British retailer Asda plans to roll out Ocado’s Smart Platform starting in early 2027 to modernise the picking of online orders in its stores and dark stores, as well as its delivery planning. However, the deal does not include Ocado’s warehouse automation technology featuring grids and robots. Asda already fulfils more than 700,000 online grocery orders per week from a network of stores and dark stores.
This year, Asda aims to modernise its online shop and app with an improved search function, greater personalisation and a simpler checkout process. In the next phase, Ocados Platform is set to support in-store fulfilment – the picking process in stores and dark stores – as well as last-mile planning.
For fast deliveries via Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, Ocados technology is set to support the picking process. In these cases, the quick-service providers will continue to manage and carry out the delivery.
Asda is not purchasing robotic warehouses
The deal differs significantly from Ocado’s major projects with companies such as Kroger. There, the focus was on setting up automated fulfilment centres where online orders are picked largely automatically. Asda, by contrast, is relying exclusively on software for existing outlets, dark stores, fulfilment hubs and delivery processes. Orders for delivery and Click&Collect will continue to be picked by staff in Asda stores and fulfilment hubs.
For Ocado, the Asda contract comes after a difficult period in North America. Kroger announced in November 2025 that it would be closing three Ocado-automated fulfilment centres in Pleasant Prairie, Frederick and Groveland. The Retail Optimiser reported. The US retailer had agreed with Ocado in 2018 to establish a network of automated warehouses. Initially, 20 sites were planned, but only eight had been built by that point.
Exclusivity ended
The Ocado Group subsequently – as reported by The Retail Optimiser – let its mutual exclusivity agreements with retail companies expire at the end of last year. This applies to most countries where the group has currently implemented its fulfilment technologies, including the US, where Kroger was the exclusive partner.
