AI
“ Supply chain is so important. When it works well, it’ s invisible. When it doesn’ t, even the smallest snag can have a wide-reaching impact”
Toni Radzikhovska, VP of Product for Supply Chain, Ocado Group
“ In many verticals, supply chains are relatively linear and demand is fairly predictable. But in grocery, retailers are required to deal with large baskets, multiple temperature regimes, perishable stock and constantly evolving customer preferences.”
Online grocery shopping adds a new level of complexity, as the typical customer might purchase about 50 products from a selection that can include up to 50,000 options, often adjusting their choices right up until checkout.“ This forces us to work harder on our end,” Toni continues,“ replanning and recalculating to ensure we have the right products in stock.”
The solution lies in an interconnected, smart supply chain:“ AI is embedded throughout our grocery operation: e-commerce, fulfillment, supply chain and last mile. This allows for operations to be seamlessly optimised.”
When a shopper edits their basket, the system knows exactly what’ s in stock, when new stock is due and which supplier orders can still be changed.“ We only show customers what we know we can fulfil, so they won’ t have to deal with disappointing substitutions on arrival.”
74 November 2025