Primark changes its online mind as Popeyes UK gives back: last week’s biggest retail technology plays
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Aldi UK, Skechers, Vue, Pentland Brands, Wakefern Food Corp., Hotel Chocolat, Morrisons, Never Fully Dressed, Best Buy, Rainbow, and Wendy's UK.
Aldi UK
Aldi UK reports completion of a SAP ERP system deployment across its store network. In a LinkedIn post, Nathan Loftus, National Supply Chain Director at Aldi UK, said: “And just like that.. The last 2.5 years working on transitioning Aldi UK across to the SAP ERP system is complete.”
He added: “From our first PO raised back in February 2024, to our final batch of Irish stores going live this week, it’s been a huge effort and a massive congratulations to all involved across the business.”
Responding to the post, Aldi UK’s Karolina Blaszczyk commented: “A huge milestone, congratulations to everyone involved! Having experienced the transition from an operational perspective, it’s clear how much work has gone into adapting processes while continuing to keep stock moving and stores supported. A massive collective effort across the business!”
Skechers
Skechers has selected KNAPP as technology partner for what is pitched as one of Europe’s largest fashion and footwear automated logistics projects, with a footprint of around 230,000 m² (2,475,699 sq ft) and a planned capacity of more than 3.3 million storage locations.
Opening in stages that will be complete by mid-2030, the logistics centre in Liège, Belgium will start to supply the European market from a single location at the close of 2028 and will be designed to allow future growth. The facility will handle up to ten million pairs of shoes per month.
An existing European distribution centre (EDC) in Milmort in the province of Liège is reaching its capacity limits. “For more than 23 years, Skechers has placed its trust in Wallonia as a strategic base for its European operations - and this new phase is the next chapter of our growth,” says David Weinberg, COO at Skechers. “This massive, automated and sustainable building puts us at the forefront of distribution to Europe and makes us fit for the future.”
DHL and Alibaba
DHL Group and Alibaba.com have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue the use of AI with a view to improving the end-to-end logistics experience for SMEs engaged in international trade. The pair intend to evaluate how AI powered tools can support customers throughout their international trade journey, from sourcing and supplier discovery to logistics quotation, booking and shipment execution to make cross-border trade simpler, faster and more accessible.
Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer DHL and Head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation, says: “SMEs are the backbone of the global economy, but many still face challenges navigating the complex rules, regulations, and trade requirements that come with international expansion. By bringing together Alibaba.com’s digital commerce expertise and DHL’s logistics capabilities, we want to explore how technology can help businesses spend less time managing complexity and more time focusing on growth.”
DHL and Alibaba.com will explore the integration of DHL Global Forwarding’s logistics services into Alibaba.com’s agentic AI platform Accio. Accio is a plug and play enterprise AI agent and agentic business team that equips businesses with an immediate, no-code taskforce designed to support the diverse operational needs of SMEs worldwide.
Accio will be able to connect to DHL Global Forwarding’s Quotation & Booking capabilities, enabling businesses to obtain real-time freight forwarding quotes, evaluate shipping options and book shipments more seamlessly. The new capability is the first in a planned suite of DHL logistics capabilities designed to automate key business tasks, improve operational efficiency and enable SMEs to scale more effectively.
Starbucks and Alipay
Starbucks and Ah Bao, Alipay’s AI agent, have launched a new AI powered service - the Coffee Alarm Clock - for Chinese consumers. Users can set this up by first opening the Alipay app, swiping right and telling Ah Bao “Buy me a Starbucks iced Americano at 10 a.m. every day”. They then create a personalised name for the alarm clock and enable Alipay notifications in the app settings. Then wait for Ah Bao to execute the task every day.
Ah Bao will ask follow-up questions to clarify the user’s needs if the request is incomplete or missing key information. The feature can also manage a wide range of recurring daily tasks, such as scheduling rides in advance. It will be made available to more merchants and brands.
Additionally, Ah Bao has introduced a new module at the top of its main page, allowing users to check and manage the status of their services.
Since its launch in June, Ah Bao has offered 10,000+ AI powered everyday services, spanning more than a dozen categories including hospitality, dining, travel and pet care. Users can tell Ah it what they need through natural conversations and complete various tasks, from paying utility bills and booking pet services to finding EV charging stations and hailing a self-driving car.
Brands including McDonald's, KFC, Mixue Bingcheng, Luckin Coffee and Haidilao have also integrated their services into Ah Bao, allowing consumers to place orders and make payments by chatting with the AI agent.
Primark
Primark has announced plans to launch a home delivery service in Britain, following the purchase of an automated fulfilment facility in Sheffield. A famous online laggard, the retailer launched a Click and Collect service in 2022, but owner Associated British Foods (ABF) now says there is "opportunity for profitable growth" through home deliveries.
The move, which was denied following media reports earlier this year, comes as Primark prepares to split from ABF. This is likely to complete in December 2027 and is expected to create two new FTSE 100 companies, with analysts predicting that Primark could be valued at as much as £9 billion, and the food part of the business £4 billion.
“This is a really big day for us here at Primark, with two significant announcements: Our decision to bring home delivery to Great Britain and expanding our franchise business. Exciting times ahead,” says Eoin Tonge, CEO at Primark.
A spokesperson for the retailer said: “Our stores will always be at the heart of Primark. But a lot has changed in online retail in recent years, from how customers shop and their expectations for online delivery. Combined with the digital progress we’ve made, and particularly the success of Click & Collect, we’re confident the time is right to give customers in Great Britain even more choice in how they shop with us.”
Jollyes Pets
UK retailer Jollyes Pets has chosen to work with Sona on a project involving 125+ stores, 1,000+ people, and one platform for AI driven scheduling, HR, recruitment, learning, payroll and communications.
“This is a big step for us in retail. Retail doesn't stand still. Footfall, seasonality, promotions all shift the picture week to week. Most operators treat that as a people problem. It's not. It's a data problem, and getting the right people in the right place at the right time is what keeps service consistent across 125+ stores,” says Steffen Wulff Petersen, Co-founder and CEO at Sona.
“A particular thank you to Adam Dury, CEO at Jollyes, for backing this from the top, and to Andrew Crooks, Head of Transformation, for driving this partnership forward.”
Vue
Vue has unveiled its transformed Vue Finchley Road location in London as the company invests in enhancing the big screen experience for customers. The refurbished venue features Lux and Ultra Lux seating, Laser by Barco projection technology, an expanded hot food offering and the arrival of Vue Your Way, making Finchley Road the first London venue to introduce this concept.
With Vue Your Way, people can download their tickets to their wallets to speed up the entrance process. They can scan their QR code at the ticket gates and head on through to build their own snack combos. They then pay at self-service checkouts, with staff members on hand if any issues occur, before heading into their screen to, hopefully, lose themselves in a good movie.
A spokesperson for Vue said: “This latest investment reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering the very best in big screen entertainment, combining industry leading technology with more personalised and flexible experiences for our customers. Thank you to our colleagues, partners and local community for supporting us throughout the refurbishment. We look forward to welcoming guests to experience the next chapter of Vue Finchley Road.”
The Golden Bear Group
StrongPoint reports that it is working with The Golden Bear Group, a UK specialist in outdoor retail. An AutoStore powered Pio solution will be installed at the company’s North Wales operation, comprising a Pio P200 system with 2,870 bins, five robots and two ConveyorPorts, with two additional ConveyorPort frames prepared for future expansion. Delivery is scheduled for Q3 2026.
“We are proud to have been selected as their first automation partner and are focused on delivering the best possible solution for their e-commerce needs. The UK is strategically important for StrongPoint, and we are seeing customers place increasing value on experience and delivery capability alongside solution design,” says James Palmer, VP Automation, Robotics & Professional Services at StrongPoint.
The Golden Bear Group is the home of Great Outdoor Depot, Jack Pyke Shop, Viper Tactical Shop and SPEERO Tackle Shop. The solution designed by StrongPoint will combine high density storage, intelligent software orchestration, and operational design expertise with the aim of delivering improved efficiency, scalability, and long-term performance for The Golden Bear Group’s e-commerce logistics operations.
Kramp Poland
Kramp Poland, a supplier of agricultural, forestry, and gardening products, has completed the implementation of LEAFIO Shelf Efficiency to streamline planogram creation and execution across its retail stores.
The retailer operates a network of over 160 PbK partner stores, each carrying a unique assortment of between 8,000 and 21,000 SKUs.
Across the network, there are up to 90,000 active SKUs. As this continued to grow, maintaining planograms through a fully manual process became increasingly difficult to scale.
Before the implementation, every new planogram was created manually. The merchandising team built a physical shelf at the head office, arranged products, photographed the finished layout, printed the planogram, and then distributed it to stores. This process created several operational challenges: creating and updating planograms required significant manual effort, new products could only be added once physical samples became available, and rolling out merchandising changes across stores was time-consuming.
With LEAFIO Shelf Efficiency, Kramp has transitioned to a centralised digital workflow where planograms can be created, updated, and shared with stores much more efficiently. Store employees access planograms through a mobile application, enabling more consistent execution while reducing manual work.
Patta
Streetwear brand Patta says it has reopened sales to the United States after deploying Reveni’s cross-border technology, allowing it to ship 4,000 parcels to American customers in a single product drop after tariffs had previously forced it to stop serving the market.
Patta, known for its limited edition product launches, had suspended US sales after customers were hit with unexpected import charges, leading many to refuse deliveries. It was left paying both export and reimport costs, making sales to one of its biggest international markets commercially unviable.
By implementing Reveni Atlas, it has been able to resume US sales while eliminating surprise duties for customers. The platform automatically calculates and manages tariff changes, allowing orders to be shipped with duties paid in advance and pass through customs without delays.
Tomas Overtoom, Business Growth at Patta, says: "You basically ship out a product, the customer just doesn't accept it because they get hit with tariffs. So you have to pay for the export but also reimporting it back again. It's extremely expensive. Ever since we have Atlas, we're extremely confident in using cross-border releases and implementing them, specifically for the US now."
Patta also replaced its previous returns platform with Reveni's integrated solution. The new platform connects directly with the brand's systems and third-party logistics provider, giving the team full visibility of every return while reducing manual administration. Patta also offers instant refunds to selected customers through the platform. During its latest product launch, it shipped 4,000 parcels to customers in the United States.
Never Fully Dressed
Persi reports go live with Never Fully Dressed. In a LinkedIn post, Liv Parkes, Founder and CEO at Persi, said: “When we first started speaking to the Never Fully Dressed team, one of the things that immediately clicked was how much they already think about styling. Not just: How do we sell this dress?. But: How do we show our customer all the ways she could wear it?"
She added: “That distinction is pretty much the reason Persi exists. Because I believe the biggest opportunity in fashion e-commerce isn't showing shoppers more products. It's helping them imagine more possibilities with the products they're already looking at. So, together we've launched: Style Bundler - multiple, completely shoppable ways to wear the item you're viewing; AI Stylist - personalised looks based on your style, occasion and what you're looking for (you can even upload and style something you already own.”
“Ultimately, we're solving a really simple customer question: "I like it. But how would I actually wear it?" Answer that at the point someone is deciding whether to buy and you make shopping easier for the customer and drive better commercial outcomes for the retailer. That's the win-win we've been working towards from day one. A huge thank you to the Never Fully Dressed team for trusting us with your customers and for being so brilliant to build with. And a very big moment for our small Persi team.”
Wakefern Food Corp.
Uber Technologies and Wakefern Food Corp. have announced that customers can now shop more than 375 Wakefern supermarket locations across the US Northeast through Uber Eats, with banners including ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Morton Williams, Dearborn Market, Di Bruno Bros., Fairway Market, and Gourmet Garage.
“As a cooperative made up of family owned supermarkets with deep roots in communities across the Northeast, our focus has always been on serving our neighbours where and how they shop,” says Darren Caudill, Chief Sales Officer at Wakefern Food Corp. “Uber Eats gives our stores another way to serve customers where they are, making it easier to get the fresh foods, neighbourhood service and the value they count on with added speed and convenience.”
“Customers are increasingly looking for flexible ways to stock up on fresh groceries without compromising on selection or value,” says Prashant Garg, Head of North America, Uber Eats. “By partnering with Wakefern and adding more than 375 supermarkets to our platform, including beloved banners like ShopRite and Fairway Market, we’re continuing to build a marketplace that brings expansive choice, from full weekly grocery runs to last minute ingredients, into one seamless app experience.”
Landsec
Piccadilly Lights in Central London is introducing a reconfiguration of its famous 783.5 m curved screen. The new design will give brands extended periods for full screen domination, providing enhanced opportunities for global launches, theatrical style trailers and mixed reality, 3D DeepScreen special effects and more live interactivity with The Venue which sits underneath.
Landsec will maintain the patchwork formation on the digital display whilst introducing the flexibility to move between five or six brands. Long-term residents of Piccadilly Lights include Coca-Cola (since 1954), and Samsung (since 1994). Changes to the screen's format come into effect from January, ten years after Piccadilly Lights relaunched following a nine-month period of renovation which saw the installation of one curved LED screen.
In 2023, Landsec delivered The Venue, giving brands a physical stage in Piccadilly Circus. Events and experiences in The Venue can be live streamed to Piccadilly Lights. Brands that have leveraged both the locations together include L’Oreal, Fatal Fury, and HBO Max, which used both the screen and venue simultaneously to build awareness and engagement for its UK launch. A two-day immersive pop up delivered more than 9.5 million impressions, with 900 social posts and media coverage reaching 33 countries.
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat has announced an exclusive partnership with Deliveroo, launching initially with five of its locations - Manchester Cross Street, Chiswick, Staines, St James's and Wimbledon. Customers will be able to shop the Velvetiser, Hotel Chocolat's new boxed selections, its signature selectors, and Velvetised Creams.
Carrie Martin, UK General Manager at Hotel Chocolat, says: “Thoughtful gifting has always been at the heart of what we do, and we're constantly looking at how we can make it easier for customers to mark the moments that matter.”
“Partnering with Deliveroo gives customers a completely new way to access and send Hotel Chocolat gifts: combining the quality and originality they expect from us with greater choice and flexibility. It’s an exciting next step in how we’re growing the brand and meeting customers where they want to shop.”
Suzy McClintock, VP Consumer at Deliveroo, says: “We are building a new destination for gifting at Deliveroo. Customers are no longer using our platform just to shop for themselves but to send something special to a loved one, whether for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, a birthday and more. As a true gifting specialist, Hotel Chocolat brings real brand authority and category expertise to our retail offer, and we are excited to help them reach more consumers who are on a mission to find a meaningful last minute gift.”
Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney has selected Proximity to support its clienteling strategy, with the latter’s app now live across 14 stores in the UK, Italy, France, Spain and the US. The brand was looking for a more connected way to support store teams and elevate the in-store experience.
By bringing customer insights, product information and day-to-day workflows together in a single app, Proximity gives associates the tools they need to deliver more personalised and informed service at every stage of the customer journey.
Pentland Brands
Inspectorio reports that Pentland Brands, owner of Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury of New Zealand, Endura, ellesse, Red or Dead, KangaROOS and Mitre, is using its Responsible Sourcing & Compliance and Traceability & Transparency solutions.
“Operating responsibly has been part of Pentland Brands’ mission for decades, and we want to keep setting a standard in today’s competitive, global market,” says Richard Mason, Sustainability Director at Pentland Brands. “Inspectorio gives our teams and supplier partners the evidence to back our commitment to sustainability across every brand and tier of our supply chain, so responsibility is something we can demonstrate and improve, with flexibility to adapt in the future.”
“Inspectorio is strengthening how we approach both compliance and traceability across our supply chain,” says Abhy Thomas Joseph, COO at Pentland Brands. “The ability to track product journey data alongside our responsible sourcing programmes is going to give us a much clearer picture of where we stand, and where we need to improve.”
StockX
Klarna’s buy now pay later service is now available at checkout on StockX, a resale platform for products including sneakers, apparel, accessories, and trading cards. The launch expands a partnership already live across ten European markets and Australia into two of StockX’s largest markets, the US and Canada. The integration is powered by Adyen.
Shoppers will now have access to Klarna’s pay in 4 and longer term financing options.
"StockX has been a strong partner in Europe and Australia, and we're excited to bring that same experience to shoppers in the US and Canada,” said Lisa Robinson, Head of Partner Success, US East Coast and Canada at Klarna. “Resale is where a lot of the most engaged, digitally native consumers are shopping today, and giving them flexible ways to pay is exactly the kind of everyday value we want Klarna to deliver.”
“Delivering a best-in-class experience means unlocking access to the products our community is passionate about, whether they've been tracking something for months or discovered it five minutes ago,” says Peter Curran, Senior Vice President of Global Business Operations at StockX. “Expanding our partnership with Klarna into the US and Canada means more people can get what they're after, on payment terms that work for them.”
Best Buy
Checkout.com is supporting Best Buy with the next phase of the retailer’s Marketplace payments infrastructure. The Marketplace offering allows third-party sellers to integrate their products into BestBuy.com and its mobile app.
Checkout.com will provide card acquiring and debit routing capabilities. The tie up will support future payment methods, geographies and commerce models.
Antoine Nougué, Chief Revenue Officer at Checkout.com, says: “Best Buy has built a trusted experience to help customers navigate increasingly complex technology purchases. We’re proud to support the next phase of that evolution with modular technology, AI powered payment optimisation, and a hands-on approach to continued innovation and growth.”
Nature's Emporium
Nature's Emporium, a family owned Ontario organic and natural products grocer, has announced a new partnership with Retailgrid, an AI powered spreadsheet for retail. The aim here is to give Nature's Emporium's merchandising team a live, day-to-day view of the market and a repeatable process for acting on it.
Ahead of the partnership, Retailgrid's Price Radar platform monitored pricing across 2,500 retailers in the organic food category and modelled 20 million transactions across categories to analyse competitive positioning and identify opportunities to improve customer price perception and profitability. The same engine now powers Nature's Emporium's pricing programme.
Since it launched in late July, Retailgrid has completed daily data integration with Nature's Emporium's systems, started daily demand modelling and price elasticity analysis across the full assortment, and begun live price monitoring of four major natural products retailers and Amazon.ca.
Morrisons
Instaleap, a company providing software for e‑commerce fulfillment and last mile operations that was recently bought by Instacart, and Morrisons have announced a new partnership.
“We’re proud to partner with Morrisons, one of the UK’s most respected grocery retailers, as they continue to strengthen their omnichannel offering,” says Antonio Nunes, Head of Instaleap. "Consumers now increasingly expect ordering from their local supermarket to be as easy as ordering take-away. Meeting that demand at scale - efficiently, reliably - takes technology built specifically for grocery. That's exactly what we're giving Morrisons."
“We’re constantly looking for ways to make online grocery shopping easier and more convenient,” says Charlotte Exell, Group Online Director at Morrisons. “More of our customers are choosing to shop from us through one of our immediacy partners and they expect an efficient, dependable service every time. Working with Instaleap powers our online operations behind the scenes, helping us deliver fresh groceries directly to our customers’ doors quickly and reliably.”
Rainbow
Rainbow, a Chinese omnichannel retailer, has opened its upgraded Shahe sp@ce supermarket in Shenzhen. Developed in collaboration with Hanshow and Rainbow's technology subsidiary Lingzhi Digital Technology, the project marks its first Store Digital Twin
implementation, bringing together real-time store visibility, decision support and operational execution within a live retail environment.
Located in Shenzhen's Nanshan District, the Shahe sp@ce location has served the local community for nearly 17 years. In 2026, the wider Shahe Rainbow development was upgraded into an urban lifestyle destination that brings together retail, dining, services and entertainment. The move reflects Rainbow's broader ambition to expand the role of physical retail beyond transactions and create a more engaging destination for the surrounding community.
The newly opened sp@ce supermarket, built around Rainbow's "City • Garden • Food Hall" concept, features nine experiential areas designed around different food, lifestyle and community occasions. The store also incorporates Rainbow's intelligent fulfilment centre, supporting more efficient home delivery services and aiming to strengthen the connection between in-store shopping and its broader omnichannel retail model.
As its first Store Digital Twin enabled supermarket, the store brings together more than 17,000 IoT devices and AI capabilities to provide greater visibility into store conditions and support more timely operational decisions and actions.
Hanshow NexConnect Smart Cart, integrated with Lingzhi's proprietary AI shopping assistant, serves as a digital companion throughout the shopping journey, providing shoppers with access to product information, in-store navigation, promotional offers, and available checkout services.
At the shelf edge, Hanshow Nebular Ultra Electronic Shelf Labels support centimetre level product positioning, serving as a key component of the Store Digital Twin infrastructure. The tap to interact functionality extends the ESL from a price display medium into an interactive service touchpoint. Shoppers can access product details, traceability information, usage guidance and promotional content.
In shelf management scenarios, Hanshow combines electronic shelf labels, location intelligence, AI vision and robotics technologies to support out-of-shelf identification, merchandising management and shelf execution. Leveraging its proprietary Bailingniao retail AI model, Lingzhi Digital Technology contributes digital capabilities that support sales forecasting, replenishment strategies, task management and decision support.
Limited Space
Limited Space, an out-of-home (OOH) media owner, has announced the expansion of its portfolio with a new retail and leisure park network, following an exclusive digital media appointment across Legal & General’s UK property portfolio.
The initial roll-out introduces new digital media opportunities at prominent retail park locations spanning both England and Scotland, reaching over 21 million consumers annually.
Matt Gordon, Co-Founder and Director at Limited Space, says: "This expansion is a perfect fit for our business and a natural extension of what we already do so well. Retail and leisure parks complement our existing network brilliantly and allow us to offer extended reach to existing clients as well as bringing new brands into the OOH space.”
"We understand these audiences, how they move between destinations and the role each environment plays within the wider shopper journey. Bringing these locations into our portfolio creates exciting new opportunities for brands to reach consumers in highly relevant, high-intent moments, delivering greater flexibility, scale and impact across their media campaigns."
The installations represent the first phase of a wider roll-out in partnership with Legal & General, with the network set to continue expanding throughout 2026.
The Range
VoCoVo has announced a partnership with home, leisure and garden retailer The Range, that will see Series 5 (S5) Pro Headsets and Call Points rolled out across all 283 of its stores. This follows a one-store trial over the course of a year.
The Range colleagues will get instant, hands free communication through the headsets, replacing disruptive loudspeaker calls and reducing the need for them to search the shop floor for one another. The technology will help deliver faster, more responsive customer service by reducing waiting times at tills, service desks and across the shop floor.
Colleagues can contact managers and team members immediately for price and stock checks, quickly coordinate requests and assign tasks in real-time, while two-way Call Points will allow customers to request assistance at the touch of a button and connect with available colleagues.
A Store Manager at The Range says: “The headsets have made a hugely positive impact in-store for both colleagues and customers. Customer service has noticeably improved as queries are answered faster, stock checks are smoother and warehouse to shop floor communication is instant. This has already streamlined Deliveroo and Click & Collect, and I can see the headsets becoming invaluable during patio season. They’ve become essential to daily operations."
“The very impressive results already achieved in our store have laid the groundwork for much bigger savings across the store network. I can’t wait to see colleagues benefitting from the same technology.”
Beth Worrall, CEO at VoCoVo, says: “The initial trial with The Range has shown how they can achieve significant time and cost savings while maintaining outstanding service levels and the optimum in-store experience at the same time. We’re looking forward to working alongside the team to implement the technology across all its stores.”
DoorDash and SKIMS
DoorDash and SKIMS have announced a new partnership to offer on-demand delivery from all of the latter’s retail stores across the US. DoorDash is SKIMS’ first on-demand delivery partner, and SKIMS is the first brand on DoorDash to offer a selection spanning undergarments, everyday clothing, and outerwear.
"We were built on one idea: you should be able to get everything you need in your neighbourhood, right now. And increasingly, that's not just dinner, it's what you're wearing to dinner too,” says Shanna Prevé, Chief Revenue Officer at DoorDash. “SKIMS has built an iconic brand that’s become part of so many people’s everyday wardrobes, and that’s exactly what we want to your doorstep. We're proud to be SKIMS' first ever on-demand delivery partner, giving people a completely new way to shop a brand they already love."
SKIMS was co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede.
“Our focus has always been on understanding what our customers need and finding better ways to serve them,” says Robert Norton, Chief Commercial Officer. “Our partnership with DoorDash gives customers greater flexibility and convenience when shopping SKIMS, making it easier to access the products they want, when they want them. It’s about putting the customer at the centre of the experience and providing a solution that works for them.’’
SKIMS is available on DoorDash from 17 stores across 11 states and Washington, D.C., with nine additional stores coming soon to the platform.
Wendy's UK
Wendy's UK has gone live with a new mobile app. In a LinkedIn post, Rob McGeown, Head of Technology EMEA, said: "I'm incredibly proud to see our new UK app officially launch this week for iOS.”
“When I joined Wendy's earlier this year, getting the app over the line was one of the biggest priorities in front of us. It's taken a huge amount of focus, collaboration and determination across our teams and partners to turn that ambition into something our customers can use."
He added: "And this is much more than just launching an app; It gives us a stronger digital foundation for how we engage with our customers, improve their experience and continue developing our digital proposition in the UK and Internationally. A massive thank you to everyone who has played a part in getting us here! I'm proud of what we have achieved and excited about what comes next."
Bing Lee and The Natural Grocery Company
SOLUM is expanding its electronic shelf label (ESL) business across Australia through new deployments with a consumer electronics retailer and grocery specialist. SOLUM is supporting the expansion of ESL deployments across multiple Bing Lee stores as part of the retailer's ongoing digital transformation initiatives.
In addition, it has supplied ESL solutions to The Natural Grocery Company, enabling real-time price updates, faster promotional changes, and improved pricing accuracy.
"Through our partnership with Bing Lee, we are proud to contribute to the retailer's store modernisation efforts," says Paul Kyriakos, General Manager at SOLUM Australia. "For The Natural Grocery Company, our ESL solution supports real-time pricing, rapid promotional updates, and greater pricing accuracy. A premium shopping experience is built not only on product quality, but also on a store environment that responds quickly and accurately to both retailer and customer needs."
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is using AI to improve how donated goods are processed for sale online, helping to generate additional income.
The technology is being introduced across the charity’s retail network, which includes shops in Hereford, Gloucester, Market Drayton, Merry Hill, Ross-on-Wye, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Tipton, Wellington, West Bromwich and Worcester.
Provided by Minimist, the new AI powered system enables shop teams to create online listings across platforms such as eBay and Vinted by taking a single photograph of a donated item. In under 30 seconds, it can generate a complete listing, including a product description, pricing suggestion, size information and virtual model imagery where appropriate, giving donated goods access to a wider audience while helping retail teams process stock more efficiently.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity does not receive any government funding and relies entirely on public contributions to operate its lifesaving service. Every sale made through its shops and online marketplaces helps fund its helicopters, fleet of critical care cars as well as the specialist crews and equipment required to deliver pre-hospital emergency care across its six country region.
Popeyes UK
Popeyes UK has announced the launch of Popeyes Rewards, its first ever loyalty programme. Built in-house by its technology team, this allows customers to earn points whether they order through the app, online, at the counter or via our self-service kiosks. Members earn points on every purchase, unlock exclusive rewards, and gain access to experiences inspired by the company's New Orleans heritage.
"For the first time, Popeyes Rewards gives back to our customers through Popeyes Points, and to kick things off, 2,000 points are waiting for you in the app, on us (only for the first six weeks, so hurry if you haven't claimed them yet!)," says James Clark, Head of Digital Marketing at Popeyes UK.
"We wanted this programme to feel unmistakably Popeyes, rather than just points and vouchers. To do that, we're bringing our New Orleans heritage to life, giving customers their very own Mardi Gras Moments throughout the year. First up: we're crowning one customer Popeyes' first ever "Lord of Mardi Gras" and sending them home with £10,000 and the ultimate Popeyes bragging rights. There's a lot more coming, and I'm excited to keep building it with this team. For now, go claim your points."
