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.
What is it?
Holland & Barrett is rolling out smart urban inventory management and e-cargo bike deliveries to 100 London stores.
Following a successful London pilot, Holland & Barrett will work in partnership with Ridelogix, a logistics software and smart urban inventory management company.
The retailer can now monitor stock levels in its London stores through Ridelogix’s technology, along with identifying when popular products could sell out, as well as receiving recommendations on which stock to move to which store.
Holland & Barrett can then redeploy stock from stores or its urban distribution hubs using zero-emission e-cargo bikes through one end-to-end platform.
Why does it matter?
The rollout arrives following the first iteration of the partnership in May 2024.
Over the course of nearly a year, Holland & Barrett has completed over 5,700 zero-emission deliveries through the Ridelogix platform—restocking more than 75,000 units in London stores.
Holland & Barrett’s head of fulfilment transformation John Jones said that the pilot of 10 stores has helped the retailer “restock faster and more efficiently”, and that he’s excited for an extensive roll-out.
Strategic implications
Through the trial, in-store availability across key product lines improved by up to 100 basis points and additional sales opportunities.
The change from diesel vans to e-cargo bikes has also helped Holland & Barrett avoid over 4.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions to date.
“Partnering with Ridelogix reinforces H&B’s commitment to delivering what our customers need, when they need it and with reduced environmental impact.”
John Jones, head of fulfilment transformation at Holland & Barrett
Speaking about the partnership, Ridelogix founder Serhat Kyuchuk-Pakyuz added: “Our technology turns city stores into agile micro-fulfilment hubs by combining real-time stock monitoring with zero-emission logistics.”
“Traditional vans are often underutilised and struggle with congestion in cities like London. E-cargo bikes offer a smarter alternative, navigating restricted lanes and side roads while carrying up to 200kg of goods. They’re not just greener—they’re also faster and more efficient for urban retail logistics.”
Winning strategies
- Sustainability initiatives
- Focus on operational efficiency
Ensure your supply chain is agile, responsive and thoroughly future-proof. Access your copy of Supply Chain 2026 for a blueprint that covers:
- Key priorities and areas of investment across first-mile logistics, final-mile fulfilment, AI and sustainability
- How retailers can future-proof global trade operations against an increasingly hostile political environment
- Why partnerships now go hand-in-hand with supply chain evolution
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