Today in Restaurant and Grocery Tech: Walmart Sees Grocery Gains; ‘Just Walk Out’ Comes to London’s Sainsbury’s

Today in restaurant and grocery tech news, Walmart leverages its low prices to gain share in grocery, while Sainsbury’s in London opens the first store outside the U.S. with Amazon’s white-labeled Just Walk Out frictionless checkout. Plus, Drizly and 7-Eleven team up for on-demand alcoholic beverage delivery.

Walmart Leverages Scale in Grocery to Price Out Competitors

Walmart is widening its lead in grocery, targeting consumers who are put off by rising prices. In the quarter ended October 29, 2021, the chain saw grocery sales grow “nearly 10%,” with food sales growth of $3.6 billion, the strongest in six quarters, company executives announced Tuesday (Nov. 16) on a call discussing the chain’s Q3 earnings. Additionally, the retailer gained market share in grocery, standing out against competitors by leveraging its scale to keep food prices lower than other grocers are able to.

London Opens First Market Outside of US To Use Amazon’s Cashierless Tech

London is opening the first market outside of the U.S. to use Amazon’s white-labeled Just Walk Out technology, Bloomberg reported Monday (Nov. 15), citing sources who said that Amazon Sainsbury’s is expected to open to the public Nov. 29.

On-Demand Alcohol Delivery Grows More Competitive, Despite Mutually Beneficial Relationship

As competition for on-demand delivery of beer, wine and spirits heats up, Uber Eats is hitting the ground running with Drizly. In its first major announcement since Uber completed the acquisition in October, Drizly shared on Tuesday (Nov. 16) that, following a successful 190-store pilot program, it is partnering with 7-Eleven to deliver alcohol in 60 minutes or fewer from 1,200 of the convenience retailer’s stores.