Glovo integrates with ChatGPT and Claude to simplify product discovery

Glovo has integrated its platform with ChatGPT and Claude, launching a new AI-powered shopping assistant that allows users to search for products through natural conversation. The tool enables shoppers to describe their needs in their own words, such as finding a gift within a certain budget or products for a specific occasion, with AI then surfacing relevant products available from local stores and restaurants. Once a selection is made, users are redirected to Glovo to complete their purchase, making Glovo the first delivery platform in Poland to offer a ChatGPT extension of this kind.

Image source: Glovo

Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’s view:

Glovo’s move highlights the growing role of conversational AI in shaping how shoppers discover products. As consumers increasingly turn to AI assistants to help navigate choices, the point of product discovery is beginning to shift away from retailer websites and apps towards AI agents. For retailers and brands, this creates new opportunities to reach shoppers earlier in the path to purchase, but also raises the importance of ensuring products are visible and relevant within emerging AI-driven commerce ecosystems.

Alnatura's move into Netto Marken-Discount marks a shift in distribution strategy 

Alnatura, one of Germany’s best-known organic brands, is entering the discount channel for the first time after years of resisting the move, with products set to be listed in Netto Marken-Discount stores. The rollout will begin in Berlin, where up to 80 Alnatura products will be available across Netto’s store network, significantly expanding the brand’s reach beyond specialist organic and mainstream grocery channels. The partnership reflects a broader effort to make organic products more accessible and affordable as shopper demand remains pressured by ongoing value-seeking shopping behaviours. 

Insight Partner, Dan Butler’s view:

For brands that historically protected their premium credentials by avoiding discounters, Alnatura’s move suggests that distribution reach and shopper accessibility are increasingly outweighing concerns about channel dilution. It signals a growing acceptance that premium and purpose-led brands can maintain equity while using discount retailers as a route to drive penetration, particularly as shoppers become more channel-agnostic and value-conscious.

Albert Heijn’s ‘Prijzenrad’ campaign reinforces gamified value proposition

Albert Heijn has launched its latest loyalty activation, ‘Prijzenrad’ (Prize Wheel), allowing shoppers to spin a digital wheel in the AH app for every €10 spent on groceries. Customers are guaranteed a reward, ranging from free products to discounts of up to 70%, with prizes redeemable both in-store and online. The initiative builds on previous gamified promotions and forms part of Albert Heijn’s broader effort to reward loyalty while reinforcing its everyday value credentials at a time when shoppers remain highly price-sensitive.

Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’s view:

Whilst retailers have long used promotions to drive engagement, gamified mechanics such as Prijzenrad add an entertainment layer that encourages more frequent interaction with retailer apps and loyalty ecosystems. The strategic value extends beyond short-term sales uplift; these campaigns create additional first-party data opportunities and help retailers strengthen digital engagement. As shoppers increasingly expect rewards to feel personalised and interactive, gamification is becoming a more important tool for building loyalty without relying solely on blanket price reductions.

Carrefour Belgium prepares for heatwave-driven demand surges

Carrefour Belgium has implemented a dedicated heatwave response plan designed to manage sharp shifts in shopper demand during periods of hot weather. The retailer is increasing deliveries, expanding storage capacity for beverages, strengthening cold-chain monitoring and boosting stock levels across high-demand summer categories. The move follows evidence that warmer temperatures can significantly alter purchasing behaviour, with products such as ice cream, drinks, fans and barbecue-related items experiencing substantial sales increases during previous heatwaves.

Senior Insight Analyst, Lucy Beaumont’s view:

Carrefour’s response demonstrates how weather resilience is becoming a more important retail capability. Extreme weather events can generate rapid and highly localised demand spikes that place pressure on supply chains and store operations. Retailers that can use predictive analytics and agile replenishment processes to anticipate these shifts will be better positioned to capture sales and maintain availability. As climate volatility increases, the ability to efficiently react to weather-driven demand is likely to become a competitive advantage rather than simply a supply chain contingency measure.