Imagine if we went into a supermarket, picked up some groceries, and just walked out? In Mzansi this will certainly land you in a heap of trouble, but a cashier-less supermarket in the Netherlands with artificial intelligence technology has recently opened – making shopping convenient.
The rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterised by the developing environment in which technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), robotics and the internet of things (IoT) steal the show.
Trigo, an Israeli computer vision company that specialises in what is referred to as “frictionless checkout technology”, has set up a cashier-less supermarket in the city of Utrecht, located in the Netherlands.
The supermarket opened its doors on Wednesday, 20 July, at the ALDI Shop & Go, where shoppers can walk in, select their items, and walk out without the hassle of scanning or checking items out.
“Trigo applies its algorithms to shelf sensors and ceiling-mounted cameras which analyze anonymised shoppers’ movements and product choices. Payments and receipts are settled digitally,” Trigo said via a statement.
“The 370㎡ (4305 square feet) AI-powered autonomous supermarket in Utrecht marks a milestone in the digitisation of the ALDI Nord Group of Companies and is the first such store to open to the public in the Netherlands. It is also Trigo’s largest store format to date, with the company working to increase the size of its store formats.”
ALDI Nord is one of the most prominent global retail companies. More than 86 000 people are employed by the ALDI Nord Group of Companies, which operates in nine European nations including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
Saffer shares her experience
Katrina van Wyk, a South African astrology writer, recently had her first cashier-less shopping experience while visiting London. “It was a very weird experience. You pick what you want from the shelves, pop it into your bag, and the bill goes off your Amazon account.
“You don’t talk to anyone, there’s no one to assist you. It felt like I was stealing,” she says.
The global AI in retail market is expected to reach $24 billion by 2027, rising from $3 billion in 2020 and displaying a year-over-year growth rate of 29.7%. This is according to a study by Market Study Report LLC.
“AI technologies are known to offer high operational efficiency as it eliminates human intervention among retails. For instance, PayPal has started using AI technologies to detect fraudulent activities on its platform. Thus, increasing utilisation of such solutions is stimulating global artificial intelligence in retail industry outlook,” the study read.
Will it work in Mzansi though?
According to Graham Pateras, owner of a franchise supermarket in South Africa, the capabilities of South African supermarkets under AI prove interesting, but while the market is booming, he doesn’t yet believe that the country is developed enough for it.
“There are a number of base issues that need to be addressed before we can think of introducing these frictionless supermarkets. Unfortunately, if we had to implement this technology, say tomorrow, there would be many people without work. Our supermarket and retail chains are intricate, and still rely heavily on a human workforce,” says Pateras .
“I think that in terms of infrastructure, levels of crime, seamless access to internet, etc, AI supermarkets aren’t yet a fit for the South African market. We will get there at some point, but I don’t expect to see it happening any time soon.”
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