John Lewis Partnership jumps into bed with DunnHumby

John Lewis Partnership has joined forces with Tesco-owned DunnHumby to launch a new data platform, which it is claimed has “supercharged” the insights it can offer to partners, with over 50 leading brands already signed up.

The partnership is thought to be the first time DunnHumby has worked with a UK retail rival; the vast majority of its client base are major brands, including Heinz, Mars, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Mondelez International and PepsiCo; it does have relationships with Carrefour, Macy’s, Sonic and Kroger but these are in markets in which it does not operate.

The deal with the Waitrose and John Lewis owner is even more surprising given Tesco’s new focus on its luxury “Finest” range.

Even so, the new John Lewis Partnership Insight Platform is designed specifically to allow Waitrose, John Lewis and supplier brands to take greater advantage of customer data analytics.

Following a successful pilot earlier this year, the Partnership said the platform is delivering a “more tailored and rewarding” shopping experience for customers, as well as increasing sales for brands.

The Insights Platform uses Dunnhumby’s artificial intelligence tools to produce actionable insights into brands’ individual performance and the overall performance of their wider category, allowing brand owners to develop a deeper understanding of how they are trading, as well as customer behaviour and shopping habits.

The platform offers 27 predefined insight reports answering questions such as ‘who buys my brand and category?’ or ‘how are customers switching brands over time?’.

Across Waitrose and John Lewis, leading grocery, home and fashion brands – including Coty, Charlie Bigham’s, Kimberly-Clark, Red Bull, Gail’s, Pip & Nut, and KP Snacks – are also accessing customer insights since the pilot launch.

Charlie Bigham’s category insights manager Catherine Hall said: “We’re now able to develop an insightful understanding of customer behaviour, and as a result, we can place the customer at the heart of strategic decision-making.

“Our experience with the platform has been seamless from the start – it’s intuitive, user-friendly, and the DunnHumby team have been on hand to help us maximise its potential.”

John Lewis Partnership head of retail media and insights Tom Langley commented: “Our work with DunnHumby has supercharged the insights we can offer to our partner brands. As a result, we’re improving the customer experience, and making sure people see offers that are relevant and interesting to them.

“We’ve had brilliant feedback from brands so far, who are already seeing tangible results, and we’re excited to roll it out even further.”