Wegmans introduces AI-enabled carts displaying real-time totals during your shopping experience

John Catsimatidis, owner of Gristedes Supermarkets, recently responded to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for city-run grocery stores during an interview on “America Reports.” While the conversation highlights the ongoing challenges in the grocery sector, another trend is emerging that could reshape the shopping experience. If you’ve ever felt the anxiety of not knowing your total at checkout, you’re not alone. Many shoppers dislike having to manually calculate the price of items in their cart. Wegmans, a renowned grocery chain in the northeastern United States, is addressing this issue with innovative smart carts.

These AI-powered Caper Carts, developed by Instacart, are designed to make shopping more efficient and personalized. The Caper Carts utilize cameras and digital scales to automatically detect items as they are added, eliminating the need for traditional barcode scanning. This feature allows shoppers to bag items immediately and finalize payment directly from the cart, thus speeding up the entire shopping process. Not only do these carts provide a seamless checkout experience, but they also feature digital screens that display real-time spending, personalized offers, and product recommendations.

Additionally, the carts come equipped with GPS navigation to help customers locate items and can integrate with shopping list apps for easier navigation through the store. The pilot program for Caper Carts is currently being tested at four Wegmans locations in upstate New York, where the chain is examining their effectiveness and customer feedback. For budget-conscious shoppers, the ability to track spending in real time can eliminate surprises at checkout. While these AI-powered carts are not yet available everywhere, they represent a significant step toward a more convenient shopping future.

The experience of using a Caper Cart feels like having a helpful assistant during your shopping trip, making it an attractive alternative to the traditional grocery cart experience.

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