders in real-time. By working more closely with police and retailers through a shared intelligence network, we can focus our efforts where they will have the greatest impact and help to tackle retail crime.”
Mark Gleeson, General Manager UK and Europe at Auror, comments: “We’re delighted to welcome Asda to our strong network of like-minded retailers who are all committed to keeping frontline retail colleagues safe and taking on retail crime together. It’s fantastic to see retailers like Asda unite to take a stand against the top 10% of offenders causing 70% of retail crime and take back UK’s high streets. Auror has made it 80% faster to record crime for Asda colleagues and early pilot results saw the team identify dozens of prolific repeat offenders, with the majority known to offend at stores owned by other retail brands within the Auror network. This is why the network effect is key to getting on top of this problem.”
“Retailers are working more effectively with police than ever before through digital collaboration. This is helping them surface the true scale of offending, understand and respond to risk across their estates, and focus their precious resources on those repeats, organised, and violent offenders - creating safer stores for all.”
8...The Entertainer is set to open a new store at The Trafford Centre in Manchester next month, marking the return of a full range specialist toy offer for the first time since 2018. This is the retailer’s eighth opening in the last 12 months with the most recent being the new "Toys for Less" outlet stores at The Galleria in Hatfield, and Frasers Plus Designer Outlet in Leeds as well as re-opening an expanded and refurbished Brighton Churchill Square store.
Andrew Murphy, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Entertainer, says: “Announcing that, this September, we’ll be joining the brilliant line-up of top flight retailers at Trafford Centre is the undoubted highlight of an already exciting year of store openings for us. The toy category is underrepresented in the centre, with customer research showing high demand for our offer.”
“We’ve been patiently waiting for almost a decade for the right space to become available, so we’re particularly excited to share this news. With over 3,000 different toys, games and collectibles we'll bring an entirely new level of choice and quality to this iconic shopping location, giving the tens of thousands of families who love shopping there the exciting range of gifts and treats they deserve.”
£120 million and £1.4 billion...Last week, Sainsbury's announced it was selling Argos in a deal that will allow the retailer to concentrate on its core grocery business. It expects cash proceeds of at least £120 million from the agreement with Swift Partners, whose shareholders include Richard Pennycook - a former Co-op Group Chief Executive. It stumped up £1.4 billion for the chain back in 2016.
Pennycook said: “What attracted us to Argos is the strength of the business, with a trusted brand, loyal customers and dedicated colleagues. We believe strongly in its future and see real opportunities to invest and build on its progress.”
“Argos's combination - of a strong digital business supported by standalone stores, stores inside Sainsbury’s and Local Fulfilment Centres - gives it a distinctive position in the market and an excellent platform for growth. We hold the senior management in high regard and plan to build on its strengths, bringing additional experience and skills to complement and augment the existing team. We see clear potential to strengthen Argos’s customer proposition, digital capabilities and nationwide reach. We are all making a long-term commitment to the business and look forward to working closely with the team to deliver even more for customers, while maintaining Argos’s strong values.”
It’s a move that has been slammed by Ian Chaplin, former Head of Buying at Argos. In a LinkedIn post, he said: “Still in shock after 24 hours….. not about the long overdue sale of Argos but the words of Simon Roberts below. If ever a statement summed up the deluded arrogance of a company it is this. Simon Roberts, Sainsbury's Chief Executive, said of the decision: Sainsbury's has transformed Argos into a leading multi-channel retailer with millions of customers and thousands of talented colleagues.”
He added: “Every word is the opposite of what they actually did. They bought a leading multi-channel retailer, then through lack of respect and knowledge transformed it into a business that lost share in all categories and lost millions of customers. They let thousands of talented colleagues leave and replaced them with corporate puppets. When trying to create a core range across the two businesses they kept 80% of the Sainsbury’s products and 20% of Argos despite sales and cost price info supporting the opposite.”
Chaplin concluded: “Speaking with suppliers over the years, not one had a positive word to say about Argos under the Sainsbury ownership. To those of us lucky enough to get out in 2018/19 it was painful to watch but totally expected. To those that really needed to keep their jobs in the tough market out there it was insulting watching a business being so badly mismanaged. Hopefully the future will be a bit brighter but one walk around an Argos store today will tell you its probably too late.”
$19.5 million...Pie, an AI powered platform for small businesses, has announced an undisclosed investment from Amex Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of American Express. This follows its emergence from stealth in June, and a $19.5 million Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Capital One Ventures, Max Levchin’s SciFi VC, F-Prime, Commerce Ventures, WEX Venture Capital and existing backers.
“After years of building products for small businesses and hearing directly from owners, one need consistently stood out: they wanted more customers, not another tool to manage,” says Syed Ali, CEO and Co-Founder at Pie. “We built Pie for how small businesses actually operate, meeting them where they are and taking a revenue first approach to growth. The investment from Amex Ventures will help us accelerate that mission and reach more of the businesses that power local economies across the country.”
“We are constantly on the lookout for innovations that deliver differentiated value to small businesses,” says Margaret Lim, Managing Director at Amex Ventures. “Pie is doing just that - helping small businesses find new customers by combining a growing suite of sophisticated AI powered customer acquisition capabilities with a delightful easy-to-use experience. Syed and Akhil know this market need deeply and we are excited to be backing them.”
Pie is focusing on partnerships with vertical software platforms that already serve small businesses. It recently teamed with MoeGo, which put its capabilities into software used by over 10,000 modern pet care businesses, helping them attract prospective customers across local discovery channels and connect that activity to outcomes, including calls, bookings, and revenue.
12.4% and 8.1%...Retail store theft levels are stabilising in the US, but external theft and fraud overall continue to rise, according to a new study by the National Retail Federation and the Loss Prevention Research Council and sponsored by Sensormatic Solutions. This found that retailers experienced a 12.4% decrease in shoplifting incidents and an 8.1% decline in retail merchandise theft in 2025 compared with 2024, while other methods of external theft, fraud and scams increased over the same period.
A survey was conducted online among senior loss prevention and security executives in the retail industry from February to April. A total of 66 retail companies responded to this, representing 143 brands across a variety of retail sectors. These brands represented $1.7 trillion in annual sales for their 2025 fiscal year or 31.6% of total retail sales. The majority (63%) have more than 10,000 employees, and 38% operate at least 1,000 stores.
“After years of rising in-store theft, retailers are beginning to see levels stabilise, driven by investments in technology and employee training to strengthen store security and improve response to these crimes,” says NRF Vice President for Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston. “However, significant challenges remain as organised criminals continue to exploit vulnerabilities throughout the retail environment as seen in the rise of various fraud schemes and thefts including cargo theft, phone scams and gift card fraud.”
$12 million...UNIT AI has announced $12 million in funding to accelerate commercial deployments of its AI powered platform for end-to-end e-commerce fulfillment and returns across North America. The round was co-led by Prologis Ventures, Dynamo Ventures, and Ground Up Ventures, with participation from eGateway Capital, Recursive Ventures, Think + Ventures, ZEP Fund, and Crosscourt.
UNIT is working with various retailers and logistics providers, including Barrett, ShipCalm, DaVinci, Carter, as well as apparel brands. The company also lays claim to a growing pipeline of enterprise brands and 3PLs whose fulfillment networks collectively ship billions of inventory units each year.
UNIT was founded by Guy Glass, who previously founded Caja Robotics (acquired by Fives), a specialist in goods to person warehouse automation, and Avihou Barkay, President at Plus One Robotics and GM at Caja Robotics. After decades of designing and deploying robotic fulfillment systems for global warehouse operators, the pair set up UNIT with the aim of removing the cost, complexity, and infrastructure barriers that have historically limited automation adoption.
"After decades of building warehouse automation, we realised the next breakthrough wasn't building bigger systems; it was making automation dramatically more accessible," says Glass. "The world's largest retailers and logistics providers are looking for enterprise grade automation that can be deployed in a week instead of months. This funding allows us to scale our deployment capacity, accelerate product innovation, and meet that growing demand."
"Retailers and 3PLs need automation that solves real operational pain points - improving throughput, labor productivity and returns management without forcing a full facility redesign," says Todd Lewis, Senior Vice President, Prologis Ventures. "UNIT is addressing a clear market need with a modular platform that gives operators flexible automation that can scale and adapt to changing customer demands."
