US private supermarket chain Wegmans is testing Instacart AI-powered smart trolleys at its Dewitt store in Syracuse, New York.

This marks the first deployment of California-based grocery technology company Instacart’s Caper Carts at Wegmans. It is part of an initial in-store programme offering customers a smarter, more seamless way to shop in-store.

Caper Carts enable shoppers to track their spending and check out seamlessly. They automatically recognise items as they are dropped into the cart and customers can bag as they shop, tapping signals from an array of Caper Cart cameras, digital scale and location sensors connected to Nvidia Jetson hardware (www.nvidia.com).

Wegmans customers can login to their Shoppers Club account on the cart’s screen to shop with a Caper Cart.

“Caper Carts are transforming everyday grocery shopping into a faster, more personalised experience,” said David McIntosh, chief connected stores officer at Instacart. “We’re excited to partner with Wegmans – known for their exceptional customer and in-store experience – to bring this technology to their store. Together, we’re delivering customers a delightful and personalised shopping journey.”

The companies first partnered to offer same-day delivery in 2017, and have since expanded the partnership to include pickup, EBT Snap acceptance, loyalty programme integration and more. Caper Carts are part of Instacart Connected Stores, its suite of technologies bridging the online and in-store experience.

Instacart (www.instacart.com) partners with more than 1800 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from nearly 100,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. There are approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers. The platform offers retailers enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their ecommerce experiences, fulfil orders, digitise brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes.

Wegmans (www.wegmans.com) is a privately held American supermarket chain based in Rochester, New York, with more than 100 stores in the mid-Atlantic and north-eastern USA