• Retail media, AI and automation dominated the week’s retail tech news.
  • RTIH’s roundup covers deals, launches, deployments and pilots from a wide cross-section of retailers and vendors.
  • Companies mentioned include Debenhams Group, Seel, Macy’s, Pentaleap, ExtraMile, Swiftly, StrongPoint, Cineplex, Rokt, Breezm, Goddiva, Checkpoint Systems and JD Sports Fashion.

Week in brief

RTIH’s weekly digest highlights the standout retail-technology moves from the past seven days. The items collected span commercial deals, product launches, in-store and back‑office deployments and early pilots. While specific transaction details vary by announcement, three themes recur: expansion of retail media, faster adoption of AI, and deeper automation across store operations.

What happened

The roundup compiled announcements from a mix of well-known retailers, technology vendors and service providers. Names in this week’s list include Debenhams Group, Seel, Macy’s, Pentaleap, ExtraMile Convenience Stores, Swiftly, StrongPoint, Cineplex, Rokt, Breezm, Goddiva, Checkpoint Systems and JD Sports Fashion. These organisations reported activities described as deals, launches, deployments or pilots during the last seven days.

Why it matters

Retailers and suppliers are increasingly treating retail media, AI and automation as strategic priorities rather than experimental projects. Retail media networks promise new revenue streams and audience control; AI is being embedded into merchandising, personalization and logistics; and automation projects aim to cut costs and speed up store tasks. Taken together, the week’s announcements show momentum and a broadening appetite for investment across multiple parts of the retail stack.

What to watch next

  • Will pilots mentioned in the roundup scale into full deployments? Watch announcements from the same companies in the coming months for expansion signals.
  • How vendors position integrated solutions that combine retail media with AI-driven personalization could determine early winners.
  • Adoption of automation in stores and distribution may accelerate if initial deployments reduce operating costs as promised.

Practical implications for retailers and vendors

For retailers: the week’s activity underscores the need to assess retail-media monetisation alongside investments in AI and automation. Decisions made now about partners and platform architecture may be difficult to reverse.
For vendors and solution providers: market interest appears broad but competitive. Clear proof of ROI and easy integration will be essential to win pilots and convert them to paid deployments.

Where to find more

RTIH will continue to monitor follow-up announcements and provide deeper coverage when vendors disclose scope, partners or financial terms. If you follow retail tech strategy, keep an eye on the companies named in this week’s roundup — their next updates will indicate whether pilots scale or remain limited trials.

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