Google is helping visually impaired people navigate around a supermarket in partnership with Indian food company Britannia Industries.

Called A-Eye, the technology turns a smartphone into an intelligent shopping assistant, allowing users to scan their surroundings through their smartphone cameras. The AI reads the environment, providing voice-based responses to guide shoppers through store aisles which are customised to each retail store.

Further, it identifies products and accesses details such as pricing, ingredients, nutrition information and expiry dates and is enabled for Britannia products. The aim is to remove barriers to information and reduce the dependency on external assistance.

Working with communications firm WPP, Britannia Industries has launched a pilot leveraging Google Astra’s capabilities to empower retail experience for the visually impaired. Also involved are More Retail and Mithra Jyoti, an NGO dedicated to empowering the visually impaired community.

The pilot is taking place in More Supermarket at TC Palya in Bengaluru.

Britannia has produced the A-Eye technology, powered by Google Gemini, based on Vertex AI Multimodal Live, to democratise the retail experience.

This initiative uses the multimodal AI capabilities of Google Cloud (cloud.google.com) to enable seamless navigation, real-time product identification, and instant access to key product information, empowering consumers to shop independently.

“At Britannia, we believe that technology has the power to break barriers and create a more inclusive world,” said Siddharth Gupta, general marketing manager at Britannia Industries (www.britannia.co.in). “Britannia A-Eye is a testament to how innovation can revolutionise inclusivity in retail. This initiative is not just about leveraging cutting-edge technology, it’s about fostering equity and independence for all consumers. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation and look forward to shaping the future of inclusive retail.”

Daniel Hulme, chief AI officer at WPP (www.wpp.com), added: “Our partnership with Google is about pushing the boundaries of AI-driven innovation. With Britannia A-Eye, we’re not just creating technology, we’re redefining inclusivity in retail, proving that AI can be a force for good, transforming lives and empowering communities. While this initiative is still in its early days, it holds the promise of fundamentally changing the way retail is experienced, ensuring accessibility is not an afterthought but a standard for all.”

And Vidhyashankar Jayaraman, chief marketing officer at More Retail (www.moreretail.in), said: “Retail should be accessible to all, and Britannia A-Eye is a bold step towards making that vision a reality. This initiative ensures that visually impaired shoppers can navigate stores and make informed decisions independently. We are proud to be part of a movement that is setting new standards in inclusive retail.”

Catch a glimpse of the pilot done with 4000 visually impaired people here: youtu.be/LZ7Ne7egE0w.