Tesco doubles down on robots and La-Z-Boy expands 3D use: this week's biggest retail technology stories

It's Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail tech space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past few days, including Lidl Plus, Augmodo, shu uemura, Uber, Delivery Hero, Ulta Beauty, Wonder, Decathlon, and Vusion. 1. Lidl Plus goes global with US launch as retailer's app hits 120+ million users across 32 countries Lidl Plus is now live in all countries where the discount retailer has stores. A launch in the US on 15th July marked the final step in the loyalty and rewards app’s international expansion. There are now 120+ million users across 32 countries. "Launching a platform at global scale across continents and time zones requires more than excellent tech and project management. It takes clear strategic alignment, seamless cross-functional collaboration, and an exceptional team committed to one shared goal," says Linus Himzmann, Global SVP and Board Member at Lidl International. "What excites me most isn’t the scale itself - it’s what it enables: faster learning, better customer experiences, and new value through AI on one shared platform." 2. Japanese beauty brand shu uemura launches Loook.ai powered AI mirror at flagship store in Tokyo shu uemura , a Japanese makeup artist brand owned by L’Oréal, is introducing in-store technology developed by Loook.ai. An AI mirror is now live at the brand’s newly designed global flagship store, shu:ARTstage in Omotesando Hills Tokyo, where customers can experience a real mirror featuring AI powered 3D facial scanning that delivers instant facial insights for makeup artists to translate into personalised beauty recommendations. The experience starts through a touch interface styled as a digital makeup brush. Once a customer begins the scan, the mirror guides them through a short sequence: a full face scan, a reveal of their face shape, a breakdown of their face ratio, an assessment of feature balance, and a personalised face ID summary. That summary brings together the customer’s face shape, ratio, and feature balance into a set of specific recommendations, for example, brow shaping or contouring techniques suited to that particular face, along with a suggested next step, such as booking a sit-down session with a shu uemura makeup artist to bring those recommendations to life. “We aim to continuously innovate to push the boundaries of artistic expression through technology,” says Jaron Chan, International Brand General Manager at shu uemura. "The 3D face ID scan at our new shu:ARTstage flagship in Omotesando Hills represents the ongoing mastery of our founder’s pioneering spirit. Tradition is a continuous cycle of innovation. By fusing digital technology with the expertise of our makeup artists, we are redefining the future of retail beauty to help reveal each individual’s unique beauty.” 3. Augmodo bags $21 million in funding to take its AI powered offering beyond retail stores Augmodo , a US-based startup that puts AI powered cameras onto retail workers to track store shelves, has secured $21 million in a funding round led by existing backer TQ Ventures, taking its valuation to $350 million. The company says that it is scaling AI assistants for the physical workforce and accelerating its roadmap into manufacturing, automotive, convenience stores, and more. “Just as AI is changing knowledge work, Augmodo’s physical AI is changing the future of physical work,” says Ross Finman, Founder and CEO. “The core thesis: picking up a box of Cheerios for an e-commerce order and picking up a wrench on a factory floor require the exact same intelligence. Both require a computer that understands a person, a hand, an object, and the 3D space around them in real-time. We built that by capturing egocentric data, seeing the world seamlessly through the physical worker's eyes, to enhance and enable people.” He adds: “We weren't raising, but TQ saw our traction and came to us wanting to double down. We were excited to accelerate and follow the market pull beyond our initial go to market to build out our vision of augmenting the physical workforce with physical AI tools. An enterprise's best asset is its people, and our human powered AI is built to dramatically enhance the workforce rather than replace it.” “Building an AI assistant that works seamlessly in dynamic, messy, real-world environments is incredibly challenging. But that's where the highest value lies. This capital gives us the runway to aggressively expand our global enterprise footprint, invest deeply in our core AI models, and scale our engineering team.” 4. Asda launches Natasha's Law information for bakery products on Vusion ESLs at Express stores Asda reports the launch of Natasha’s Law allergen and calorie information for bakery products on Vusion electronic shelf edge labels across 150+ of its Express stores. Natasha’s Law, introduced in October 2021, is regulation focused on food allergen labelling in the UK. It is named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died aged 15 after eating a baguette containing sesame seeds to which she was allergic. Sesame wasn’t listed as an ingredient on the packaging. It requires all pre-packed foods for direct sale - food made on the premises and packaged for sale, such as sandwiches, salads and cakes - to display a full ingredients list with the top 14 allergens clearly highlighted. In a LinkedIn post, Tom Clark, Wholesale and Convenience Service Manager at Asda , said: “This is a significant step forward in making food information clearer, more accessible, and compliant for our customers; helping them make informed and safe choices every day. What makes this launch especially impactful: Improved efficiency in how we manage and update product information; The ability to stay safe and legally compliant with timely updates and changes; Simple, clear display for both store colleagues and customers; Efficient way of working with little to no resource used in-store.” He added: “I’m especially proud to have played a key role in bringing this to life; setting up the templates, ensuring all information is accurate and relevant, and working closely with food safety compliance teams to get everything reviewed and signed off. A fantastic team effort and a great example of how the right technology can enhance both safety and efficient operations. Continuing to utilise our great tech partners like Vusion to deliver greater operations in our stores. On to the next milestone!” 5. Tesco follows grocery rival Morrisons as it tests out Simbe's Tally in-store stock scanning robot Tesco is trialling Simbe’s Tally in-store shelf scanning robot. This is taking place at a single store, with plans to extend the pilot to a small number of other locations. Last year, in a UK first, Morrisons also tested out Tally . Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner at IGD, and a member of the judging panel for the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards, first brought this to RTIH’s attention. In a LinkedIn post, he said: “I saw a Tally robot from Simbe in a Morrisons. This is the first time Tally has been deployed in the UK. It has only been in store for a few weeks, and there are two other stores trialling the technology. The tech should help with price accuracy and stock availability, along with other benefits. It is great to see technology being tested in UK retail that can help store associates and improve the shopping experience.” Seamus McHugh, Head of European Market Development at Simbe, commented: “Delighted to have Tally live in the UK and to be working with the innovative team at Morrisons on this project. This is a significant milestone for Simbe as we add another country and a new retailer to our growing list of deployments.” 6. Marc Lore’s startup Wonder secures $650 million Series D round at $9 billion pre-money valuation Wonder , a Marc Lore fronted food technology platform, has announced a $650 million Series D round at a pre-money valuation of $9 billion. The round has participation from existing investors, including Accel, GV (Google Ventures) and New Enterprise Associates (NEA). New backers include certain funds managed by AllianceBernstein, ARK Invest and funds managed by Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management. The funding will support Wonder's physical expansion, marketplace growth, and investments in technology, robotics and artificial intelligence. The company is set to go public in 2027 or 2028. “Wonder was founded with the mission to make great food more accessible,” says Lore. “By building the technology, robotics and infrastructure behind a new kind of food platform, we’re making high quality food more affordable, more convenient and available to more people than ever before. This funding allows us to accelerate that mission.” “It’s been exciting to watch the evolution of what Wonder is building - a fundamentally new way for people to access great food, at a level of quality and speed traditional players can’t match,” says Tony Florence, Co-CEO at NEA. “Our ongoing investment reflects our confidence in that model and in Marc’s ability to continue executing at scale.” 7. La-Z-Boy expa nds 3D Cl oud technology implementation as part of broader innovation strategy La-Z-Boy has announced the expanded use of new 3D Cloud technology to boost its omnichannel shopping and design experiences and to streamline internal operations. “We have believed, and invested, in innovation since our founding,” comments Melinda Whittington, CEO, La-Z-Boy Incorporated. “It’s how we have met and continue to meet our customers, partners, and team members' ever evolving needs to deliver value across the business.” “The expansion of 3D Cloud’s upgraded, new API-based technology into our business processes means that we can show every product and configuration exactly as it will be built, replacing the time-intensive process of manual rendering production,” says Gerardo Ornelas, VP, Enterprise Digital Transformation at La-Z-Boy Incorporated. “The downstream impact of the expanded technology is positive. It gives our customers an improved shopping and design experience, while supporting our team with tools to move faster and align with merchandising priorities.” 8. Uber confirms blockbuster quick commerce $14.8 billion deal as it gears up to acquire Delivery Hero After weeks of intense speculation, Uber has confirmed it will snap up Delivery Hero in a deal valuing the German food delivery company ​at around $14.8 billion . It’s a move that would expand ⁠the Uber Eats food delivery network in Europe, the Middle ​East, Asia and Latin America, but it could also ​bring antitrust regulators in to play due to overlap in the companies' operations. Delivery Hero has also entered into a separate agreement with New York-based investment firm SSW Partners. SSW will acquire Delivery Hero’s businesses in a total of 14 markets, particularly where Uber Eats and Delivery Hero already overlap for approximately $1.6 billion. "Delivery Hero’s talented team has built an extraordinary business, with beloved local brands and leading positions across many of the world's fastest growing delivery markets,” says Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO at Uber. “By bringing our platforms together, we will extend affordable, reliable delivery to many millions more people in many of the world’s most dynamic economies, while creating more opportunities for merchants and couriers. Together, we’ll nearly double the number of markets where we offer both mobility and delivery services, scaling a proven platform that we believe will create significant long-term value for our customers and shareholders.” “We are excited about this opportunity with Uber and the possibilities it offers for our employees, shareholders, and partners. Uber's global mobility and delivery platform and our shared commitment to innovation make this the right partnership to build on Delivery Hero's strengths in local food delivery and quick commerce, and to take our Everyday App strategy further for our customers,” says Niklas Östberg, CEO at Delivery Hero. “I'm grateful to our people for building this company over 15 years, and we look forward to this great next chapter together.” 9. Kelly Garcia departs Domino's Pizza and gears up to take on CTO role at Ulta Beauty Ulta Beauty reports that Kelly Garcia has been appointed as its Chief Technology Officer, effective 31st August. Garcia has been a member of the retailer’s board of directors since 2022 and will now resign from that position. “Kelly has been an impactful member of our board of directors, providing valuable business insights and technology expertise, including perspectives on emerging technologies such as AI, and we are excited to enhance our executive team with his leadership as our new CTO,” says Kecia Steelman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With more than 25 years of leadership and broad experience across global e-commerce, customer loyalty, digital innovation, and cybersecurity, Kelly will be a great addition to our team as we continue to advance our technology capabilities and execute our Ulta Beauty Unleashed strategy to drive market share growth and deliver long-term value for all our stakeholders.” Most recently, Garcia served as the Executive Vice President and CTO at Domino’s Pizza since July 2012. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Business Intelligence and North American Operations at R. L. Polk & Company. 10. Decathlon becomes ESLs specialist Vusion's most globally deployed customer Vusion reports that Decathlon hit 700 stores equipped with its digital solutions during the second quarter 2026. The deployment now spans 54 countries across three continents (Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific), making the sporting goods retailer Vusion's most internationally deployed customer to date. Decathlon taps the company’s platform to automate price management. With instant, synchronised price updates on electronic shelf labels (ESL), store teams are freed from the time-consuming task of manually replacing paper price tags. As a result, they can dedicate more time to welcoming customers, delivering personalised advice and service to sports enthusiast customers. Meanwhile, discrepancies between the shelf price and the price charged at checkout are nearly eliminated, those involved claim. “Thanks to ESLs, we have further enhanced the in-store experience while improving our operational efficiency. Deploying connected shelf labels at scale enables us to focus on our core mission: advising and supporting our sports customers. This project delivers immediate, tangible benefits for both our store teams and consumers,” comments Xavier Dété, VP Innovation at Decathlon. “We are particularly proud to support Decathlon, a global retail leader highly valued by its customers and recognised for both the strength of its brand and its commitment to sustainability. This large scale partnership demonstrates our ability to support leading global retailers and industrialise our cutting-edge solutions in the demanding sporting goods sector - a high potential market where Vusion continues to strengthen its leadership position,” comments Sébastien Fourcy, SEVP EMEA at Vusion .