Morrisons has announced it will trial AI-powered smart trolleys at its Preston store, which it says will make shopping more convenient and help customers stay on budget.

The grocery retailer has rolled out Instacart's Caper smart trolleys, which can automatically recognise products as customers place them in the trolley, including weighing loose fruit and vegetables without the need for a separate scale.

Morrisons, which is the first supermarket in the UK to use the Caper smart trolleys, said the technology aims to simplify in-store shopping by allowing customers to pack items as they shop while keeping track of their spending.

A touchscreen on the trolley displays a running basket total, recommends products, and enables shoppers to scan their Morrisons More Card to access loyalty discounts and promotions throughout their visit.

Customers complete their shop by scanning a barcode generated on the trolley at a dedicated checkout lane before making payment.

The trial forms part of Morrisons' efforts to improve the in-store shopping experience through new technology.

Gordon Macpherson, productivity director at Morrisons, said the company is always looking for ways to make the weekly shop easier and more rewarding.

"Caper smart trolleys do exactly that, giving customers real-time visibility of their spending, instant access to their More Card savings and a more seamless experience in the aisle,” he added. "We're proud to be the first UK retailer to bring this technology to our customers, and we look forward to seeing how shoppers in Preston and across Lancashire respond to this innovative new trolley in this in-store trial."

The launch follows research commissioned by Instacart, which found that 53 per cent of UK consumers have chosen not to buy groceries because they were unsure they could afford them, while 46 per cent said loyalty programmes are their preferred way of managing grocery spending.

The survey also found that 54 per cent of shoppers enjoy discovering products they were not originally planning to buy, despite many saying their weekly shop has become routine.

Caper smart trolleys are already available in more than 100 cities across the US and Australia through retailers including Kroger, Wakefern Food Corp., Schnucks, and Coles.

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