Vodafone and Allwyn UK have finalised an agreement to upgrade the technology underpinning the new UK National Lottery licence launching in February 2024.

The partnership will see the existing National Lottery communications infrastructure upgraded to a mobile-first approach, which is easier to deploy, more manageable and helps support retailers to grow sales. Vodafone will also be working with Allwyn to provide digital skills training for retailers across the UK, as part of Allwyn’s commitment to support high street retailers over the course of the ten-year licence period.

Research by Vodafone and Allwyn found that a third of Brits would like to see more digital technology in their local convenience store, rising to half with consumers aged 35 and under. It revealed that the most common forms of digital tech being used by local corner shops were websites (19%), social media (16%), and self-service checkouts (15%). 

However, only 12% of customers said their local store had a mobile app or loyalty scheme and only 9% said they were aware of online collection ordering services. These findings suggest there is an opportunity for local convenience shop retailers to include digital technology intheir customers’ shopping experience.