last week’s biggest technology plays — Retail Technology Innovation Hub
last week’s biggest technology plays — Retail Technology Innovation Hub
Publish Date: 2026-02-22 09:49:00
Source Domain: retailtechinnovationhub.com
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail technology deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Loblaw Companies, Gant, Asos, Amazon, Carrefour, Vusion, Walmart, Unilever, REWE, Habitata, Pinterest, and adidas.
Loblaw Companies
Loblaw Companies has announced a new collaboration with Google that will bring its beauty, apparel and general merchandise assortment directly into AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app.
Loblaw is laying claim to being the first large retailer to make products available for purchase directly through Google’s AI mode in Canada.
In a LinkedIn post, Lauren Steinberg, EVP, Chief Digital Officer at Loblaw Companies, said: “Powered by our early adoption of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), the integration will enable secure, standardised connectivity between AI agents and our commerce infrastructure.”
“This milestone marks another deliberate step toward what we see as the next chapter of agentic commerce. Canadians are already discovering products through conversational AI. Our focus is on closing the gap between exploration and action, connecting intent to inventory, securely and seamlessly.”
She added: “Our philosophy is straightforward: partner with the best and deploy purpose-built applications that deliver real value to customers. Different AI platforms have distinct strengths. The advantage lies not in exclusivity, but in thoughtful orchestration. Proud of the team at Loblaw Digital for continuing to push the boundaries, and excited to be among the first in Canada to bring this capability to market alongside Google.”
“We are seeing a generational shift where AI is becoming the foundational engine for business transformation. Loblaw’s commitment to scaling AI across its entire enterprise is a clear roadmap for how retailers can convert technical innovation into measurable value,” said Karthik Narain, Chief Product and Business Officer, Google Cloud.
“By optimising everything from…
