How are Walmart, Primark and Holland & Barrett upping their supply chain A-game?

Retail Week’s Supply Chain 2026 report, now in its sixth annual edition, is out now. With today’s challenging retail landscape calling for nimble operations, this timely report arms retailers with a framework for streamlining, innovating and future-proofing their supply chain, from first to final mile.

Near-shoring, AI-enabled tools, warehouse automation and smarter stock management all feature in Retail Week’s new report, enlightening decision makers on where to invest for best ROI.

With responsiveness and agility more critical than ever as retailers strive for optimum efficiency and top-tier CX, Supply Chain 2026—produced in association with Speedy Freight—is packed with expert opinion, global retailer case studies and next steps on adopting a transformative approach to retail supply chains.

Here we’ve given a sneak peek into the strategies of three retail giants that feature in the report. Download your copy today to explore their strategies in more detail.

Walmart – AI enhancing operations

US retail behemoth Walmart is deploying robotics and software automation across its entire regional DC network in a bid to streamline operations and support its growth. Using the new technology from automation specialist Symbiotic, Walmart can double the number of orders processed per hour compared to a traditional regional DC.

Instead of manual processing, the new tech—being brought on over the next six years to 2028—uses an algorithm to decide how orders should be prepared and stored using mobile robots. Combined with automation and robotics, the AI-powered tech supports sorting, storing, retrieving and packing tasks.

Primark – retail lean machine

Fashion giant Primark continues to support its expansion with infrastructure investment.

The retailer’s owner ABF shared plans in November 2024 to roll out more self-checkouts and automate warehouses. Primark first introduced self-service checkouts in 2022 with the intention of improving the flow of customers through stores and adding convenience for shoppers by reducing queue times.

In the same year, the retailer trialled click-and-collect and has since expanded the service across more of its store estate. It plans to offer the service from all its stores by the end of 2025.

And future-proofing supply chains can mean making tough decisions. While Primark’s self-service expansion and warehouse automation will result in the retailer “employing fewer people”, it reflects efforts to streamline operations and drive efficiencies. Furthermore, investment in its current workforce continues, with its most recent pay hike, revealed in March, meaning that over the past two years, the hourly rate for Primark employees has increased by an average of 12%.

Holland & Barrett – first-mile automation

Health and wellness retailer Holland & Barrett is in the second year of a three-year agreement with THG Ingenuity to run its ecommerce fulfilment, while major transformation is in progress at its main distribution centre. In August 2024, it revealed a partnership with forklift and truck specialist Toyota Material Handling UK to implement widespread automation at its distribution centre. This includes automated robotic system AutoStore technology, which picks stored goods in the warehouse, as the retailer looks to drive efficiency and speed in the first mile of its supply chain.