All Innovation & disruption articles – Page 2
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AnalysisHow Screwfix, Very, Orlebar Brown and more are unlocking quick-win CX strategies
Retail Week’s The Retail Roadmap report reveals how retailers are executing a customer-first, scalable transformation. Here we give you a sneak preview of Screwfix’s winning digital and CX strategy.
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InterviewQ&A: AliExpress’ UK GM on AI innovation, faster fulfilment and the rise of competitors
In this exclusive Q&A feature, Retail Week speaks with AliExpress’ UK general manager Bonnie Zhao, to explore what sets UK shoppers apart from their global counterparts, the role of AI innovation and AliExpress’ upcoming growth ambitions.
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Innovation of the WeekSustainable student marketplace launches in the UK
Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team.
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FeatureThe age of agentic AI: The next big tech trend in retail
The retail industry has only just wrapped its head around chatbots and AI-powered search, but newer iterations of AI keep emerging
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Innovation of the WeekEvri trials robot dog deliveries in the UK
Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team.
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Innovation of the WeekAlibaba launches ‘world’s first’ AI agent for global trade
Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team.
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NewsPinterest opens new European hub for leveraging AI
Social commerce platform Pinterest has opened a new European engineering excellence hub to continue leveraging AI and machine learning.
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OpinionFrom assistants to agents: What agentic AI really means for retail
There’s lots of hype, but agentic systems won’t deliver value unless they’re grounded in the realities of how retail works, argues Dunnhumby’s Sandra Stanley
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NewsCurrys unveils rebrand and expansion of its business division
Currys has launched a rebrand and expansion of its B2B division, Currys Business, as its customer numbers continue to grow.
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NewsBoots expands own-brand range of home testing kits
Boots is expanding its own-brand range of at-home testing kits for customers to get a better understanding of their health.
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Innovation of the WeekRetail tech platform and footfall providers create 'game-changing' footfall analytics
Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team.
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AnalysisWill 2025 be an AI-powered Christmas?
As retail ramps up for the festive rush, AI is poised to play a pivotal role. What festive innovations can we expect this golden quarter, and will they drive lasting change?
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Innovation of the WeekOpenAI launches ChatGPT agent that can order online groceries
Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team. Every week, we bring you new ideas and case studies across consumer, technology, sustainability, economy, policy and industry.
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Opinion‘When Walmart bets big on AI, the rest of retail will surely follow’
Two key hires announced this week show that Walmart is putting AI and front and centre of its business. The Bentonville powerhouse has traditionally led the way in retail, so this could signal the shape of things to come, observes George MacDonald
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NewsCurrys rolls out new AI video tech to enhance customer experience
Currys is integrating AI video technology into its services operations in a bid to streamline customer experience.
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AnalysisAI shopping is good – what does that mean for retailers?
OpenAI is reportedly planning to integrate checkout into the ChatGPT shopping tool. Whether this happens or not, the move by various large language model (LLM) providers to push into product discovery is massive news for retailers.
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AnalysisBehind the scenes at the high-tech warehouse powering Sephora’s UK expansion
One year on from the start of a partnership between global beauty behemoth Sephora and logistics firm DHL, Retail Week visits the Coventry warehouse to understand how it is serving one of the nation’s most popular beauty retailers.
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Innovation of the WeekInnovation round-up: Revolutionary holograms, supersonic drones and 3D AI models
Here we bring you the 10 best innovations that caught our attention in the second quarter of 2025.
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Opinion‘Reuse is a solution that addresses Trump tariffs as well as sustainability’
In Plastic Free July, activist and author Amy Larkin urges retailers to think bigger than bags, bans and increasing recycled content
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NewsMarks & Spencer funds innovation projects to drive sustainability
Marks & Spencer is providing £1m of funding to innovations that will help it meet its ambition of becoming net zero by 2040.