Robotics in Retail—Part 1: Autonomous Vehicles and Cobots Optimize the Supply Chain

What's Inside

In a volatile macroeconomic and supply chain environment, we expect retail companies to turn to robotics as a means of improving efficiency in warehousing and the last mile in 2023 and beyond.

We explore these two key applications of robotics in the retail supply chain, covering the benefits and future of autonomous vehicles for delivery, the role of drones in the supply chain, and the technological components and benefits of cobots (collaborative robots) in warehouse automation. We offer examples of solutions by selected developers and their current use by brands and retailers.

This report is the first in our two-part Robotics in Retail series, the second of which will focus on the in-store applications of robotics.

Data in this report are:

• Global industrial robotics market size and growth trajectory

 Companies mentioned in this report include: Amazon Robotics, Crocs, Fetch, Intel, Kroger, Nuro, Udelv, United Natural Foods, Walmart

 Other relevant research:

• RetailTech: Warehouse Management Platforms—Enhancing the Central Nervous System of the Supply Chain
• Retail-Tech Landscape: Warehouse Automation
• Retail Reimagined: Advancing Last-Mile Delivery with Technology
• Reshaping Supply Chains for the 2020s: #6—Trends To Watch in Last-Mile Delivery
• More on robotics in retail