European caterer BaxterStorey is opening a micro supermarket that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to create a checkout-free experience at Amazon’s London headquarters in Shoreditch – the first time the technology is being used by a hospitality business in the UK. The opening of the BaxterStorey-operated shop, called Social Bee, on the 21 March, will mark the debut of Amazon’s Just…
Retail
ProVeg International has welcomed a commitment by IKEA which serves food to 520 million people across the world every year to “remove or replace” dairy products. The new commitment which appears on page 13 of the Swedish retail giant’s Sustainability Report, states: “We continue to explore where and how we can remove or replace dairy…
US hat brand Goorin Bros has selected Fresh Relevance to help it deliver a more personalised online customer experience. Established in 1895, Goorin Bros is on a mission to help customers cultivate their own unique style. The company offers a wide range of fedoras, truckers, apparel and more. By tailoring its website and email marketing…
Outernet London, the Capital’s newest immersive entertainment district, has appointed Cleanology as cleaning service provider. Bring cultural and retail experiences to life under a wider, centralised ecosystem which includes live performances, and hotels, restaurants and bars, Outernet offers boasts above-ground public media spaces with daily footfall in excess of 170,000. Dominic Ponniah, CEO of contract…
Food awareness organisation ProVeg International is welcoming a recent announcement of an increase in the number of plant-based products offered by German retailer Lidl. Lidl chief buyer, Christof Graf, announced the retailer’s decision to decrease animal protein and increase plant protein at Germany’s biggest agricultural show, Green Week, stating there is no alternative because “there…
Amazon workers have announced a week-long strike at the company’s Coventry warehouse as GMB Union says they will earn just 8 pence above the UK minimum wage in April 2023. More than 350 staff at the West Midland fulfilment centre will walk out on 28 February, 2 March, and from 13 to 17 March. Amazon…
A local authority regeneration project in Somerset, South West England, will soon be welcoming two new tenants. National restaurant chain Nandos and local independent business La Kasia Tapas & Cocktail have signed leases at Northgate Yard in Bridgwater, with both restaurants expected to open by the summer when they will join the development’s inaugural tenants, Scott…
Leading Swiss supermarket chain Migros, autonomous EV startup LOXO and Schindler are trialling an electrically propelled delivery service called “Migronomous” using an autonomous vehicle to transport groceries to employees of Schindler’s campus at Ebikon in Lucerne. The pilot trial of LOXO’s “Alpha” self-driving vehicle began on 8th February, and is the first self-driving delivery vehicle…
Commercial law firm Bevan Brittan have advised West Oxfordshire District Council on the purchase of a shopping centre. The deal sees the district council taking control of Marriotts Walk shopping precinct in Witney, as part of its plans to boost the town centre. The 4.9 acre site was built in 2007 and includes 21 lettable business…
Leumi UK has provided £38 million of loans to US-based alternative asset manager Magnetar Capital to refinance the purchase of town centre shopping schemes in Perry Barr near Birmingham and Corby in Northamptonshire. One Stop Shopping in Perry Barr is a 382,856 square feet shopping centre and retail park, while Corby Town Centre & Willow…
PPDS has unveiled a new series of Philips 4K retail signage displays for indoor and semi-outdoor environments even with pre-existing levels of high ambient lighting. Announced at ISE 2023, the Philips High Bright 4000 Series of displays bring even greater levels of choice, flexibility and opportunities for businesses wishing to make a big impression with…
Retail destinations, Quayside MediaCity in Salford and Gloucester Quays, are the first of their kind to achieve ‘Net Zero Carbon – Operational Energy’, in line with UKGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework. The two retail destinations join an expanding list of Peel L&P buildings that have achieved net zero carbon status, demonstrating the company’s commitment…
The proposed acquisition of Italian multinational food and beverage leader Autogrill S.p.A by Swiss global travel retail company Dufry AG has received unconditional approval from antitrust authorities around the world, paving the way for the establishment of a combined entity with 5,500 outlets at 1,200 airport and other locations in 75 countries. First announced in…
Established in 1882, the family-owned Barkers Department Store in the market town of Northallerton in Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England, offers a fascinating history having expanded by buying out neighbouring properties. In 2022, Barkers embarked on a project to replace the rooflights in all four atriums positioned in the centre of the store above the ladies’…
New research from Sony Professional Displays & Solutions reveals UK and German retailers are preparing proactively for the critical Christmas and New Year trading period as their counterparts in France adopt a more laissez-faire approach. Despite retailers entering the first un-disrupted Christmas since 2019, close to half (43%) of those in the Europe are concerned…
Following Black Friday, Frazer Watson, VP Sales UK&I for mobile robot manufacturer iFollow, explains why retailers and e-tailers are deploying autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in intralogistics operations. Retail peaks can seriously challenge intralogistics operations. AMRs offer a cost-effective solution that will help remove much of the risk, smooth the spikes and ensure continuity of service…
Online car retailer Cazoo has appointed Pareto FM to provide hard services across its UK estate. Under the contract, Pareto will deliver all associated compliance and engineering services across Cazoo’s 40+ UK locations which includes supporting of all 22 national Customer Care Centres. Cazoo’s mission is to transform the car buying and selling experience across…
Atalian Servest brand Incentive FM has been recognised with SCEPTRE Awards for implementing best practices in security and customer service at shopping centres it manages in the UK. A ‘Security Team of the Year Award’ ackowledged initiatives introduced by the facility services provider at Beaumont Shopping Centre which have been credited with reducing anti-social behaviour…
Cash-back app Shopmium has announced a strategic partnership with global audience measurement leader Nielsen in a bid to improve data-driven marketing within the FMCG sector – post-cookies. Shopmium’s data combined with the Nielsen Marketing Cloud’s comprehensive consumer data willenable brands to gain an omnichannel view of consumers across different buying signals and retailers.Shopmium is the…
ASDA is once again the worst-paying of the UK’s ‘Big Four’ supermarkets after Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi increased wages to help workers cope with the cost of living crisis says the GMB Union as it calls on bosses to ‘wake up’. According to the union, basic pay for Asda retail workers remains at £10.10 per…
MRI Software has acquired UK-based Springboard, a provider of footfall counting and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered analytics to retailers, landlords, and government bodies. The acquisition expands the [email protected]™ for Retail solutions suite, which currently serves more than 500 retailers and retail property owners and operators globally according to the company. Leveraging plug-and-play software, existing camera networks,…
A new partnership between confidential computing software provider Cysec and edge application orchestration platform Avassa will offer automated, scalable, and secure solutions for edge computing environments. For many enterprises today, it’s no longer a matter of cloud or edge — it’s a matter of both. And with a hybrid infrastructure, businesses need to apply tooling…
Lifestyle brand The White Company has appointed Cloudfm to manage its 67 sites in the UK and Ireland under a three-year contract that will introduce an innovative approach to reducing carbon emissions. Cloudfm’s technology-driven approach will provide greater transparency throughout the process to improve cost-control and boost response times to improve the customer experience. In…
Swiss Oil Company Tamoil SA, in close collaboration with Autogrill, has secured a new concession for the operation of the Herrlisberg Nord motorway service area in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland. The 30-year concession (with an option for a further 10 years) is expected to generate sales of around 400 million euros1 (over the 30…
OHS has been awarded a water risk assessment and remedial work contract for all 457 stores operated by FTSE 250-listed pet supplies retailer, Pets at Home. The work will see OHS send teams of assessors to stores and ensure compliance of water systems with applicable regulations. David Hulston, facilities manager for Pets at Home, comments:…
Brendan Musgrove, managing director of G4S business Total Security Services (TSS), discusses the retail sector’s response to emerging security threats including an increase in reported incidents of abuse of frontline workers and losses caused by shoplifting – as well as his company’s recent acquisition by Allied Universal. According to the British Retail Consortium Crime Survey…
Document data conversion and print quality control software developer Marketzware has announced the pre-release launch of FlightCheck 2022 for Mac, a stand-alone application for preflighting digital files. The company is offering graphic designers, desktop publishers, print production specialists, and prepress professionals a 35 per cent discount as part of the pre-launch promotion – with IDMarkz…
RO Real Estate, a subsidiary of UK family-owned business, The RO has successfully pre-let two food retail units on its development at Solstice Park in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Work on the units is underway with completion expected over the summer and customer visits expected to commence later this year. Tenants include leading food retailer Greggs, the…
Independent UK facilities management company Incentive FM has won a new three year contract with CBRE at Cribbs Causeway, the premier shopping destination in the South West of England. Incentive FM were originally appointed as the soft services facilities management provider at Cribbs Causeway in April 2017. Following a robust tender process during 2021, Incentive…
Cushman & Wakefield has hired veteran valuation professional Julie Holt-Swaun, MAI, MRICS to its Valuation & Advisory (V&A) practice in Seattle, Washington. Holt-Swaun will serve as an executive director and one of the firm’s key retail valuation experts in the Seattle and Greater Washington markets, working closely with Richard Latella, executive managing director and the…
Steve Purvis, Bis Henderson Space managing director, explains why reports of Britain’s High Streets dying are greatly exaggerated. Amid the angst about rows of empty shops and the demise of much-loved retail brands, it is easy to forget that the High Street has been through changes as fundamental, if not quite so rapid, many times…