Nectar, the UK’s largest coalition loyalty program, has partnered with Uber, allowing its members to redeem points on Uber rides and Uber Eats food deliveries for the first time.

The tie-up adds Uber to Nectar’s network of more than 500 brand partners and creates a new reward category for the program. Through the Nectar app, members can redeem between 500 and 4,000 points per transaction — equivalent to between £2.50 and £20.

“We’re giving people more ways to enjoy the value they get from Nectar, making everyday moments more rewarding. Being able to use Nectar points on Uber rides or an Uber Eats treat is something we know people will love, because it fits so easily into everyday life. It’s an exciting first for us too, as our only ride-hailing partner,” said Amir Rasekh, managing director of Nectar360.

Also Read: CES 2026: The Year “Physical AI” Claimed the Real World

“Nectar has built a deep connection with British households, and we are so pleased to become their first-ever ride-hailing and delivery partner. By integrating our services, we’re providing Nectar’s loyal members with even more flexibility in how they spend their rewards, whether that’s a reliable ride home or a favorite meal delivered to their door, making daily life just that bit more seamless,” said Katie Hunter, head of grocery and retail at Uber Eats.

The post Nectar Partners With Uber to Let Members Spend Loyalty Points appeared first on MartechView.

Zoox has spent years building a robotaxi that looks like nothing else on the road. Starting this summer, millions of Uber riders in Las Vegas will be able to hail one.

Zoox and Uber announced a strategic partnership on Tuesday that will deploy Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxis through the Uber app. The rollout begins in Las Vegas this summer, with Los Angeles following by mid-2027. Riders in both cities will also continue to have access to Zoox vehicles through the standalone Zoox app — but the Uber integration marks the first time Zoox has opened its service to a third-party platform.

For a company that has operated largely out of public view since Amazon acquired it in 2020, that’s a significant shift.

What Makes Zoox Different

The vehicle at the center of the partnership is not a retrofitted sedan with a sensor array bolted to the roof. Zoox’s robotaxi was designed from the ground up for ride-hailing — no steering wheel, no front-facing driver seat, a cabin built explicitly for passenger comfort, conversation, and shared rides. In the crowded autonomous vehicle field, it is a genuinely unusual piece of hardware.

“The Zoox robotaxi is unlike any other vehicle on the planet — it was purpose-built from the ground up to deliver an extraordinary experience,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s chief executive. “Zoox’s commitment to safety and its advanced autonomous driving technology make it an ideal partner.”

Aicha Evans, Zoox’s chief executive, framed the partnership as accelerating the integration of autonomous mobility into daily life. “This partnership is an opportunity to continue advancing the use of autonomous mobility in daily life,” she said. “Zoox will provide a differentiated rider experience to those who already know and love the convenience of riding with Uber.”

Also Read: Your Rebrand Is Failing. Have You Tried Listening?

Why the Partnership Makes Sense for Both

For Zoox, the calculus is distribution. Building a consumer ride-hailing brand from scratch — app downloads, rider trust, geographic coverage — is an enormously expensive problem that has nothing to do with building a better autonomous vehicle. Uber has already solved it, at a scale of more than 72 billion trips. Plugging into that network lets Zoox focus on what it actually does: engineering and operating the vehicle.

For Uber, the logic runs in the other direction. The company has been explicit about its strategy of partnering with autonomous vehicle developers rather than building the technology itself — a portfolio approach that already includes Waymo in several US cities. Adding Zoox extends that coverage with a vehicle that offers a meaningfully different passenger experience, and deepens Uber’s position as the default consumer interface for autonomous mobility regardless of which hardware wins.

Las Vegas, where Zoox is already operating, is the near-term proving ground. Los Angeles — larger, more complex, and a far bigger market — is where the partnership’s commercial ambitions will be tested.

The post Zoox and Uber Are Bringing Robotaxis to Your Phone appeared first on MartechView.

Uber is expanding its footprint in Turkey with the acquisition of Getir‘s domestic delivery business, the ultrafast grocery startup once emblematic of the pandemic delivery boom.

The U.S.-based ride-hailing and delivery company is purchasing the business from Getir’s controlling shareholder, Mubadala Investment Company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The deal covers Getir’s delivery operations in Turkey, including food, grocery, retail and water delivery services.

Uber described the acquisition as “another milestone” in its long-term investment strategy in the country. It follows the company’s $700 million purchase last year of a controlling stake in Trendyol Go, a food and grocery delivery platform, as Uber deepens its presence in Turkey and the broader Middle East.

Uber said it plans to combine Getir’s operations with Trendyol Go, expanding product selection for consumers, creating additional earning opportunities for couriers and driving greater demand for restaurants and retailers.

“By bringing together these leading platforms, we aim to support the continued growth of a vibrant and competitive ecosystem that delivers even more value for consumers, couriers and merchants,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s chief executive.

Founded in 2015 in Istanbul, Getir became known for its promise to deliver groceries in minutes—a model that thrived during the pandemic-era surge in demand for at-home services. The company reached a valuation of $11.8 billion in 2022 at the height of investor enthusiasm for rapid-delivery startups.

Also Read: The Next Retail Advantage is Smarter Inventory

Since then, however, Getir has scaled back international ambitions, withdrawing from markets including the United Kingdom and Italy to refocus on its domestic business.

Batuhan Gultakan, Getir’s chief executive, called the agreement “a significant milestone” and said the company’s ultrafast delivery expertise would now be integrated into Uber’s global ecosystem.

For Uber, the transaction underscores a broader strategy: consolidate regional players, strengthen local market share and position its platform as a dominant force in food and grocery delivery — particularly in fast-growing markets where competition remains intense.

The post Uber Acquires Getir’s Delivery Arm in Turkey appeared first on MartechView.

Uber Technologies, Inc. and The Kroger Co. on Thursday announced the launch of nearly 2,700 Kroger Family of Companies stores across the Uber Eats, Uber, and Postmates apps, significantly expanding same-day grocery delivery for customers nationwide.

The rollout allows shoppers to order fresh groceries, Kroger’s Our Brands products, household essentials, and more from their local Kroger banner with on-demand or scheduled delivery through Uber’s platforms. It follows the companies’ previously announced plan to broaden access, choice, and value for millions of U.S. households.

In addition to Kroger’s floral and sushi offerings already available on Uber Eats, customers can now shop full-store assortments from banners including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Smith’s, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, and Mariano’s, among others. Orders can be scheduled for delivery at times that best fit customers’ routines.

Also Read: The Next Retail Advantage is Smarter Inventory

To mark the national launch, Uber is offering discounts of up to 50 percent off a first order from select Kroger banners. Uber One members will also receive a $0 delivery fee on eligible orders, alongside other membership benefits.

“Customers’ needs evolve constantly, and at Kroger we’re committed to meeting them with solutions that fit every moment,” said Jody Kalmbach, group vice president of digital experience and e-commerce at Kroger. “Collaborating with Uber enables us to deliver greater convenience and flexibility, helping more families access the food they love with ease and reliability.”

Hashim Amin, Uber’s North American head of grocery and retail, said the expanded partnership gives shoppers a simple and reliable way to order weekly groceries or last-minute essentials. “We’re excited to build on our shared vision for convenience and give households even more flexibility in the months ahead,” he said.

The nationwide expansion underscores the growing role of third-party delivery platforms in grocery retail, as major chains look to meet rising consumer expectations for speed, convenience, and choice.

The post Kroger Expands Grocery Delivery via Uber’s Apps appeared first on MartechView.

Uber is intensifying its marketing strategy targeting suburban communities with a new holiday advertisement, “Close.” The campaign shifts away from typical seasonal sentimentality, instead aiming for a grounded, emotional tone that acknowledges the complexities of year-end family gatherings.

“Close” frames the holidays around potential friction, addressing both the family spats that can occur and the possibilities for reconnection and forgiveness against the same backdrop. The ad’s emotional current is underscored by a stripped-back, chilly rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” by singer-songwriter James Blake.

Connecting the Emotional and Physical Journey

The concept, developed by the agency Mother, was to link a literal journey—flying home for the holidays—with an emotional one, according to Chief Creative Officer Felix Richter. This recognizes that many travelers rely on ride-hailing services for the critical final leg of their trips.

The campaign’s launch comes amid a precarious holiday travel forecast for 2025, following an extended U.S. government shutdown and reports from Deloitte that suggest more consumers are pulling back on travel plans due to budgetary pressures. Given these factors, Uber is banking on the ad’s emphasis on value and convenience to forge stronger connections in the fourth quarter.

“Close” utilizes a storytelling approach similar to “In Good Time,” another campaign launched in October and also created with Mother. That ad, which chronicled a couple’s relationship highs and lows soundtracked by Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over,” similarly used an Uber ride as the context for a relational turning point.

Also Read: Winning the Holiday Shopping Season in the US with Google, YouTube, and AI

A Focus on Suburban Growth

The marketing push is strategically aligned with Uber’s recent financial performance. The company reported strong Q3 earnings, with trips up 22% year-over-year to 3.5 billion. Executives highlighted that features like “wait and save” were gaining significant traction in “sparse” geographies, referring to suburban areas where consumers are more comfortable waiting a few extra minutes for a ride than in denser urban markets.

Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, Uber CFO, noted the immense remaining opportunity in these areas during an analyst call discussing the Q3 results. “The penetration opportunity in these sparser markets continues to be quite high,” he said. “Our rough take is that we are maybe 20% into what the opportunity is on the sparse market, so [there is] still lots of upside there.”

The post Uber Bets on Heartstrings in the Suburbs appeared first on MartechView.