Morrisons launches AI-powered trolley trial in UK supermarket

The trial is taking place at the Preston store and features smart carts equipped with touchscreens, sensors, cameras and built-in scales.

Dubbed “Fancy AI trolleys” by one customer, the Caper Carts, supplied by US technology company Instacart, are designed to identify products as they are placed inside, automate weighing, and track spending in real-time.

Gordon Macpherson, Productivity Director at Morrisons, said: “We’re constantly looking for ways to bring innovation to the weekly shop to enhance the experience for our customers.

“We’re excited about bringing the first fully-integrated AI-powered trolleys in the UK to a first store soon, and look forward to testing customer response and building understanding of how the technology works within the Morrisons store estate.”

The trolleys also allow customers to scan items as they shop and weigh fresh produce directly in the cart.

The onboard screen keeps a running total, and the system is linked to Morrisons More cards so discounts and offers can be applied as you shop.

Once the shop is complete, the trolley generates a barcode that can be scanned at a self-checkout to finalise payment.

The trolleys are already in use at major retailers in the US, including Kroger, Aldi, and Coles, but this is the first time the technology has been trialled in the UK.

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Despite the excitement, concerns about theft and vandalism have been raised online.

One Reddit user wrote: “Trolleys with tablets on that will be left outside? Sure none of them will get stolen.”

Another commented: “They’ll be stolen, broken, in the canal in a few days.”

A third simply asked: “So what happens when they find themselves in the local river or canal?”

Morrisons says the trolleys are equipped with anti-theft features.

If a customer attempts to leave the store without paying, the trolley will reportedly flash red to alert staff.

Instacart also claims the carts are weatherproof, are designed to be stored and operated like standard supermarket trolleys, and have batteries charging automatically when grouped together.

The supermarket first announced the trial last year and is using the Preston launch to gauge customer reaction before any wider rollout across the supermarket’s store network.