The UK has struggled with anemic productivity maturation for much than a decade, and economists accidental wider adoption of robotics volition beryllium indispensable if businesses are to go much efficient.
In its 2026 study SME Technology Adoption successful the United Kingdom, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said technologies similar robotics would beryllium cardinal to improving productivity.
According to the OECD, Britain's debased adoption of robotics is "surprising" fixed its manufacturing heritage, noting that portion UK firms person embraced mature integer technologies, they lag down successful robotics and automation.
That presents an accidental for companies specified arsenic Geek+. The UK has 1 of Europe's largest e-commerce and logistics sectors, but galore warehouses are inactive successful the aboriginal stages of automation.
Britain has already go Geek+'s biggest European market, with UK spouse MotionTech deploying much than 2,000 robots crossed 10 warehouse sites.
"Customers privation accelerated deployable solutions," says Barry Pemberton, Account Director astatine MotionTech. "They privation precocious volume, precocious storage, accelerated picking... yet connected a smaller footprint with a reduced headcount."
"We look to person a precise large shortage of labour successful the UK astatine the moment. These technologies are truly important to support businesses thriving and conscionable demand."
The Trades Union Congress (TUC), which represents astir 6 cardinal UK workers, says robotics should beryllium utilized to rise productivity and amended jobs, alternatively than simply chopped labour costs.
In its effect to the government's consultation connected a caller AI and innovation strategy, it urged ministers to guarantee workers are progressive successful decisions astir automation and that employers put successful retraining.
"Working with technologists, workers and unions tin assistance steer the UK's probe and innovation towards workers' priorities for automation... avoiding job-cutting, low-productivity automation," the TUC said successful its report.
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