Embracing opportunities in data and AI at pace: the biggest retail technology stories from September
September is done and dusted, October is up and running, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful month for the retail technology space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from September, including Tesco, AIUTA, Morrisons, Kingfisher, VoCoVo, The Range, Rainbow, Hanshow, The Entertainer, THG Commerce, Primark, Boots, TikTok Shop, Waitrose, and Trust Retail.
1. Tesco teams with AIUTA to test out virtual try-on technology for F&F clothing in Sandhurst Extra store
Tesco is introducing new virtual try-on technology for the first time, as part of a trial at its Sandhurst Extra store. Powered by AIUTA tech, the experience lets customers virtually try on around 1,500 items of F&F clothing across womenswear and menswear by taking a photo or uploading a photo of themselves onto a digital try-on screen in the clothing department, or selecting a digital model to view clothes in different sizes.
The trial is designed to understand how Tesco can help customers browsing in-store to discover new styles and feel more confident before they buy.
The virtual try-on screen forms part of a wider F&F refresh at Sandhurst Extra, which includes new changing rooms and a dedicated service hub for easier checking out and returns. Customers will also see a larger F&F range in-store and a refreshed look and feel with new signage, updated lighting and a focus on showcasing the F&F range across womenswear, menswear and childrenswear.
2. Home improvement retailer Kingfisher taps AI tech driven personalisation as it ups profit target
Kingfisher Group, which owns B&Q and Screwfix in the UK and Castorama and Brico Depot in France and other markets, is using AI enabled productivity tools, including Fabric, to accelerate content creation, enhance SEO and improve conversion.
The FTSE 100 home improvement retailer lifted the lid on its AI and other tech initiatives as it raised its profit target despite seeing a heatwave driven drop off in sales at B&Q. It now expects to make a pre-tax profit of between £595 million and £635 million, having previously guided between £565 million and £625 million. Last year, it posted a £560 million profit.
Other highlights from its full year profit guidance and HY26/27 results include: group e-commerce sales reached 22% penetration. Group app sales now account for 29% of e-commerce sales, with app customers spending approximately 14% more than non-app users.
AI driven personalisation increased +16% generating approximately £100 million of sales, showing, Kingfisher claims, the growing value of its data and digital capabilities. Click & Collect sales were up +9% and home delivery sales +15%, supported by store-based fulfilment network and marketplace growth.
Screwfix Sprint (20 min delivery) was up +50% reflecting the growing demand for rapid fulfilment, particularly in Kingfisher’s City stores. Marketplace GMV rose +42% to £372 million, representing 18% of e-commerce sales. There has been investment in platform enhancements including Buybox, which helps customers find the best offer from multiple vendors by balancing price, merchant performance and delivery speed.
B&Q, meanwhile, continued to stump up cash for search and navigation capabilities, supporting improvements in online traffic and conversion. Natural language search is planned for implementation at B&Q in H2. The next phase of digital commerce will also include agent enabled shopping experiences.
3. UK grocery giant Morrisons names former Kingfisher executive Mohsen Ghasempour as Chief AI Officer
Morrisons has appointed Dr Mohsen Ghasempour as Chief AI Officer, a newly created role that will see him establish a central data science and AI function for the UK grocery retailer. He joins from Kingfisher, where he had served as Chief AI Officer since March 2024 following more than two years as Group AI Director.
He will take overall responsibility for data and AI strategy, with a remit spanning customer growth, colleague empowerment, operational efficiency, manufacturing excellence and commercial excellence. He will report directly to Morrisons CEO Rami Baitiéh when he takes up the role on 1st October.
“Creation of this new role reflects our commitment to ensuring Morrisons is embracing the opportunities in data and AI at pace, with focus and in the right way,” says Baitiéh.
“Mohsen is a recognised expert in the field with hands on experience of unlocking the potential of technology to deliver innovative new solutions that serve customers, empower colleagues and deliver measurable business impact.”
Ghasempour says: “I’m excited about joining Morrisons and building the team that will help the business make effective and responsible use of AI in the years ahead, to deliver real benefits for customers and colleagues.”
4. Boots pilot launching on TikTok Shop in partnership with THG Commerce on 28th September
Boots UK is kicking off a TikTok Shop pilot, in partnership with THG Commerce, involving a curated selection of No7 skincare and beauty products. Further brands and products are set to launch over the coming months.
Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital and Data Officer at Boots, says: “Millions of people are already discovering beauty and skincare products through TikTok and the creators and communities that they trust. This launch gives us an exciting new way to be part of this dynamic experience and help more customers to discover new products and shop those they love in way that feels seamless and relevant to their lives.”
Daniel Callaghan, Business Development Manager at THG Ingenuity, says: “Boots' debut on TikTok Shop is a testament to the growth and development that the platform has seen over the last few years. This forms part of Boots’ wider ambition to create more connected customer experiences and bring beauty content, product discovery and purchase closer together. Through the platform, it aims to reach new audiences, while giving existing customers greater choice and flexibility in how and where they shop. Huge move, and well done to everyone involved.”
5. Waitrose keeps the faith with Trust Retail through to 2031 as inventory tech roll-out expands
Waitrose has extended its partnership with Trust Retail, a Trust Payments business, for a further five years, taking the relationship through to November 2031 as the supermarket prepares to accelerate the roll-out of Trust Retail’s inventory management technology across its store estate.
The technology was first trialled in a Waitrose store in March 2026 and is now live across eight stores. A wider roll-out is scheduled to begin at the end of September, with approximately 125 stores expected to be live before Christmas and the remaining Waitrose estate scheduled to follow by March 2027.
Trust Retail’s inventory management technology gives Waitrose partners a real-time view of stock, replacing processes that previously relied on batch updates. Transactions are reflected immediately across connected inventory and accounting systems, providing a more accurate and up-to-date view of stock throughout the trading day.
Using handheld devices, store partners can access current inventory information to support day-to-day activities including replenishment, stock management and markdown decisions.
6. Redefining the omnichannel landscape: RTIH's latest Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List goes live
The latest edition of the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List is here! The list has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, to the point that we’ve decided publishing it once a year is no longer enough. Here, then, is the second edition for 2026, with some names dropping out of the top 100 and some new names coming in (the latter are flagged as new entries for ease of reference).
Including the likes of retailers, brands, technologists, analysts, and consultants, the list celebrates individuals who are helping to redefine retail in a fast moving omnichannel age.
We use a variety of sources to select our top 100, including feedback from industry observers, research within our own networks, direct or third–party nominations via our website, and social media tools.
In addition to social presence, we also take into account award winners and judges, event speakers, books published, media appearances, and people building innovative companies, solutions etc in the retail space.
We hope you enjoy reading through the top 100 and, as always, if you would like to give feedback or believe that there are some glaring omissions, please feel free to get in touch.
Many thanks to 3D Cloud, which provides 3D product visualisation software trusted by top furniture and DIY retailers, for sponsoring the list.
7. The Entertainer partners with THG Commerce with focus on boosting its digital customer experience
UK toy retailer, The Entertainer, has appointed THG Commerce, part of THG Ingenuity, as its new digital commerce partner. The multi-year tie up will see THG Commerce design, build and power The Entertainer’s next-generation digital experience, with the aim of creating a more intuitive, inspiring and personalised journey for families, gift buyers and adult toy and collectible enthusiasts.
THG Commerce will deploy AI enabled shopping assistance, conversational discovery and intent led search capabilities to help customers explore thousands of products and find the right choice more intuitively. These capabilities draw on the wider THG Ingenuity collaboration with Google Cloud, which harnesses Vertex AI Commerce Search and Gemini.
Alongside smarter search and discovery, the new experience will bring together richer content, curated product journeys and personalised recommendations to inspire customers throughout the purchasing journey. THG Commerce will deliver a new web and mobile experience, together with an enhanced Click & Collect journey designed to create a more seamless connection between digital discovery and
The Entertainer’s nationwide store network.
The new platform is expected to launch in spring 2027 and has been designed to provide a foundation for future opportunities across loyalty, retail media and social commerce as The Entertainer continues to develop its omnichannel customer proposition.
8. Late to the online party Primark announces plans to launch a home delivery service in Britain
This follows the purchase of an automated fulfilment facility in Sheffield. A famous online laggard, the retailer went live with 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,” said Eoin Tonge, CEO at Primark.
A spokesperson for the retailer commented: “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.”
9. The Range to roll-out VoCoVo headsets across all 283 locations following one-store trial
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.”
10. Chinese retailer Rainbow opens its first Hanshow powered Store Digital Twin supermarket in Shenzhen
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.
