Veloq
Veloq, an automation company within Czech online grocer, Rohlik Group, has unveiled a new AI driven grocery fulfilment centre in Vienna.
The launch also marks the announcement of a global partnership with AutoStore.
The facility is pitched as the first AutoStore grid worldwide to integrate real-time expedition, automatically sorting picked orders by delivery route. According to those involved, this eliminates manual sorting and increases throughput while reducing time, labour and cost. It can also be adapted to different fulfillment formats, from large central hubs to smaller purpose built sites, lowering the threshold for retailers to adopt automation.
Orders from a range of up to 20,000 SKUs, can now be routed for delivery in under 30 minutes. These SKUs represent individual products including fresh produce, bakery and pharmacy.
Under the agreement, Veloq will deploy AutoStore technology with its proprietary software to help grocers tap the same automation that has powered Rohlik’s growth over the past decade.
Frasers Group
Frasers Group is set to become the first major European retailer to deploy commercetools’ agentic commerce offering – including AI Hub and the Agent Gateway – enabling shoppers to discover and purchase products from its retail ecosystem (which includes Sports Direct) directly within AI shopping channels such as ChatGPT via the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP).
“The digital customer ecosystem is evolving faster than ever before, and so are customers’ expectations,” says David Clark, Chief Customer Officer at Frasers Group.
“With this partnership, Frasers Group is now at the forefront of this evolution to deliver enhanced customer experiences across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity – including native checkout in ChatGPT – across Sports Direct, FLANNELS and FRASERS. This marks a shift in our digital capabilities, delivering an even more intuitive and personalised shopping experience for our consumers.”
“Crucially, it builds on our group wide investment into cutting-edge MACH architecture to lead the group into a new era of seamless agentic commerce.”
Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s is inviting customers to step inside a haunted version of its restaurants in partnership with Emperia. It has created its first ever haunted restaurant Halloween virtual experience, an interactive, limited time digital adventure anchored around a collectible Cane’s glow in the dark cup.
Designed to bridge the real life experience with the digital world, this features:
Gear Room – browse exclusive Cane’s merch in a virtual shopping experience and discover a mystical crystal ball. Customers can answer five questions about their Halloween habits to reveal a personalised Cane’s Horoscope – their spooky alter ego for the season.
Capture the Bats Game: Four hidden bats haunt the restaurant. Each discovery unlocks progress, and completing the set delivers a digital reward straight to your inbox.
Arcade Machine: Step up to Cane’s very own retro style arcade. Play the Cryptic Combos Game and advance beyond level one to unlock additional rewards via email.
Menus with a Twist: Just like in a real Cane’s, menus are placed throughout the haunted restaurant, letting customers order their favourite meals. By creating an immersive platform, Cane’s says it can now extend seasonal celebrations and retail moments into dynamic digital spaces – connecting physical products, like the glow in the dark cup, with interactive play, rewards, and social sharing opportunities.
Customers can explore the Haunted Cane’s experience starting 15th October by scanning the QR code on their limited edition Halloween cup.
Walmart
Walmart has announced a new partnership with OpenAI that will start with allowing customers and members to soon shop with the US retail giant through ChatGPT using Instant Checkout.
“For many years now, e-commerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change. There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalised and contextual. We are running towards that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships including this important step with OpenAI,” says Doug McMillon, President and CEO at Walmart.
“We’re excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It’s just one way AI will help people every day under our work together,” says Sam Altman, Co-founder and CEO at OpenAI.
REWE
Starship Technologies reports the launch of its delivery robots in Germany with REWE.
These are hitting the streets of Hamburg. A REWE Lieferbot service is now live in Barmbek, offering thousands of households grocery deliveries, delivered in minutes.
In a LinkedIn post, Lisa Johnson, VP, Global Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, said: “We are going live with the second largest retailer in Germany, our good friends at REWE.”
“It’s been an interesting public affairs ride (to say the least!). Like many countries, Germany has developed laws to cover large, fast, passenger vehicles that travel on roads. Smaller autonomous devices – like our robots – don’t fall neatly into a category.”
She added: “This is the sort of market entry public affairs puzzle we love to solve. It takes creativity, persistence and dynamic cross-functional teams that are ready pivot at the drop of a hat.”
“As I’ve been travelling Germany, speaking to different cities, states and officials there’s been such enthusiasm for innovation, and a clear want to make sure that national regulations encourage responsible tech companies to invest and scale. We’re looking forward to working on this in the coming weeks and months.”
NOS Cinemas
Portugal’s NOS Cinemas is piloting a new store within a store concept, developed by Sensei, which works through its 5G and is being tested at its NorteShopping location.
With no checkouts, no need to order products or register them, this uses machine vision algorithms and sensors to detect interactions with the shelves and, through artificial intelligence, identify the items recalled.
This pilot project is part of a Smart Retail consortium, implemented under a Recovery and Resilience Plan, which aims to develop, demonstrate and industrialise technologies to create innovative retail formats that improve the consumer experience.
Revolve Group
Revolve Group has launched a Zelig AI powered ‘Build a Look’ fashion experience, allowing shoppers to create a digital closet and mix and match outfits virtually for the first time on the brand’s e-commerce site.
The platform aims to solve the challenge in online shopping of reducing high return rates, improving product discovery and offering greater personalisation. Zelig’s AI renders garments on models with lifelike accuracy, capturing how fabrics drape, proportions shift, and textures layer using thousands of proprietary data points.
By combining GenAI and computer vision with the expertise of celebrity stylists, the platform enables shoppers to create looks through interactive recommendations and occasion-based prompts.
Walmart
Wiliot reports a collaboration with Walmart involving the US retail giant’s supply chain operations.
The pair are laying claim to the first large scale deployment of ambient IoT technology in the retail sector, with millions of Wiliot IoT Pixels being integrated throughout Walmart’s supply chain.
The aim is to dramatically enhance supply chain efficiency, inventory accuracy, and cold chain compliance.
“With Walmart, we are advancing supply chain performance at an unprecedented scale,” says Tal Tamir, CEO at Wiliot. “This nationwide deployment adds a new layer of digitisation to Walmart’s supply chain, empowering associates with real-time insights and automation that drive greater efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness.”
“It’s a testament to the power of ambient IoT and artificial intelligence to help retailers operate smarter, move faster, and deliver stronger outcomes for their business, their associates, and their customers.”
BOSS
EPAM Systems has teamed with BOSS on an immersive spatial experience, powered by Apple Vision Pro and pitched at motorsport fans.
“We’re pleased to strengthen our strategic partnership with BOSS and bring an innovative spatial racing experience to life through Apple Vision Pro,” says Balazs Fejes, CEO & President, EPAM.
“This initiative transcends traditional engagement by harnessing the power of immersive storytelling, making the exclusive world of motorsports accessible to a global audience of fans and consumers. It’s more than just viewing – it’s about creating truly unforgettable moments that redefine the intersection of premium fashion, luxury retail, sport and technology.”
Launching ahead of the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2025, the in-store activation debuted in specially designed installations at select BOSS locations across seven cities: London, Paris, Düsseldorf, Barcelona, Las Vegas, Dubai and Singapore.
Dining and Cooking