Morrisons rolling out ‘revolutionary' new tool that will speed up grocery shopping for customers

Scottish Sun

5 days ago

Experts say the new tool could become "second nature" just like self-checkouts
ALL CHANGE Morrisons rolling out 'revolutionary' new tool that will speed up grocery shopping for customers
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MORRISONS has launched a new AI tool that will help customers find items quicker in store.
The Product Finder feature has been added to the supermarket's More app.
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The innovative new AI feature is available on the Morrisons More app now
Shoppers can type in what they're looking for and the app will then tell them which aisle it's in and its precise location.
You don't have to type in the exact product - it can give you a range of options if you type something like "mango smoothie".
It also gives you some detail on how to find the exact product you want.
For example, it might say: "With your back to the checkouts this can be found near the end of aisle 2, on the left-hand side."
The feature has been built using Google's Gemini AI models.
However it was developed by Morrisons' in-house data science team because of concerns about third-party vulnerabilities.
Morrisons chief data officer Peter Laflin said the Product Finder is a "prime example of how we're leveraging technology to make shopping easier and more efficient for our customers".
Meanwhile a Google Cloud spokesperson said the tool is a "perfect example of AI solving a common, everyday frustration – no more wandering aisles, no more endlessly searching for that one elusive item".
Morrisons told The Sun the tool is not designed to replace shop workers.
A spokesperson said it's instead aimed at freeing up their time to let them focus on providing customer service on the shop floor.
Morrisons major shake-up
Experts say the new tool will be revolutionary for shoppers.
Darin Ezra, branding expert at Power Brands, says the feature could transform in-store shopping and be a "customer experience revolution".
"For years, e-commerce has set the pace in convenience and personalisation," he said.
"Brick-and-mortar retailers have struggled to compete, until now. This AI integration helps level the playing field."
Jonny Murphy-Campbell, commercial director of Resolvable, said the tool will be especially helpful for more vulnerable customers.
"Supermarkets can be overwhelming - especially for people in a rush, shopping with kids, folks who are neurodivergent, or those who are unfamiliar with the layout," he said.
He added it could become "second nature" to use it, just like self-checkouts and scan-as-you-shop tools have become.
Data concerns
With any new technology like this being rolled out there will always be concerns about shoppers' privacy and how their data is used.
Ezra says there could be "valid" concerns about surveillance or misuse of location data, so Morrisons should be transparent about what data is collected and how it's used.
Murphy-Campbell says: "The big question is what's being tracked. If it's anonymous and purely functional (i.e., "help me find rice noodles"), there's not a great deal to be concerned about."
The difference will be if the supermarket is collecting data on loyalty cards or personal profiles.
Marty Bauer, retail and ecommerce expert at Omnisend, said: "If AI tools track your movement around the store and your preferences for certain items, retailers — and tech partners like Google — could build detailed behavioural profiles.
"These would be even more powerful than what currently exists with loyalty cards like Nectar and Clubcard.
"Some reassurance from Morrisons about how the data is used could go a long way towards maintaining trust in the shopping experience."