Starring Lush, Primark, and Morrisons: RTIH presents this week's biggest retail technology stories — Retail Technology Innovation Hub
3. Lincolnshire Co-op teams with SOLUM on food store electronic shelf edge labels roll-out across storesElectronic shelf edge labels (ESELs) are being rolled out across all 100 Lincolnshire Co-op food stores, as part of a £4 million food technology transformation project. Approximately, food store colleagues manually change 550 labels a week which can rise to 2,000 during an ambient promotion changeover week. Moving to a digital system removes the need for colleagues to print and replace labels manually, meaning hours of their time will be saved to help shoppers and colleagues can also react faster to pricing changes.The electronic labels will also save over £100,000 on paper, toner and printing per year, contributing to Lincolnshire Co-op's sustainability strategy.They were first trialled in Lincolnshire Co-op's The Bridge Food store in Newark during October.Jane Wheeler, The Bridge Food Store Manager, says: “I can’t speak highly enough of the new electronic labels - they’re easy to use and incredibly reliable. It’s a massive but positive change to how the team continues to deliver exceptional customer service and, when new promotions arrive, we’re confident our store will be ready to trade.”4. Auchan Retail works with IBM Consulting on smart green pallets roll-out in warehouses and storesAuchan Retail is rolling out 50,000 IBM Smart Green Pallets across warehouses and stores. The pallets are recyclable, lighter than standard offerings, and fitted with connected sensors that track geolocation, temperature and shocks in real-time. The technology allows the retailer to: better preserve the freshness and quality of products, especially refrigerated products; limit the risk of food waste; reduce the emissions linked to our logistics flows and therefore the environmental impact; improve the daily life of the teams, thanks to lighter and easier to handle pallets.Franck Descamps, Director of Logistics Procurement at Auchan Retail, says: "We are taking a new step towards a more responsible, more connected and future oriented supply chain."5. Morrisons connects with Bauer Media Outdoor UK for first move into digital out of home spaceBauer Media Outdoor UK has secured a new contract with UK grocery giant, Morrisons, with plans to install and operate 300 digital screens across its nationwide supermarket estate, rolling out from Q1 2026.This marks a seven-year partnership and Morrisons’ first move into the digital out of home space. In a LinkedIn post, Colin Horan, Strategic Partner, FMCG at Bauer Media Outdoor, said: “The network will feature our state-of-the-art Waferlite digital screens at store entrances, giving brands the opportunity to speak directly to shoppers at the most influential moment in their purchase journey.”He added: "This reinforces our position as the UK’s largest DOOH retail network and represents a significant expansion of our footprint alongside the established Adshel Live network. It strengthens our ability to connect the shopper journey from streets to store, offering brands a powerful platform that delivers both nationwide reach and meaningful retail impact. A big moment for our business, and an exciting one for the advertisers we work with.”6. Author, podcast host and event speaker Andrew Grill joins 2026 RTIH AI in Retail Awards judging panelWe're hugely pleased to announce the addition of Andrew Grill to the judging panel for the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, sponsored by 3D Cloud and EdTech Innovation Hub.Andrew is a leading AI expert, combining over 30 years’ experience at IBM and high tech startups with degrees in engineering and business strategy. He was a Global Managing Partner at IBM, and works with C-suite teams at Kingfisher, Shell, Dell, Intel, Vodafone and the NHS. Andrew has delivered over 600 keynotes in 50 countries on generative AI, quantum computing, and digital transformation and in 2025, he was named to the AI 100 UK List for responsible AI. He is the author of the international best seller Digitally Curious, hosts a popular podcast, and appears regularly on BBC, Sky News, and in major publications.Welcome onboard, Andrew!Don't delay, enter today!Time is running out to enter the RTIH AI in Retail Awards is now open for entries. Deadline for submissions is Friday, 5th December. It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.Check out categories and entry forms here.As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers' businesses.With 2025 set to be the year when AI and especially gen AI shake off the ‘heavily hyped’ tag and become embedded in retail business processes, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas. Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 29th January. This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room.
