Otto Group vs Schwarz Gruppe

OTTO: Mit ChatGPT-Plugin und -Ads zur Agentic Readiness

OTTO is advancing its e-commerce platform for AI-driven shopping. With its tech partner one.O, the retailer built an MCP-based interface, enabling a new ChatGPT plugin that offers product recommendations for over 19 million articles. Users can engage the plugin via '@OTTO' to get personalized product advice, with purchases completed on OTTO's own shop. Additionally, OTTO has been testing ChatGPT Ads since September 2026, one of the first European partners, while clearly distinguishing paid ads from organic recommendations. Earlier, OTTO introduced a voice-assisted shopping tool that has driven up to 37% higher order values and double conversion rates. Future plans include AI agents that can retrieve real-time data and handle transactions, but these capabilities are not yet available.

• OTTO launched a ChatGPT plugin for product recommendations across 19 million articles, built on an MCP-based interface with one.O.
• The plugin enables customers to get advice on OTTO's assortment within ChatGPT, with purchases completed on OTTO's shop.
• OTTO has been testing ChatGPT Ads since September 2026 as one of the first European partners, distinguishing ads from organic recommendations.

Witt-Gruppe eröffnet virtuelle Umkleidekabine; Nächste Phase der KI-Transformation: OTTO startet GenAI-Enablement-Partner-Programm

New press releases on the Otto Group newsroom: Witt-Gruppe launches virtual fitting room (08.10.2026) and OTTO starts GenAI-Enablement-Partner-Programm (07.10.2026).

Alexander Peters erweitert als CTO die Geschäftsführung der Hermes Fulfilment

Otto Group 26.08.2026

Lidl Crowns Riton 'Fresh King' in Campaign Targeting Rewe

Lidl, the German discount retailer, launched a quirky marketing campaign celebrating its tenth win at the 'Fruchthandel Magazin Retail Awards' for the best fruit and vegetable range in the discount category. The campaign features creator Riton as the 'Frischekönig' (Fresh King) in humorous videos on social media and includes a live event in Berlin on September 26. The campaign spans TV, radio, out-of-home, and in-store advertising, with a TV spot thanking producers, customers, and even nature. The offensive positioning on freshness is seen as a direct challenge to competitor Rewe, which recently adopted freshness as its unique brand proposition with the slogan 'Frische hat einen Namen - Rewe'.

• Lidl won the 'Fruchthandel Magazin Retail Awards' for the best fruit and vegetable range for the tenth time.
• Lidl's campaign features creator Riton as the 'Frischekönig' in social media videos and a live event in Berlin on September 26.
• The campaign includes TV, radio, outdoor, PoS, and Lidl Plus app advertising.

Schwarz Group Advances Logistics Automation and E-Mobility

The Schwarz Group, parent of Lidl and Kaufland, is accelerating automation, electrification, and digital networking across its supply chain. At its second Future Day in Kaufland's Geisenfeld logistics center, over 650 industry leaders discussed autonomous transport, AI-supported warehouse processes, e-mobility, and circular economy. Lidl is testing a cabless autonomous electric truck with Einride on public roads, a first for German food retail. Kaufland's Geisenfeld site is 80% automated for food picking, with robots handling 70% of depalletizing. The group's cloud platform STACKIT, from Schwarz Digits, supports digital sovereignty and data integration. Investments in charging infrastructure, electric fleets, and circular systems aim to reduce emissions. The group sees automation as a response to labor shortages, shifting employee roles toward oversight and problem-solving. The event underscores logistics as a technology and infrastructure task for the group.

• The Schwarz Group held its second Future Day at the Kaufland logistics center in Geisenfeld, with over 650 attendees.
• Lidl is testing a cabless autonomous electric truck with Einride on public roads in Germany.
• Kaufland's Geisenfeld facility automates 80% of food picking; robots handle 70% of depalletizing.