Morrisons has introduced a UK-first trial of AI-powered smart shopping trolleys at its Riversway branch in Preston, Lancashire. In partnership with American grocery technology company Instacart, the supermarket has rolled out approximately 30 'Caper Carts' to its loyalty members for an initial three-month testing period. The trolleys aim to bring the convenience of online grocery shopping into brick-and-mortar stores.
How the AI trolleys work
The trolleys feature integrated edge AI cameras and sensors that recognise items the instant you put them in the basket. They also include built-in scales, which automatically weigh loose fresh produce straight in the trolley, eliminating the need to head to a separate weighing station. A digital touchscreen is fitted to the handlebar, showing a live running total of your basket to help you manage your spending.
Those using the trolley scan their Morrisons More Card at the outset, which links to it and instantly applies loyalty offers and personalised product suggestions as you navigate the aisles. Since shoppers can pack items into grocery bags within the trolley while shopping, the AI trolley enables them to skip unloading them onto a conventional conveyor belt. You simply scan a barcode on the trolley screen at a designated checkout lane to complete payment.
Criticism on social media
While many shoppers are likely eager to test the new technology, some customers and even those claiming to be employees have raised questions about the funding of the new concept on Reddit. As the news broke, one person wrote: 'Seems to me they would rather invest in anything other than their staff!' Meanwhile another, who appeared to be a member of staff, commented: 'So we can't afford to have two members of staff on so I have to lone work in a daily but we afford AI trolleys, need to sort their priorities out.'
A third, who also seemed to be a Morrisons employee, added: 'Three months later, all the fancy new trolleys have been stolen, and now Morrisons have another reason they "can't afford" to give us a pay rise..' While somebody else chimed in: 'Sounds good but more staff, well paid happy empowered staff, stuff on shelves and working fridges and freezers is what I, as a customer want, more than this.'
Context of cost-cutting
Morrisons has embarked on several rounds of redundancy consultations and staff reductions across the UK of late, largely driven by cost-cutting measures, restructuring efforts, and a shift towards automation. Chief Executive Rami Baitiéh has been under mounting pressure to slash overheads in a bid to drive a business turnaround and tackle the company's multi-billion pound debt burden. The job losses stretch across numerous areas of the business.
A representative for Morrisons said: 'This is a small scale trial in a single store. We continue to invest across our business, recently agreeing a new pay deal for our supermarket colleagues and doubling the store maintenance budget.'
Why Morrisons chose AI trolleys
Unlike its major competitors such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose, Morrisons has historically been without a handheld 'Scan & Go' smart shopping system. Rather than creating a mobile app or a standalone device, they opted to leapfrog a generation of technology by integrating everything straight into the trolley itself. Furthermore, internal data released by Instacart suggests a compelling commercial rationale; academic research indicates that customers using smart trolleys spend an average of 32% more and remain in the store 23% longer, as the screens actively promote multi-buy offers and newly launched products.
