Albertsons Cos. Plans to Deploy AI-Powered Shopping Carts
Through a partnership with retail technology startup Veeve, Albertsons Cos. will roll out artificial intelligence-powered shopping carts later this year. The Veeve Smart Cart is set to be piloted at a few dozen Albertsons stores throughout the country and will allow shoppers to skip the checkout line altogether.
A touchscreen on the cart provides a running total for selected items and a built-in scale allows for streamlined produce purchases. The carts will integrate with the Albertsons loyalty program and customers can complete payment on their cart and simply walk out of the store.
“Veeve Smart Carts offer a sophisticated, yet simple self-checkout experience for people who value flexibility and time savings,” said Alyse Wuson, senior director of omni experiences at Albertsons. “Our goal is to enhance the grocery experience no matter how our guests choose to shop, and Veeve’s technology brings the ease and integration of e-commerce right to the grocery cart.”
According to the Veeve website, the carts can allow customers to clip coupons in real time, get help finding particular products and also access their order history. Grocers can utilize real-time personalized recommendations to increase basket size, and also arm their associates with a cart dashboard so they can view all carts inside the store or in the parking lot.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Albertsons Cos. to deliver a personalized in-store shopping experience. This deployment is an important and inevitable next step in connecting the consumer’s e-commerce activity with a totally new, digitally driven in-store shopping experience,” said Shariq Siddiqui, co-founder and CEO at Seattle-based Veeve. “Working with Albertsons Cos., we are building a link between multiple consumer channels and the brands they trust while keeping customer loyalty central to the experience.”
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates over 2,200 retail stores with 1,722 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. It operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 24 well-known banners, among them Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market. Albertsons is No. 9 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
