Morrisons is ending its trial of an AI-powered service for customers after the company it collaborated with announced it was winding down part of its business. The AI-powered smart trolleys were trialled in Morrisons' Preston store, with the supermarket saying that they provided valuable insights during their short-lived run.
Instacart winds down Caper Carts
Tech partner Instacart has moved to wind down the Caper Carts side of the business, saying that retailer adoption has not "scaled quickly enough to justify our continued investment". The Morrisons trial in Preston marked Instacart's first supermarket partnership in the UK and was announced back in July.
Morrisons told The Grocer that the single-store trial, which started over the summer, was coming to an end anyway and that there were no financial or operational implications from Instacart's business decision. According to Instacart, retailers are prioritising technology that can modernise stores at scale.
Smart trolley features
The Caper Carts automatically recognise items as they are placed in the trolley, including weighing fresh produce on the spot. When the trial was announced, Morrisons said it would bring the "convenience and intelligence of online shopping" directly into the Preston store.
The smart trolley's key features included a touchscreen that displayed the running basket total to "help customers stay on budget". It also shows customers relevant product recommendations and allows them to scan their Morrisons More Card to instantly access loyalty savings and promotions throughout their shop, not just at the checkout.
Future plans and costs
Instacart, an American company, said that it now plans to concentrate on software and data tools that help grocers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies monitor store conditions, manage inventory, and improve merchandising.
Meanwhile, Morrisons has said that the trial in Preston gave the supermarket "greater insight into the continued evolution of our customers' shopping habits", and that it will "continue to pilot and develop solutions that meet those needs".
Instacart has not yet revealed a timeline for winding down Caper Carts. The Grocer reports that this comes at a cost of between $55m and $80m (£41m-£60m).
Gordon Macpherson, productivity director at Morrisons, said during the launch of the trial: "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 Daily Express has contacted Morrisons for comment.
