Key Points
- CDS Superstores, the parent company behind The Range, Wilko and Homebase, has agreed to a multi-year extension to its fulfilment and courier management partnership with THG Fulfil.
- The agreement builds on a commercial relationship established in 2024, when THG Fulfil began providing fulfilment and delivery management services for the retailer.
- The renewed contract covers The Range, Wilko and Homebase, supporting their online retail operations and omnichannel expansion.
- THG Fulfil provides warehouse fulfilment, courier management, software and automation capabilities to support CDS Superstores’ growing digital operations.
- According to the companies, 95% of units sold by CDS Superstores pass through some form of automation during the fulfilment process.
- The warehouse automation system includes Geekplus Goods-to-Person robots, which support the movement and handling of products within fulfilment operations.
- The partnership is intended to help CDS Superstores manage increasing online demand and deliver home, leisure and garden products to customers across the UK.
- CDS Superstores is investing in Google Cloud AI technologies to improve search and product discovery on wilko.com.
- The retailer is also using Mirakl’s platform to support the expansion of The Range’s online marketplace.
- Ben Exall, Group Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at CDS Superstores, said the extended partnership would provide the capacity and flexibility needed to support the group’s digital transformation and expanding store network.
- Tom Killeen, Chief Operating Officer of THG Ingenuity, said fulfilment plays a central role in customer excellence and brand reputation.
- The agreement demonstrates the growing importance of integrated logistics, warehouse automation and courier management in supporting multi-brand retailers.
- CDS Superstores also owns Bathstore, although the brand is not included in the renewed fulfilment agreement.
CDS Superstores, the retail group operating The Range, Wilko and Homebase, has agreed a multi-year extension to its fulfilment and courier management partnership with THG Fulfil as it continues investing in digital retail operations and omnichannel growth. Announced on 27 October 2026, the renewed agreement builds on a relationship established in 2024 and will provide operational support for the group’s three retail brands through warehouse automation, fulfilment technology and courier management services. The partnership comes as CDS Superstores strengthens its online shopping capabilities through Google Cloud AI technologies for wilko.com and Mirakl’s marketplace platform for The Range. With 95% of units sold reportedly passing through some form of warehouse automation during fulfilment, the extended agreement highlights the importance of technology-led logistics operations in supporting the retailer’s online expansion and customer delivery requirements across the UK.
What Does the Extended Fulfilment Agreement Between CDS Superstores and THG Fulfil Cover?
The renewed agreement between CDS Superstores and THG Fulfil establishes the continuation of a commercial relationship that began in 2024.
According to Logistics Matters, which reported the development on 27 October 2026, CDS Superstores has signed a multi-year extension to its fulfilment and courier management contract with THG Fulfil. The agreement covers the group’s retail operations under The Range, Wilko and Homebase.
The renewal is designed to support the retailer’s online growth by maintaining access to specialist fulfilment infrastructure, warehouse automation and courier management services.
THG Fulfil is part of THG Ingenuity and provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology, robotics and operational platforms for e-commerce businesses. Its services enable retailers to manage the movement of products from warehouse operations through to customer delivery.
As reported by George Nott of The Grocer on 27 October 2026, the agreement forms part of CDS Superstores’ continuing digital transformation as the company strengthens the online offering across its retail brands.
The contract extension is particularly relevant because the three businesses operate across different areas of home, leisure, garden and general merchandise retail. Managing their online orders requires fulfilment operations capable of handling different product ranges, inventory requirements and delivery expectations.
The renewed arrangement provides continuity in the logistics infrastructure supporting these operations while CDS Superstores continues investing in its digital retail platforms and physical store network.
The companies have described the agreement as a multi-year extension, although they have not publicly disclosed the precise contract duration or financial value.
Which Retail Brands Are Covered by the THG Fulfil Partnership?
The extended agreement covers three retail businesses operated by CDS Superstores: The Range, Wilko and Homebase.
CDS Superstores has developed a multi-brand retail operation combining established names in the home, leisure, garden and household goods markets.
The Range is known for its broad product offering across homeware, furniture, garden products, DIY supplies and leisure goods. Wilko serves customers through household essentials, cleaning products, homeware and other everyday retail items. Homebase operates in the home improvement and garden retail market.
Although these businesses have different product ranges and customer requirements, their online operations depend on effective inventory management, order processing, warehouse handling and delivery services.
As reported by Shadda Lie Catugal, Editor of IT Brief UK, on 6 November 2026, the agreement covers these three brands, while CDS Superstores also owns Bathstore. However, Bathstore is not included in the renewed THG Fulfil contract.
This distinction is important because the extension should not be interpreted as covering every retail business within the CDS Superstores group.
The agreement instead concentrates on the fulfilment and courier management requirements of The Range, Wilko and Homebase.
For CDS Superstores, maintaining a shared logistics relationship across these businesses provides operational support as the company continues developing its online sales channels.
How Does Warehouse Automation Support CDS Superstores’ Online Growth?
Warehouse automation is a significant component of the extended partnership.
According to the announcement published by THG Ingenuity on 27 October 2026, 95% of units sold by CDS Superstores pass through some form of automation during the fulfilment journey.
The system includes a fleet of Geekplus Goods-to-Person robots, which support the movement of stock within warehouse operations.
Goods-to-Person technology is designed to bring products or storage units towards warehouse workers, reducing the need for employees to travel repeatedly through storage areas to locate individual items.
This approach can support order-picking efficiency, improve the movement of inventory and help fulfilment operations manage larger volumes of online orders.
In the CDS Superstores partnership, the robots work alongside THG Fulfil’s proprietary software and data-driven operational processes.
The combination of robotics and software is intended to help the retailer process orders across its home and garden product ranges and deliver goods to households throughout the UK.
Chris Newbould of Prolific North, reporting on 27 October 2026, also highlighted the importance of THG Fulfil’s warehouse automation in supporting the retailer’s digital development.
The reported 95% automation figure illustrates how extensively technology is incorporated into the fulfilment process.
However, it is important to distinguish between the proportion of units passing through some form of automation and the proportion of warehouse operations that are entirely automated. The company’s statement refers to units passing through an automated process, not to fully autonomous warehouse operations.
The partnership therefore combines automated equipment with software and human-operated processes to support the retailer’s distribution requirements.
What Role Does THG Fulfil Play in the Retailer’s Logistics Operations?
THG Fulfil provides the operational infrastructure and technology required to manage fulfilment and courier services for CDS Superstores.
Its responsibilities under the partnership include supporting the movement of products through warehouse operations and coordinating courier management for customer deliveries.
These services are important for retailers operating multiple online channels because customer orders must be processed accurately and transferred to suitable delivery networks.
THG Fulfil’s operating model combines warehouse technology, proprietary software, data-driven processes and courier management.
According to the company’s 27 October announcement, these capabilities provide CDS Superstores with the operational capacity and flexibility needed to support its expanding online business.
The partnership also demonstrates the role of specialist third-party fulfilment providers in the wider e-commerce market.
Rather than developing every aspect of its fulfilment and courier infrastructure independently, CDS Superstores continues to use THG Fulfil’s existing operational capabilities.
This arrangement allows the retailer to concentrate on developing its product offering, online shopping platforms and store network while maintaining access to specialist logistics services.
In its reporting on 27 October 2026, Retail Week, through journalist Hugh Radojev, also highlighted the multi-year extension as part of CDS Superstores’ wider investment in its digital retail operations.
The continued relationship reflects the importance of reliable fulfilment services in supporting online retail growth, particularly for businesses selling a broad range of products with different storage, handling and delivery requirements.
How Are Google Cloud AI and Mirakl Supporting the Retailer’s Digital Transformation?
The fulfilment agreement forms part of a wider digital transformation programme at CDS Superstores.
The retailer is investing in technology to strengthen the online shopping experience across The Range, wilko and Homebase.
Two important elements of this strategy involve Google Cloud AI technologies and Mirakl’s marketplace platform.
According to THG Ingenuity’s announcement, CDS Superstores is using Google Cloud AI technologies to improve search and product discovery on wilko.com.
Online search and product discovery are important elements of e-commerce operations because customers need to identify relevant products quickly when navigating large digital catalogues.
Improvements in these areas can help customers find products more efficiently and support the retailer’s efforts to strengthen its online offering.
The second technology investment involves Mirakl, whose platform is being used to support the growth of The Range’s online marketplace.
An online marketplace allows retailers to expand their product selection by providing a platform through which additional sellers and product ranges can be made available.
For The Range, marketplace development forms part of its wider digital retail strategy.
These investments demonstrate that CDS Superstores’ expansion plans involve more than improving warehouse operations. They also include strengthening the technology customers use to search for products, explore online ranges and complete purchases.
The extended THG Fulfil agreement provides the operational support required to manage the fulfilment and delivery side of this development.
Together, the technology investments and logistics partnership connect several stages of the online retail process, from product discovery and marketplace activity to warehouse handling and final delivery.
What Have Ben Exall and Tom Killeen Said About the Extended Partnership?
Senior executives from both businesses have described the agreement as an important part of their respective operational and growth strategies.
Ben Exall, Group Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at CDS Superstores, said that digital transformation remained central to the company’s plans for The Range, Wilko and Homebase.
In his statement, reported by Logistics Matters on 27 October 2026, Exall explained that the company was investing in technology to make it easier for customers to discover and purchase products online while continuing to expand its physical store network.
He added that extending the relationship with THG Fulfil would provide the capacity and flexibility needed to support this development.
Exall also emphasised the importance of dependable deliveries, explaining that customers needed a reliable service as the company’s online and physical retail operations developed.
His comments connect the fulfilment agreement directly with CDS Superstores’ wider commercial priorities. The company is seeking to strengthen its online presence while maintaining its expanding store network, making coordination between digital and physical retail operations increasingly important.
Tom Killeen, Chief Operating Officer of THG Ingenuity, also welcomed the continuation of the relationship.
As reported in the company’s official announcement, Killeen said that fulfilment was central to customer excellence and brand reputation.
He expressed the company’s intention to continue providing CDS Superstores with a high-quality fulfilment service for its customers.
His comments highlight THG Fulfil’s focus on the relationship between logistics performance and the customer experience.
For online retailers, fulfilment quality can influence delivery reliability, customer satisfaction and the overall perception of a brand.
The statements from both executives demonstrate that the agreement is intended to provide operational continuity while supporting the retailer’s longer-term digital development.
How Does the Partnership Support Omnichannel Retail Operations?
Omnichannel retail involves connecting different customer purchasing channels, including physical stores, online platforms and marketplaces.
For CDS Superstores, this approach is relevant because The Range, Wilko and Homebase operate through established retail networks while continuing to strengthen their digital shopping services.
Customers increasingly expect retailers to provide convenient ways to discover products, place orders and receive purchases.
Meeting these expectations requires coordination between product availability, inventory management, warehouse operations, courier networks and customer-facing digital platforms.
The THG Fulfil agreement supports the logistics side of this operating model.
By maintaining access to warehouse automation and courier management services, CDS Superstores can support online order processing alongside its wider retail activities.
The company’s investment in Google Cloud AI and Mirakl also demonstrates how digital systems are being developed to strengthen product discovery and marketplace operations.
These elements are interconnected. A retailer may improve its online product range and search functionality, but it also needs sufficient fulfilment capacity to process the additional orders generated through those channels.
Similarly, an effective warehouse operation must be supported by appropriate courier management to ensure that products reach customers reliably.
The extended agreement therefore addresses an important operational requirement within CDS Superstores’ wider omnichannel strategy.
What Does the Contract Extension Mean for the UK Logistics and Supply Chain Sector?
The agreement provides an example of how major retailers are working with specialist logistics providers to support their online operations.
The growth of e-commerce has increased the importance of warehouse automation, inventory visibility, courier coordination and efficient order processing.
Retailers with multiple brands and broad product ranges face additional operational requirements because different products may require different storage, handling and delivery arrangements.
Home and garden products can also involve larger or heavier items, making warehouse planning and transportation coordination particularly important.
The CDS Superstores agreement demonstrates how technology-led fulfilment services can support these requirements.
The reported use of Geekplus Goods-to-Person robots, together with proprietary software and data-driven processes, reflects the increasing role of automation in modern distribution operations.
It also illustrates why Logistics and Supply Chain expertise is relevant to businesses managing complex retail distribution networks, third-party fulfilment relationships, warehouse operations and last-mile delivery.
For logistics professionals, the development highlights the importance of coordinating suppliers, warehouses, technology platforms and courier networks within a connected operating structure.
The agreement also shows how specialist fulfilment providers can support retailers as they expand their digital channels without requiring them to build every operational capability internally.
However, the companies have not disclosed the financial value of the renewed agreement, the precise contract duration,n or specific additional warehouse capacity associated with the extension.
The commercial significance should therefore be assessed through the confirmed continuation of the relationship and its operational role rather than an assumed increase in contract value or employment.
What Happens Next for CDS Superstores and THG Fulfil?
The multi-year extension provides a basis for CDS Superstores and THG Fulfil to continue working together as the retailer develops its online and physical operations.
The immediate focus will remain on supporting fulfilment and courier management for The Range, wilko and Homebase.
CDS Superstores is continuing its investment in online retail technology, including improved product discovery on wilko.com and the development of The Range’s online marketplace through Mirakl.
These initiatives are expected to remain important elements of the company’s digital transformation strategy.
THG Fulfil will continue providing the warehouse automation, software and courier management capabilities that support the retailer’s fulfilment requirements.
The companies have not announced a new opening date for additional warehouses, a specific increase in delivery capacity or a separate financial commitment linked to the renewed agreement.
Nevertheless, the extension confirms that their commercial relationship, established in 2024, will continue for multiple years.
For CDS Superstores, maintaining this partnership provides continuity in the logistics infrastructure supporting three established retail brands.
For THG Ingenuity, the agreement represents the continuation of a relationship with a retailer operating across several major UK home and household retail markets.
The development also reflects a broader shift in retail operations, where digital investment, warehouse automation and delivery management increasingly work together to support customer expectations.
As CDS Superstores continues developing its omnichannel retail strategy, the effectiveness of its fulfilment arrangements will remain an important part of delivering products to customers across the UK.