The Top Technology Trends Every Grocer Should Adopt in 2023

Today’s consumer is focused on convenience, personalization, sustainability and finding added value. This list has some of the top ways that grocers can use technology to not only meet changing expectations, but also to move stores into the future. Recommendation Engines and AI Nutritionists The issue of personalization is closely tied to shifting preferences for healthier and more sustainable options. To help shoppers with a more personalized experience that allows them to focus on sustainability and nutrition, grocers can begin to implement recommendation engines and artificial intelligence (AI) nutritionists. Essentially, the tools work in the form of an app or kiosk in the store that collects consumer data such as preferences or dietary restrictions. The information is then used to filter products available in the store that align with the shopper’s requirements. CBInsights explains grocer recommendation engines as: “Customers can update their profile with allergens, lifestyle diets, health concerns and even sustainability causes. The recommendation engine uses this data to filter products that align with customers’ preferences and provide more relevant substitutions for out-of-stock products.” They go on to explain AI nutritionists as: “AI nutritionists take food recommendations to the next level by using biometric data — like blood samples — or data from a wellness wearable to assess gut health. Partnerships between AI nutritionist platforms and grocery retailers would help deliver science-backed and hyper-personalized recommendations for customers during their shopping trip.” By implementing resources that help consumers focus on preferences, grocers not only provide a solution for more sustainable and healthier options, but also provide a new type of service. Smart Carts Another emerging tool that addresses personalization as well as convenience is the smart cart. A smart cart is equipped with scales and scanning tools so that the customer can weigh produce right in the cart as well as scan items added to the cart. The system of cameras, scales and scanners keeps track of items as a customer shops. In addition, checkout occurs right at the cart. When the shopping is complete, the items are charged right to the customer’s card. Smart carts are being developed in response to the demand for a more seamless checkout and less time spent waiting in lines, and to help avoid being in contact with multiple people. It is a convenience as well as health and safety device. Smart carts are also an effective way to provide added value for consumers, because the technology can be connected directly to a store's online inventory platform. Autonomous Equipment Shelf-Scanning Robots Robots designed for scanning shelves for inventory purposes are a fast and efficient way to offset labor issues while keeping shelves stocked for shoppers. Sam’s Club recently rolled out the use of inventory-scanning robots in its stores across the United States. The inventory robots are being used as a tool to offset labor shortages while ensuring that the shelves are stocked. The system that Sam’s Club is using is called Inventory Scan. Floor-Cleaning Robots Consumers start to review the visible evidence of cleanliness as soon as they walk into a store. Consumer Reports surveyed shoppers at more than 96 retailers. Customers rated the stores that they would return to repeatedly, based on five main criteria; cleanliness was listed as one of the top five reasons. By deploying floor-cleaning robots like Cobi 18, an autonomous floor scrubber, grocers can elevate the perceived image of cleanliness in their stores. Cobi 18 is highly efficient and runs autonomously once routes are created and saved. This makes it easy for anyone to use, and it can be set on a timer to run after store hours. Additionally, the side brushes are designed to clean “close the edge,” helping to lessen double work for staff. The highly advanced AI even allows the cobot (collaborative robot) to move through bright light; around glass, including moving glass (cooler doors); and around mirrors. Beyond taking care of the cleaning and the stocking of shelves, deploying cobotic solutions like Cobi 18 allows grocers to shift the focus of their staff members to delivering exceptional service, whether fulfilling online requests or supplying service in-store. Contactless Payment Technology Amazon Go is one example of a contactless payment option gaining popularity. Amazon Go essentially works through an extensive assortment of cameras and AI, and according to Geekwire, which had a peek at the first Amazon Go store in Seattle, where reporters entered the store by “scanning a smartphone app and strolling the aisles of the completely stocked store.” The technology works through “banks of cameras and sensors overhead [that] track everything put into a shopping cart, with the help of artificial intelligence — rendering unnecessary the old-fashioned ritual of scanning and paying at a checkout stand. Items are charged to a shopper’s Amazon account shortly after they walk through the exit,” according to Geekwire. Point-of-Sale Cleaning Technology Another way to address the overall customer experience and to assure shoppers that a store is clean and safe is by implementing point-of- sale (POS) cleaning technology at the checkout. This can be a challenging task due to the time it can take to train staff how to properly sanitize and disinfect. This can be doubly challenging if the store is short-staffed. Technology currently on the market that can help get this task done uses UVC lights to help eliminate bacteria between each use. According to ENS, a manufacturer of UV-Clean solutions technology, "Using leading edge technology like UVC disinfection, high touch areas such as touch screens and keypads can be disinfected automatically – no staff time, no cleaning liquids, no downtime." Order Fulfillment Robots Behind-the-scenes operations are another place where robotics technology is key to creating a seamless omnichannel experience and increasing efficiency and productivity for staff. According to Kindred, a robotics company, two of the main challenges facing retailers are: Shortage of people where fulfillment centers are located, and low unemployment numbers making it hard to find people to do the work of order fulfillment Customers want more and expect faster delivery, adding pressure to supply chains and causing grocers to need 24/7 operations These combined issues have opened the doors for robotic solutions in fulfillment centers. Kindred has its own robotic solution called SORT, an AI vision platform that separates products based on SKU and then sorts items into individual customer orders. The AI system is a robotics arm that has human-like gripping abilities, allowing it to pick up items and place them with the right order. The robotics solution works alongside staff to help fulfillment processes happen more quickly. The fulfillment personnel work to check orders and ensure that customers get exactly what they ordered. Automated Micro-Fulfillment Centers As noted above, more retailers are setting up micro-fulfillment centers to house goods and fill online orders without adding to the congestion in the retail store and to address the growing popularity of hybrid shopping. According to CBInsights, micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) are small facilities sometimes located within a grocery store or at an off-site location: “Many of these micro-fulfillment options use robotics and AI to automate picking orders and prepare them for delivery. Currently, MFCs are most efficient with consumer-packaged goods, which tend to be relatively uniformly shaped and durable, making them easier for robots to handle.” According to NBC, Safeway is one of a few grocery store chains testing MFCs, which are designed to help reduce the congestion in aisles caused by associates trying to fulfill online orders. In fact, Safeway has had success using micro-fulfillment centers to fill orders five times faster with a mix of robots and employees, notes NCR. Addressing the needs and demands of today’s shopper requires the support of advanced technology. ICE Cobotics is a leading cleaning equipment and technology solutions provider specializing in subscription services and autonomous equipment. Cobi 18 is a compact scrubber built for spaces like grocery stores. Contact one of our automation experts today to learn more about Cobi 18 and how you can start implementing autonomous solutions in your store. Contact ICE Cobotics for more information on autonomous cleaning: Us.icecobotics.com 833-423-7626 Clientcare@icecobotics.com

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