Auchan Luxembourg
Auchan Retail Luxembourg has become the first retailer in Luxembourg to use Exotec’s Skypod system, with deployment in its Dudelange warehouse.
At Auchan’s site, Exotec has installed 37 robots in the facility to automate order processing, with the aim of making the workload of warehouse employees lighter and more pleasant.
The installation consists of metres high racks in which the Skypod robots autonomously manoeuvre in all directions to extract products from 15,300 bins. They then take these to one of three picking stations, where the order is completed.
Rémy Malchirand, EVP Sales Western Europe, at Exotec says: “By automating warehouse activities, Auchan has significantly increased the quality and reliability of the order picking process, saving employees from a lot of walking and lifting and significantly improving working conditions.”
“This is fully in line with our human first philosophy, in which we constantly make efforts to make work in the warehouse as comfortable and safe as possible.”
Hudson Nonstop and Amazon
A new Hudson Nonstop store, powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, is now open in terminal four at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Travellers can enter the 803 square-foot store by using their credit card, mobile wallet, or their palm, via Amazon One. The store has a selection of snacks and beverages, travel essentials, tech needs, local treats, magazines, and more.
AiFi
Spatial intelligence and autonomous solutions specialist, AiFi, has announced its growth in the stadium sector, serving customers with frictionless checkout in 20 sports stadiums.
One month into the 2024/2025 NFL season, ticket sales are already 38% higher than last season’s start, according to data from StubHub’s 2024 NFL Season Preview. With larger crowds packing into stadiums, the common pain point of long wait times for concessions and merchandise will only exacerbate, taking more game watching time away from fans.
AiFi’s frictionless checkout solution aims to reduce long lines and get fans quickly back in their seats. With checkout-free options in seven NFL stadiums and 13 total stores within these stadiums, the shopping experience for a quick bite or drink is smoother and faster.
The company is also growing and evolving into new sectors. It is deploying new applications of its camera led spatial intelligence platform, which tracks people and objects through space to unlock data and insights for businesses and operations including autonomous checkout, safety and compliance, consumer behaviour analysis, dwell time reports, and out of stock notifications.
One Stop and Snappy Shopper
Snappy Shopper, a UK-based convenience quick commerce marketplace, has announced the launch of 250 stores nationwide with One Stop.
Over 250 One Stop locations across England and Wales are now available on the Snappy Shopper platform.
Mike Callachan, CEO at Snappy Shopper, says: “We are incredibly excited to join forces with One Stop. Our mission has always been to provide exceptional convenience and value to our customers and this collaboration enables us to expand our reach and offer even more choices to communities across England and Wales. Together, we are setting a new standard for quick commerce in the retail industry.”
Walmart
Walmart is integrating prescription medications and general merchandise into one single order for delivery across the US.
The new offering is now live in six states: Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina and Wisconsin. By the end of January 2025, Walmart’s Pharmacy Delivery is expected to be available in 49 states, reaching tens of millions of customers. It is available for both new prescriptions along with medication refills.
“Our extensive footprint across the nation combined with our deep expertise in pharmacy uniquely positions us to make a profound impact in the communities we serve,” says Kevin Host, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy at Walmart U.S.
“We understand that health care is not a one size fits all solution. It’s hyper-local. Each community has unique needs. This new offering allows us to continue serving customers while also giving more time back to our pharmacies for high touch health services.”