Fri.Apr 04, 2025

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AI in CX Innovation and Journey Management: Key Insights for Retail Business Leaders

Retail TouchPoints

Retail business leaders are entering 2025 under mounting pressure to solve complex challenges while driving results. Data overload, siloed operations and ineffective personalization are holding them back. Despite having more data than ever, many struggle to make sense of it let alone act on it effectively. Deloitte data describes that retailers still face challenges in capturing and effectively using data.

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Waterstones pauses US shipping after Trump tariffs

Retail Gazette

Waterstones has stopped international orders to the United States after the Trump administration increased import tariffs. The retailer said on its website that it was unable to accept orders delivering to the US following the news that UK business sending goods stateside would be subject to a 10% tax. Waterstones pasted a note to its international shipping information page stating: We regret that we are currently unable to accept or ship orders to the US, while we establish options to be compli

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GoodRx Partners with Hy-Vee to Enhance Online Prescription Shopping

Retail TouchPoints

GoodRx has streamlined the online prescription purchase process, launching the experience with employee-owned Midwestern supermarket retailer Hy-Vee. When a customer searching for medications on GoodRx selects Hy-Vee as their preferred pharmacy, the system will check for medication inventory, validate the prescription and enable online payment prior to picking up the medication.

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M&S chair Archie Norman: ‘Most loyalty cards are disloyalty cards’

Retail Gazette

M&S chairman Archie Norman has dismissed traditional loyalty schemes, declaring that “most loyalty cards are disloyalty cards used for pseudo promotions” Speaking at the 2025 Retail Technology Show , Norman criticised differential pricing tactics used by many supermarkets, arguing they erode consumer trust. “I’m a card sceptic.

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Smart Tools & Strong Teams: A People-First Approach to AI in Sales

Speaker: Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy

AI isn’t replacing salespeople—it’s empowering them. The most forward-thinking sales organizations are using AI to enhance human performance rather than eliminate it. From coaching and messaging to prospecting and pipeline accountability, artificial intelligence is giving managers and SDRs the new tools they need to work smarter, sell better, and close more.

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AI profit-engine, Profitmind, crowned the winner of RTS 2025 Innovation Awards

A1 Retail

Profitmind , the AI-powered profit engine for retail, has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Retail Technology Show (RTS) Innovation Awards, which champion progressive technologies powering retail transformation. Each year, the awards, which are run by the flagship event that connects retails changemakers and tech innovators, selects solutions from across its exhibition floor that can unlock competitive advantage and digitally transform retailers capabilities.

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Aldi hits British supplier spending target a year early

Retail Gazette

Aldi has hit its spending target with British suppliers a year early, as it seeks to support UK businesses. After pledging to spend a further 3.5bn a year with British suppliers by the end of this year back in 2020, the German discounter has surpassed this goal by spending over 14bn with UK businesses in 2024. Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley said: British suppliers have always been at the heart of our business.

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Tesco considers replacing barcodes with QR codes

Retail Gazette

Tesco is considering replacing hundreds of product barcodes with QR code technology in its latest digital innvovation. Britain’s largest grocer is trialling the codes across 12 own-brand fresh produce and meat products, which currently direct shoppers to its listing online. The technology, which is still in the early stages of development, will shortly be available to scan at both the till, replacing the need for traditional barcodes, as well as on consumer’s mobile devices to provid

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Trafford Centre announces major store expansions with Inditex Group

A1 Retail

Global fashion retail group, Inditex, known for its affordable and trend-led apparel, is set to relocate and upsize its Zara and Pull&Bear stores to a new location at Trafford Centre, with Bershka joining the centre for the first time. Opening at the end of Summer 2025, the three new stores will separately occupy flagship stores on Peel Avenue. Establishing its roots in Spain, Inditex is now operating in over 214 markets world-wide through its eight brands.

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Tesco set for revenue boost despite grocery price war fears

Retail Gazette

Tesco is set to report stronger revenues in its upcoming full year results on 10 April, according to analysts. During its most recent update, the UK’s biggest supermarket, said it was considering replacing its barcodes with QR codes, said it had pulled in its highest market share in nearly nine years, hitting 29% of the industry’s sales.

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How Mr.Bricolage Reinvented Its Pricing Strategy with Wiser’s DataStore

Wiser

As a home improvement retail leader, Mr.Bricolage realised early on that pricing is all about staying agile, competitive, and aligned with customer expectations. With a network of over 1,000 independently owned home improvement and gardening stores, this balancing act presented a unique challenge. How do you give local stores the freedom to set prices that fit their markets, while maintaining consistency and competitiveness at the national level?

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AI In The Aisles: The Executives Guide To Better In-Store Experiences

Speaker: Steve Worthy, MBA

The rapid rise of AI-powered displays, touchless technology, and sensory marketing is reshaping the future of in-store engagement. Yet for many retail executives, the real challenge is not identifying new tools - it is knowing which signals to trust, which inputs to prioritize, and how to architect decisions that elevate in-store leadership rather than dilute it.

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Theo Paphitis: Business rates ‘will kill the high street on its own’

Retail Gazette

Rymans chairman Theo Paphitis has backed Labours plans for business rates reform as he blasted the efforts made by the previous government. Speaking at the 2025 Retail Technology Show, Paphitis said the current system will kill the high street on its own at some stage. The former Dragon’s Den investor called for a level playing field across retail, saying “the previous government ignored the rise of online” “We must have been the only people on the whole planet who didn&#

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Research shows chewing gum releases 250,000 microplastics and detectable levels of nanoplastics into the human body

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! New research byQueens University Belfasthas found that chewing gum can release over a quarter of a million microplastics and detectable levels of nanoplastics into saliva within first hour of chewing. Despite its everyday presence, with the UK consuming four billion pieces of plastic gum annually, most consumers remain unaware that regular chewing gum is

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M&S adds Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger to boost underwear sales

Retail Gazette

Marks & Spencer has expanded its Brands at M&S online platform by adding Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger to its portfolio, continuing its efforts to enhance style perceptions and broaden customer appeal. The retailer has introduced a selection of mens and womens items in categories such as underwear, lingerie, loungewear, and swimwear. This includes Calvin Kleins popular Icon Stretch range and pieces from Tommy Hilfigers spring 2025 collection.

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Pretzel Australia opens four locations across Perth

Inside Retail

Pretzel Australia, the pink bakery chain, is expanding its footprint by opening four locations in Perth this year. The first store is the newly relocated Northbridge store, relocated to 102 James Street, while the second store will open late this month in Busselton. Both locations will have the usual Pretzel pink colour scheme, with the second featuring a tennis-themed design.

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New Research-Backed Strategies to Empower Managers as Culture & Engagement Leaders

Speaker: Beth Sunshine, SVP, Up Your Culture

When culture isn’t consistently lived out across the organization, engagement suffers—and it often starts with a disconnect at the top. In this session, Beth Sunshine, SVP of Up Your Culture at The Center for Sales Strategy, will reveal how HR and executive leaders can close the gap between vision and execution by equipping frontline and mid-level managers to become culture carriers.

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Amazon among bidders to buy TikTok’s US business

Retail Gazette

Amazon has submitted a last-minute bid to buy TikTok’s US business as the deadline looms for the platform to find a non-Chinese owner. The retail giant is understood to have submitted an offer through a letter to US vice president JD Vance and ecommerce secretary Howard Lutnick, The New York Times reported. However, sources told the publication that the Trump administration was not taking Amazons bid seriously.

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Globalization is Not Dead But It's Evolving

LS Retail

iStock/Wirestock Get a glimpse of what NY Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman has to say in, " I Just Saw the Future. It Was Not in America." It would take years for American car companies to replace the global supply chains they depend on and make everything in America. Even Tesla has to import some parts. With the new era of protectionism, consumers will pay more and have less choice.

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Reiss to open new store at Lakeside Shopping Centre

A1 Retail

Lakeside Shopping Centre, part of SGS Group, is set to further enhance its already impressive fashion retail mix with the arrival of much-loved brand Reiss, bringing its signature and luxury styles to Essexs leading shopping and leisure destination. The store will occupy 2,411 sq ft and will open in May, offering Reisss unique blend of modern tailoring, effortless chic and timeless wardrobe staples to Lakeside shoppers.

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Herman Miller Expands Ecommerce Offering to 4 More European Countries

Retail TouchPoints

Furniture brand Herman Miller will add country-specific ecommerce sites in four European markets this spring. Sweden, Denmark and Spain already are live, with Finlands site scheduled to debut on May 28, 2025. The addition of these countries builds on a European presence for Herman Miller that already includes brick-and-mortar locations in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

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Breaking The Commerce Bottleneck: Your SAP Exit Plan Starts Now

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

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Tim Hortons launches boldest menu items yet

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Its a universal acknowledgement that Canadians are some of thenicest people youll ever meet. With this in mind, Canadian coffee chainTim Hortons UKis serving up a little extra kindness this April, to celebrate the launch of its latest menu items.

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Papa Johns and Google Cloud Partner To Supercharge Customer Experience via AI

Retail Wire

Papa Johns and Google Cloud plan to upgrade the customer experience.

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Maki & Ramen to bring authentic Japanese flavours to Highcross Leicester

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Highcross Leicesterhas confirmed that the much-loved sushi and noodle bar, Maki & Ramen, is set to join its culinary lineup ahead of Summer 2025, opening its doors towards the end of May. Marking the arrival of the very first Maki & Ramen in the East Midlands, the Leicester launch represents an exciting expansion for both […] If you want mo

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Applebee’s Adds New Big Bangin’ Burger to Its Really Big Meal Deal Menu — and Dirty Sodas

Retail Wire

Applebee's is mixing up its menu, including adding a new Big Bangin' Burger.

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Humans + Agents = Rethinking Enterprise Commerce with AI

AI agents already analyze trends, draft content, and trigger actions across leading commerce platforms. Yet most organizations still rely on workflows built for human‑only teams, losing speed, margin, and customer loyalty. Humans + Agents: Rethinking Enterprise Commerce in the Age of AI Collaboration shows how to close that gap. In one concise read you’ll see where agent gains surface first, how early adopters prove ROI, and which lean controls keep innovation moving without risking data or bran

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JING™ awarded EcoVadis Gold for sustainable practices

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! As we approach Earth Day on 22nd April,JINGis delighted to share that, at the end of last year, it was awarded EcoVadis Gold for its sustainable practices. This award placesJING in the top 3% of companies rated by EcoVadis in similar industries and top 5% of companies globally.

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Amazon ‘Buy for Me’ Helps Customers Buy From Other Sites

Retail Wire

Amazon is testing a new "Buy for Me" option to direct customers to outside vendors.

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Mary Creagh CBE MP and UK Government to support Festival of Circular Economy

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! The Circular Economy Institute and CIWM have announced that Mary Creagh, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will participate in this flagship global event in May as the UK government vows to support the nations transition to a circular economy.

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Waffle House Offering Delivery Services for the First Time Ever

Retail Wire

Now, you can get Waffle House at home.

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5 Tips for a Winning Category Management Strategy in 2025

Category Management is a cornerstone of a successful retail strategy. While it promotes collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to optimize category performance, challenges persist in its effective implementation due to hurdles in communication and collaboration across teams and partners, and more. In this guide, we outline five essential strategies for success in 2025 that will touch on all the essential pieces of a successful strategy and implementation.

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Childrensalon and Aramex partnership helps over 45 charitable projects globally

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! In partnership with international logistics and transportation experts, Aramex, Childrensalon is making a lasting difference to the lives of those who need it most through their shared commitment to charitable initiatives.

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Krispy Krunchy Chicken Has Been Named the Official Chicken of the Boston Red Sox. Here’s What We Know

Retail Wire

Krispy Krunchy Chicken is now part of the Boston Red Sox family.

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The rise of casino merchandise: how retailers are cashing in on gambling culture

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Casinos have long been associated with glamour, high stakes, and a distinct visual identity that has become iconic across the world. In recent years, retailers have identified a lucrative opportunity in capitalising on the popularity of gambling culture through casino-themed merchandise.

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Del Taco Tests ‘Throwback’ Menu in California

Retail Wire

Del Taco is doing a test run of the menu.

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Cut Costs & Complexity: Smarter Fulfillment for Home, Furniture & DIY Brands

Late deliveries. Split shipments. Spiraling freight costs. For home, furniture, and DIY brands, fulfillment has never been more complex—or more critical. This report outlines how a smarter, AI-ready order management system (OMS) helps you reduce shipping costs, streamline project-based fulfillment, and ensure accurate inventory across every channel.