Industry
Retail
Omnichannel CX and Intelligent Innovation – The Future of Retail
HIGHLIGHTS
- Colruyt Group’s focus on delivering value for customers has been the foundational driver for its strategic technological collaborations spanning pricing, supply chain, data, and store operations across Belgium and beyond.
- In partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), it has designed and built sophisticated pricing engines, deployed autonomous mobile picking to self-driving vehicles in distribution centres, technology modernisations and enabled data‑driven decision‑making, as well as shortened time‑to‑market for new capabilities.
- Going forward, Colruyt Group is set to deploy intelligent automation and AI, applied responsibly, with robust guardrails for safety, privacy, and security.
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Customer focus
With over 750 physical outlets across Belgium, Colruyt Group has been focused on delivering consistently low prices to its customers while ensuring operational excellence. However, always ensuring the lowest price for every product at every store, a key customer commitment for the Belgian supermarket chain, requires enabling deliberate transformations without losing sight of continuity, customer value, or cultural fit. That translates to the need for perceptiveness to evolve and thrive amid the constant pace of change in the retail industry.
For the past two decades, TCS has been a key partner in turning Colruyt Group’s ambition into reality by co-creating platforms, modernising core systems, enabling critical business continuity, and introducing cutting-edge automation at scale. What began as a technology collaboration has evolved into a strategic alliance that touches e-commerce, pricing, supply chain, data, and day-to-day store operations across nearly 750+ retail points in Belgium. In addition, the TCS team, over the years, has helped modernise the technology landscape of Colruyt Group while maintaining the customer promise: lowest prices and a great shopping experience.
TCS – Colruyt Partnership
Value projects
- A new pricing system powering the lowest price promise. We collaboratively designed and built a sophisticated pricing engine that operationalises the company’s commitment to the lowest prices in the market. This system continually reconciles competitive dynamics with business rules at the most granular level (item, store, time), ensuring accuracy, agility, scale, and a fine balance between the lowest price and margins.
- Warehouse automation and autonomous vehicles—first at scale in Belgium. From autonomous mobile picking to self-driving vehicles in distribution centres, the partnership has delivered best-in-class warehouse operations. The results: higher speed and accuracy, meaningful cost savings, and measurable productivity gains—up to double-digit efficiency improvements in pilot areas.
- Digital Collaboration Platform: preserving history, enabling access. Colruyt Group’s extensive archives and documents are being transitioned to a modern platform, with TCS as the chosen partner—combining long-term preservation with secure, searchable access for the future.
- Core modernisation for continuity. Colruyt Group’s tradition of in-house development created a rich, complex IT landscape. TCS is helping modernise Java applications (transitioning from legacy frameworks), all while simplifying the landscape for faster releases and easier support. The goal isn’t disruption but dependable continuity that unlocks steady transformation.
- Digital and omnichannel momentum. Across ecommerce, store operations, and coworker enablement, the partnership has advanced data-driven decision-making and shortened time-to-market for new capabilities—so teams can move faster with confidence, and customers see benefits at the shelf and online.
AI, autonomy, value
Per the industry leaders polled for the TCS Retail Outlook, retailers prioritising dynamic AI-driven pricing, demand forecasting, inventory optimisation, and supply chain optimisation are positioning themselves for sustainable competitive advantage. It is no surprise that the next chapter of the Colruyt Group–TCS partnership will be defined by intelligent automation and AI—applied responsibly, with robust guardrails for safety, privacy, and security. Together, we are working to:
- Scale AI from pilots to pervasive value. From agentic AI for smarter operations to generative AI for faster insight and content, the focus will be on real outcomes: better forecasts, leaner processes, and more empowered associates.
- Expand autonomous logistics. Building self-driving vehicles in warehouses, the partnership will continue to mature end-to-end automation—linking inventory, fulfilment, and store replenishment for speed, precision, and sustainability.
- Unify omnichannel experiences. Bridging physical stores and online journeys will remain central—Streamlining checkout, fulfilment, and service while preserving the human touch that Colruyt Group customers value.
- Modernise with purpose. Ongoing simplification, cloud‑forward data architecture, and pragmatic de‑risking of legacy systems will keep the business future‑ready—delivering faster releases and lower total cost of ownership.
After 20 years, the partnership is stronger than ever, rooted in cultural alignment, mutual trust, and a shared belief that technology should elevate everyday retail.
Going forward, we will continue to reimagine the possibilities, turning AI and automation into tangible benefits for customers, coworkers, and communities, while staying true to the promise of low prices and great experiences.
Pascal Pauwels
Chief Information Officer, Colruyt Group
Our partnership with TCS has never been about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about building long-term value—step by step, with a shared commitment to reliability, continuity, and innovation. For 20 years, TCS has been more than a supplier; it has been part of the Colruyt Group’s family. As we enter the era of AI, automation, and autonomous operations, I’m confident that together we will continue shaping the future of retail in a way that stays true to who we are and what our customers expect from us.”
Shekar Krishnan
Vice President and Head – Retail UK and Europe, Tata Consultancy Services
The strength of our partnership with Colruyt Group comes from a deep cultural alignment and a shared belief in responsible innovation. Over two decades, we have delivered automation, digital platforms, and next-generation systems that make a real difference on the shop floor and in the warehouse. As AI transforms retail, we are excited to help Colruyt Group reimagine possibilities—from intelligent pricing to autonomous logistics—and continue delivering meaningful value to every customer.”
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