Caddies as we know them are led to evolve. A new technology will no longer go through the cash register, a significant saving of time.
The changes are linked in supermarkets. New surveillance systems for redevelopment on the shelves, supermarkets are constantly evolving. And it’s not over. One more step could still be taken with new connected carts, using artificial intelligence. These caddies allow customers to do their shopping independently.
At Intermarché, these Caddies have already been the subject of a test. “This innovation allows better management of expenses and a time saving during the visit to the self-service checkout”, assures the group Musketeers. The brand paid 100 euros per month per connected caddy, explains TF1 in a report.
How does it work? These trolleys have a clipped terminal in the shopping cart including a touch screen, a scanette and two cameras. Each product deposited in the cart is detected and assimilated to its brand, weight and price. On the screen, your basket is displayed in real time. This also allows you to see the note to pay progress and thus control your budget.
It will be enough to pass on a small terminal to adjust its purchases while leaving the products in the shopping cart before heading to the exit. The amount to be paid could also be sent directly to your phone and you will then only have to take a dedicated corridor and return directly to your home. It is a real time saving, avoiding queuing in the checkout.
Ultimately, the shopping cart could also make suggestions to you according to your tastes. “Another long -term objective is to integrate and personalize the features of the media retail (such as advertisements and supplier offers during the shopping course) to guarantee relevant content and better suited to the needs of consumers”, explains the Intermarché group. E.Leclerc, which has also tried such devices, also finds this useful system to avoid possible fraud, the cameras that can monitor customer gestures.
However, it takes a time of adaptation to fully understand the system, and in particular not to go too quickly in the deposit of products in the cart so that they are well taken into account. Fruits, vegetables and promotions must also be passed through Scanette, not directly detected. There is also a fear of seeing cashier jobs disappear. So will these new caddies succeed in revolutionizing the races?