Tesco divides opinion with trolley checkout trial: our biggest retail technology articles on LinkedIn right now

We’re big fans of LinkedIn and are busy building an amazing community of retail tech enthusiasts on the social media platform. As we power towards the 25,000 followers mark, these are the articles that are currently on their radars, including i love it, adidas, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Reckon.ai, Carrefour Belgium, 3D Cloud, Retail247, Flying Tiger Copenhagen, nShift, Platter, and Walmart.

'Out of touch' Tesco under fire for large trolley checkout scales trial at grocery giant's Gateshead store

Tesco is testing out giant trolley checkout scales at its Gateshead Trinity Square Extra store.

The aim is to identify items that customers may have missed or duplicated while using the retailer's Scan as You Shop service, which is exclusive to Clubcard members.

In a LInkedIn post, Lee Coopersmith, Director of Business Development at Cleveron, said: "Before joining Cleveron, I had the privilege of being a key contributor to this Tesco project, and like many, I find it tough to leave behind something I’ve invested so much effort into (over three years!), especially when I know it’s bound for success. A huge congratulations to Bizerba and Supersmart for making this happen in the UK. Excited to see where this journey takes them next."

There have been mostly negative reactions to the trial among customers on social media, with one user on Reddit likening the experience to “border control”.

Another quipped: “No Clubcard? Deported!”

Over on X, meanwhile, @BradChuck said: "Having fallen foul to the @Tesco policy of making you look like a criminal every time you use the scanner to shop, for them to then not belive you and rescan all your shopping again whilst making you look like a shoplifter, these new weight measuring gates are nothing new."

And @ClareBeveridge commented: "So now you have to have your trolley weighed after self scan in @Tesco, how much has that cost? You just don’t get it do you? Bring back proper checkout tills."

Nadine Neatrour swaps shopping experience for dining with CMO role at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants

Nadine Neatrour has joined Gordon Ramsay Restaurants as Chief Marketing Officer.

Neatrour was previously Director of Marketing at Selfridges, and has also served as E-commerce and Customer Director at Hobbs London and E-commerce Director at Revolution Beauty.

In a LinkedIn post, she said: "If you know me you know that brand affinity is important to me. Especially when it comes to work. So it is with great excitement to tell you all that for my next adventure I’m swapping the shopping experience for another great love of mine - the dining experience. I’m absolutely delighted to have joined Gordon, Andy and the exceptional Gordon Ramsay Restaurants team as Chief Marketing Officer. "

She added: “Tip: If you have not yet been to our new Lucky Cat at 22 Bishopsgate, then book now! At 60 floors high it’s London’s highest restaurant and bar. For lunch and dinner, drinks and beats, it has the most incredible views of London you’ve ever seen. P.S. don’t worry retail. I still love shopping!"

Reckon.ai powered Carrefour BuyBye interactive fridge deployed at Auderghem, Belgium hypermarket

Carrefour Belgium has developed a new autonomous micro-store concept, Carrefour BuyBye, in association with Reckon.AI, with the aim of tapping into opportunities beyond traditional retail.

The initiative has now seen a trial of an interactive fridge section at an Auderghem hypermarket.

"We’re proud to mark a new milestone with Carrefour Belgium, bringing smart stores to one of the largest hypermarkets in Auderghem - unlocking new revenue streams with ease," says Ana Pinto, CEO at Reckon.ai. "Trusted by Carrefour, our solution is live at HQ, franchised stores, and Publicis, with roll-outs expanding to hospitals, stations, and universities, driving growth and creating value together."

Matthieu Ullens, Director E-commerce, Data and Digital Transformation at Carrefour, comments: "This is the future of shopping - the interactive fridge that lets you buy and say bye in one seamless move.Developed with our amazing Innovation team, this new concept is designed to revolutionise the way our customers shop, combining convenience with cutting-edge technology."

He adds: "After successful technical tests, we’re now diving into financial viability assessments to measure its potential impact. The journey has already begun with Carrefour BuyBye units up and running at our Service Centre in Zaventem, in franchised stores, at our partner Publicis, and in other strategic locations such as hospitals, offices, and more.”

“We’re excited to see how the latest test at the Auderghem hypermarket unfolds. A huge thank you to all the teams who brought this idea to life. Your dedication is paving the way for a more innovative and effortless shopping experience. This is just the beginning as we continue to build the future for our customers."

Walmart Head of Brand Marketing Innovation Justin Breton issues new job alert as he gears up for fatherhood

Justin Breton, Head of Brand Marketing Innovation at Walmart, is heading off on paternity leave.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "New job alert. I’m stepping into the most exciting role of my life - Dad! Unless you count Winston, of course. Parenthood is said to be the most rewarding job out there and I can’t wait to take it on."

He added: "While I’m out on paternity leave, I’ll be cheering on my incredible team from the nursery sidelines as they continue shaping digital and emerging experiences that meet customers where they are - bridging the gap between inspiration and commerce."

"I may pop on here from time to time to celebrate their work, so stay tuned for what’s ahead. Because like I’ve said before… We’re just getting started! And we have some exciting launches forthcoming."

3D Cloud study: hybrid furniture shopping now dominant path to purchase as AI plays major part

Hybrid shopping has become the dominant path to furniture purchases, according to 3D Cloud’s Furniture Shopping Trends Study, 2025, conducted in partnership with Provoke Insights.

The research, involving 400 furniture purchasers, found that 45% now engage with both digital and in-store channels, reinforcing the need for a seamless omnichannel experience. At the same time, the percentage of consumers shopping exclusively online has increased, particularly among females, while in-store only shopping continues to decline.

“The shift in shopping behaviours underscores the growing reliance on digital experiences,” says Carly Fink, President and Head of Research at Provoke Insights. “Retailers must ensure they are delivering engaging, seamless, and intuitive digital experiences that enhance both online and in-store journeys. Consumers want the best of both worlds - the convenience of online shopping and the tactile confidence of in-store visits.”

Retail technology veteran Martin Osborne joins former Adyen exec Myles Dawson on Retail247 advisory board

Retail247, a UK-based company known for its PIM (Origin), stock platform (Archean) and retail consultancy services, reports that Martin Osborne (CEO, EMEA at Flooid) is joining its advisory board.

“I’ve known Martin Schofield (CEO) and Retail247 for many years and I’m delighted to be joining their advisory board," he says.

"I’ve spent 30 years in retail technology, both ‘customer side’ and ’supplier side’ and I’m excited to share my experiences to help Retail247 with its mission of driving innovation in retail technology. The world of retail and technology is never still and there’s constant change, challenges and opportunities and I look forward to helping them with their journey.”

Retail media startup Thanks bags $2.6 million in seed funding and adds eBay and Zip to partner list

Ad network specialist Thanks has announced both $2.6 million in seed funding from venture firms Peak XV Partners, Founder Collective and Side Stage Ventures, alongside multinational partnerships with eBay and Zip.

“We’re all customers at the end of the day, and we all navigate - and often avoid - the constant bombardment of ads. We built Thanks because we believe the relationship between advertisers and customers should be rewarding, but it must be delivered in a way that respects the customer and adds value to their day,” says Steven Tesoriero, Co-CEO and Co-founder at Thanks.

“Acquisition is broken - retention is everything! Customers want to feel valued when they buy, which is why brands like Sezzle and eBay partner with Thanks,” says Amanda Herson, General Partner at Founder Collective. “We back founders, not just ideas, and I’m incredibly impressed by Thanks' vision to scale while keeping customer delight and brand authenticity at the core."

Since its launch in 2022, Thanks has expanded across APAC, the US, and the UK. Today, it partners with a network of retail marketplaces, ticketing platforms, and e-commerce brands worldwide, including eBay, Zip, and Sezzle.

Flying Tiger Copenhagen preps parcel locker expansion after retailer increases online conversions

Flying Tiger Copenhagen says that it has boosted online conversion rates by 20% after integrating nShift's Checkout solution to enhance its delivery offer for customers.  

The Danish retailer and nShift have a long standing relationship. This has focused on providing improved access to parcel lockers for pick up/drop off deliveries (PUDO), which are rapidly increasing in popularity across the Flying Tiger Copenhagen customer base.

PUDO represents the preferred delivery method for 70% of Flying Tiger’s Nordic customer base. With nShift, it intends to expand its PUDO capacity to cater for rising demand elsewhere in Europe. It is launching the service in Italy later this year as well as expanding the option in the UK, France and Germany.

"We’re seeing growing interest in out of home - and particularly PUDO - deliveries.  Customers often see them as more convenient than doorstep deliveries: they can collect them at a time that suits them, safe in the knowledge they’ll be kept safe," says Sander van Enschot, Head of Digital Operations, Flying Tiger Copenhagen.

“The inability for our shoppers to select their preferred PUDO point at the checkout was a big issue in delivering a positive customer experience. Most of the time, what was automatically selected for them was neither convenient nor their preferred choice.”

Platter picks up $1.6m in funding and launches app to help e-commerce brands boost checkout experience

Platter, an e-commerce technology startup, has raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round.

Animal Capital led the investment with participation from Visionary Ventures, e-commerce veterans Ben Jabbawy, Kyle Hency, Aaron Spivak, Pierson Krass and others.

Platter was founded in 2021 by friends Ben Sharf, Kieran Derfus, and Michael Keenehan. With years of experience in the e-commerce industry, including agency, consulting, and marketplace roles, they identified a common issue: building a high converting Shopify website was too expensive, complicated, and time-consuming for brands of all sizes.

While the company made its name building entire storefronts for Shopify brands, its latest launch offers optimisation tools to a wider set of customers. Platter+, available in the Shopify app store, allows brands to add product upsells, cross-sells, and social proof at their checkout and post-purchase pages in minutes.

Sports brand adidas has been added to i love it, a recommendation led shopping app curated by AI

i love it has added adidas to its shopping app.

The venture was co-founded by Ella d’Amato, the former interim CEO of online marketplace Notonthehighstreet.