Key facts
- Chinese robotics company Geek+ has deployed over 2,000 autonomous mobile robots in 10 UK warehouse sites.
- Major UK retailers including Tesco, Asda, and Next utilize Geek+'s technology to automate online order processing.
- The robots are designed to increase picking speeds, optimize storage, and reduce errors in logistics operations.
- The UK government and OECD view robotics adoption as critical for addressing the country's weak productivity growth.
- China is prioritizing robotics development as a strategic industry to counter its shrinking working-age population.
Chinese robotics firm Geek+ is significantly expanding its presence in the UK's retail sector, deploying thousands of autonomous mobile robots to enhance warehouse efficiency and address labor shortages. These robots, which glide beneath storage racks to lift and transport shelves, are now a common sight in the operations of major British retailers like Tesco, Asda, and Next.
Geek+'s technology allows for rapid deployment using QR code markers, offering a flexible alternative to traditional fixed automation. The company, which had one of the largest robotics IPOs in Hong Kong in 2025, has become the world's leading supplier of autonomous mobile robots. The UK, facing over a decade of sluggish productivity growth, is seen as a key market where such automation is essential. The OECD has noted the UK's surprisingly low adoption of robotics despite its manufacturing heritage.
MotionTech, Geek+'s UK partner, highlights the demand for fast, deployable solutions that increase storage capacity and picking speeds while reducing the need for a large headcount, particularly given current labor shortages in the UK. The Trades Union Congress, however, urges that automation should prioritize productivity gains and job improvements rather than solely cost-cutting, advocating for worker involvement in automation decisions and investment in retraining.
China's push into robotics is a strategic priority under President Xi Jinping, aimed at boosting productivity and maintaining its manufacturing edge as its working-age population declines. This growth is fueled by overlapping industrial ecosystems, particularly with the electric vehicle sector, where components like batteries, motors, and sensors are increasingly shared. Companies like XPeng are expanding beyond car manufacturing to develop humanoid robots, envisioning a future where automotive firms are also robotics companies.
Analysts suggest China's robotics industry could mirror its global EV success, leveraging manufacturing prowess and rapid development. While Geek+ is working towards fully unmanned warehouses, including automated picking and packing, the widespread adoption of humanoid robots, which are also being developed by Chinese firms like AgiBot and Unitree, may still be years away. The UK's warehouses are thus serving as an early testing ground for China's next major technology export.