Morrisons has kicked off its UK-first trial of AI-powered smart shopping trollies.
The ‘Caper Cart’ technology, which has been developed by US tech firm Instacart, launched at its Riversway store in Preston on 29 July.
Around 30 Caper Carts will now be available to loyalty members shopping at the store, each equipped with inbuilt scales, cameras and a digital touch screen. Shoppers activate the cart by scanning their More Card, and the cart also allows customers to register for a card.
The initial trial is set to last for three months. Morrisons will then decide whether to adopt the technology more widely.
Morrisons sees the technology as a potential alternative to the handheld smart scan systems offered by the majority of its rivals including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, The Grocer understands. Morrisons currently doesn’t have its own smart shopping system and views a physical shopping cart as the next logical step.
The supermarket is primarily focused on testing initial consumer reactions during the trial. It also hopes that the carts could lead to a higher basket spend as the smart screen highlights offers and multi promotions in real time, as well allowing shoppers to track their spend as they shop.
Recent research from the University of London suggests that shoppers using smart carts spend 32% more on average compared to shoppers that don’t. They also spent 23% more time in store.
Smart trollies allow shoppers to track spending
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re always looking for ways to make their weekly shop easier, more rewarding, and more enjoyable, to give them more reasons to shop at Morrisons,” said Gordon Macpherson, Morrisons productivity director.
“Caper smart trolleys do exactly that, giving customers real-time visibility of their spending, instant access to their More Card savings, and a more seamless experience in the aisle. We’re proud to be the first UK retailer to bring this technology to our customers, and we look forward to seeing how shoppers in Preston and across Lancashire respond to this innovative new trolley in this in-store trial.”
Instacart’s trollies are already used in over 100 cities across the US and Australia, by the likes of Kroger, Wakefern Food, Schnucks and Coles. However, the Morrisons trial is the first time the tech will be used in the UK.
“Caper smart trolleys represent a new era for in-store grocery shopping – one where the physical store is as intelligent and personalised as the best online experience,” said Instacart’s chief connected stores officer David McIntosh.
“Customers want technology that helps them stay on budget and discover products they love, and Caper smart trolleys deliver both, directly in the aisle. We’re proud to bring this to the UK for the first time through our partnership with Morrisons, who share our belief that technology should make the weekly shop not just easier, but genuinely more enjoyable.”
Morrisons is the second UK supermarket chain to confirm it’s testing smart carts, after Waitrose trialled a smart trolley system at its Bracknell store last year in partnership with Isreali tech firm Shopic.
Different to Instacart’s fully integrated system, Waitrose’s trial used a handlebar-like device which shoppers connect to a regular trolley.
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