From Waitrose launching its first tech-led ‘Home of Food Lovers’ store, to rising instances of porch piracy and predictions that Black Friday weekend spend could top £9.5billion, what’s been making waves in retail this week?
Waitrose unveils ‘Home of Food Lovers’ concept store
Waitrose has opened its first ever tech-led ‘Home of Food Lovers’ concept store, featuring a range of innovations designed to enhance customer and colleague experiences.
Powered by new tech, the new Food Lovers store in Newbury is part of Waitrose’s £50million investment in innovation to drive operational gains and bolster customer service.
“We’re deliberately investing in the joy of food,” said Tina Mitchell, Interim MD for Waitrose. “This vision is backed by our largest-ever tech investment, using AI and new systems to ensure a seamless customer experience, one that has our passion for food right at its heart.”
The store will feature a new AI app, which gives staff up-to-date product information, including availability, nutritional and sustainability data as well as recipe recommendations, while ESLs will reduce stock gaps and speed replenishment.
Varner deploys Sitoo in estate-wide rollout to drive CX
Major Scandinavian fashion retailer, Varner, has enabled store staff to deliver flexible, personalised shopping experiences, deploying Sitoo’s POS across its 1,100+ store network.
Rolling out Sitoo’s POS for Android on Zebra Technologies’ handheld, mobile devices, staff are freed from fixed tills, allowing them to check stock, complete purchases or help with Click & Collect orders. Access to real-time product and customer data on the devices also allows staff to enhance in-store personalisation.
“The future-proof nature of Sitoo means we can continually enhance our operations, stay ahead and meet evolving customer expectations,” said Henning Fladland, Product Manager at Varner.
“Store teams have the freedom to move, the knowledge to help and the tools and information to help customers – anywhere, anytime,” said Jens Levin, CEO and Co-Founder of Sitoo.
Two thirds of retailers fall short on personalisation
UK shoppers are missing out on truly personalised experiences as retailers admit they’re stuck “doing the basics”, says new data from Valtech.
Original research of 700 senior retail executives by Valtach revealed that, despite years of investment, only a third of retailers describe their personalisation efforts as advanced and just one in seven have embedded personalisation across all channels.
Customer identity consistency (17%), data integration between systems (16%) and inventory visibility (12%) were among that main drivers of retailers’ personalisation pitfalls.
“Shoppers are tired of being treated like transactions,” Matt Hildon, European Retail Director at Valtech, commented. “True innovation won’t come from more automation, it will come from rebuilding trust and genuinely personal [interactions].”
Retailers braced for £9.5bn Black Friday weekend
Retail sales over the Black Friday weekend are expected to reach £9.52billion, up +4.2% year-on-year, as shoppers take advantage of pre-Christmas discounts.
New data from VoucherCodes estimated that Black Friday (28 Nov 2025) alone will generate £3.36billion in retail revenue – an increase of +5.7% compared to 2024 – across online and in-store. Cyber Monday (01 Dec 2025) is expected to outperform all the other days over the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, with sales projected to reach £3.38billion.
However, retailers will need to build agility into BFCM strategies as savvy-shoppers hold out for bargains, as Moji Oshisanya, CCO at VoucherCodes, explained:
“Consumers are more savvy than ever. They know how to find the best deals and they’re prepared to shop around and hold off purchasing for a bigger discount.”
Retailers plagued by porch piracy as parcel theft spirals
Over £666million worth of parcels were stolen across the UK in the last 12 months – almost £290million more than in 2024 – according to new Freedom of Information (FOI) data obtained by Quadient.
Figures from the FOI request showed 4.8million homes had experienced at least one stolen parcel last year – up +31% year-on-year. However, underreporting remains an issue, with just one in 353 thefts is reported to police.
December is the peak month for porch piracy, followed by November where parcel thieves target orders from BFCM sales. As a result, 64% of UK shoppers would feel more comfortable using secure parcel lockers or collection points instead of doorstep delivery.
“Parcel theft has risen dramatically in the past year, and with the busiest delivery season approaching,” said Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, Director of Lockers Automation, Europe, at Quadient.
“Retailers and carriers should review their practices, prioritising secure collection points or lockers to protect customers and their reputations,” she added.
The White Company enlists Zapp for on-demand delivery
The White Company has joined the on-demand delivery movement ahead of Peak Trading, making an edit of its most popular products available for delivery within minutes, 24/7.
Partnering with rapid-delivery app Zapp, a curated selection of its signature candles and sleepwear is now available for instant delivery across London postcodes to cater for last minute gifts and little luxuries.
“We are entering gifting season, when busy people want to order easily and be confident their order will arrive in minutes, with the same luxury experience that you would expect from The White Company,“ said its Partnerships and International Business Director, Holly Tabor.
The company joins Fortnum & Mason and Daylesford Organic in introducing on-demand delivery, as premium retailers adapt to evolving shopping habits and growing demand for q-commerce.
Home Bargains taps Evolve for secure payments & store connectivity
Home Bargains has partnered with Evolve Business Group to bring resilient, secure payments and connectivity to its 650+ UK stores.
The partnership will simplify and strengthen the retailer’s network infrastructure to support its continued growth, as it plans to grow its UK estate to 1,000 stores, opening ~50 new stores each year.
Consolidating multiple legacy networks, including payments and CCTV, the new managed solution is proactively monitored by Evolve’s technical support desk for improved reliability, performance visibility and reduced resolution times. Firewall rules and configuration changes will also be updated automatically, enabling new features to be rolled out instantly.
“The partnership with Evolve has simplified our infrastructure and improved resilience, offering value without compromising on service and quality,” said Tony Mullen, Head of IT Infrastructure and Services at Home Bargains.
“We’re proud to support [Home Bargain’s] success with a secure, reliable and efficient network,” Alan Stephenson-Brown, CEO at Evolve Business Group, commented.
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