British shoppers could soon be swapping traditional supermarket trolleys for AI-powered alternatives after Morrisons became the first UK retailer to roll out smart shopping trolleys.
The supermarket has launched a trial of the new technology at its Preston store in Lancashire. Here, customers can use AI-powered “Caper” trolleys that automatically recognise products as they are placed inside, weigh loose fruit and vegetables, and display a running total of their shopping bill in real time.
The touchscreen-equipped trolleys are also linked to the Morrisons More loyalty scheme, allowing shoppers to access personalised offers and discounts as they browse the aisles.
Once customers have finished shopping, they simply scan a barcode displayed on the trolley at a dedicated checkout to pay, removing the need to unpack and rescan items.
The shopping trolley tracks a running total cost of the shop
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The retailer says the technology has been introduced to make the weekly shop quicker and easier while helping customers keep track of their spending.
Productivity director at Morrisons, Gordon Macpherson, said: “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.
“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.”
The launch comes as new research commissioned by Instacart found that 53 per cent of UK consumers have skipped buying groceries because they were unsure they could afford them, while 46 per cent said loyalty schemes are their preferred budgeting tool.
The company also found that more than half of shoppers enjoy discovering products they were not originally planning to buy.
The smart trolleys are already in use across more than 100 cities in the US and Australia, but the Preston trial marks the first time British shoppers have been able to use the technology in a UK supermarket.
If successful, the trial could roll out to more stores
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