Geek+ Deploys 2,000 Robots at 10 UK Warehouses as Productivity Pressures Mount
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 29
Geek+ Deploys 2,000 Robots at 10 UK Warehouses as Productivity Pressures Mount
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 29
Summary
More than 2,000 Geek+ robots are now operating across 10 UK warehouse sites, with retailers including Tesco, Asda and Next using the Chinese company's systems.
UK demand is being driven by weak productivity growth and labor shortages, with operators using mobile robots to speed picking, increase storage density and cut errors without heavy fixed infrastructure.
The OECD said in a 2026 report that Britain's low robotics adoption is "surprising" and that wider use of technologies such as robotics will be key to lifting efficiency.
The TUC, which represents nearly 6 million workers, said automation should improve jobs rather than just reduce headcount, urging worker involvement and retraining as deployment expands.
For Geek+—already the world's largest autonomous mobile robot supplier and fresh from a major 2025 Hong Kong listing—the UK has become its biggest European market and an early test bed for broader warehouse automation.