Morrisons has become the first UK supermarket to trial Instacart's AI-powered Caper smart trolleys, as the retailer looks to enhance the in-store shopping experience through personalised technology and real-time budgeting tools.
The trial, launched at Morrisons' Preston supermarket, marks Instacart's first retail partnership in the UK for its Caper smart trolley technology, which is already in use across more than 100 cities in the US and Australia.
The trolleys use artificial intelligence to automatically recognise products as they are placed inside, including weighing fresh produce, allowing shoppers to bag items as they shop and speed up the checkout process.
A touchscreen displays a running basket total to help customers monitor their spending, while also providing personalised product recommendations and enabling shoppers to scan their Morrisons More Card to access loyalty discounts and promotions during their shop. Customers complete their purchase by scanning a barcode displayed on the trolley at a dedicated Caper checkout lane.
David McIntosh, chief connected stores officer at Instacart, said the technology brings the convenience of online shopping into physical stores.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Gordon Macpherson, productivity director at Morrisons, said the trial reflects the retailer's focus on improving the shopping experience.
“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,” he said.
“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 consumer research commissioned by Instacart suggests shoppers are looking for more engaging in-store experiences. According to the survey, 54 per cent of UK consumers enjoy discovering products they were not originally looking for, although many said they complete their weekly shop on “autopilot”.
The research also found that 53 per cent of consumers have skipped buying groceries because they were unsure they could afford them, while 46 per cent said loyalty programmes are their preferred tool for managing grocery budgets.
Instacart said the smart trolleys are designed to address both trends by helping shoppers discover new products while keeping track of spending and maximising loyalty rewards.
The Caper trolley forms part of Instacart's Connected Stores technology platform, which aims to bridge the gap between online and in-store grocery shopping.