Autonomous Robots from China Transform UK Retail Warehouses
Every time a consumer clicks 'buy' on an online order, the fulfilment process often begins within minutes. A key part of this journey is a squat silver floor robot that glides beneath a storage rack, lifts a shelf, and carries it across a warehouse to a waiting worker.
At Geek+'s factory in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei, these robots are built and tested before being shipped to warehouses around the world. Several of Britain’s largest retailers – including Tesco, Asda and Next – now use this technology.
By automating repetitive journeys, Geek+ states that retailers can increase picking speeds, store more goods in spaces that are difficult for humans to access, and reduce errors. Unlike traditional warehouse automation that relies on fixed conveyor systems and permanent infrastructure, these autonomous mobile robots can be deployed simply using QR code floor markers and safety fencing.
Geek+, which listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year in one of the largest robotics share sales of 2025, has become the world’s largest supplier of autonomous mobile robots.
