Instacart's Smart Trolleys are Now Available at Coles Supermarkets in Australia

Rhea-AI Summary

Instacart (NASDAQ: CART) and Coles Supermarkets (ASX: COL) have announced the deployment of Caper Carts, AI-powered smart trolleys, at Coles' Richmond Traders location in Melbourne. This makes Coles the first retailer in the Asia Pacific region to implement this technology.

The Coles Smart Trolleys feature AI, cameras, and built-in scales that automatically recognize items as they're added. Customers can bag items while shopping, track their running total, and checkout directly from the trolley. The carts integrate with Coles' Flybuys rewards program, offering personalized deals and the chance to win discounts through a digital wheel game at checkout.

In the US, where Caper Carts are already implemented across multiple grocers, customer reception has been strong with a net promoter score exceeding 70 at established locations. The technology aims to combine the convenience of online shopping with the traditional in-store experience.

Positive

• First-mover advantage in APAC region for AI-powered shopping carts
• Integration with existing Flybuys rewards program enhances customer loyalty
• Strong US market validation with 70+ NPS score
• Technology enables seamless omnichannel shopping experience

Negative

• initial rollout to single location indicates cautious implementation
• Significant technology investment required for deployment

Insights

Technology & Retail Innovation Analyst

The deployment of Instacart's Caper Carts at Coles Supermarkets represents a transformative development in retail technology adoption with significant implications for both companies. The successful US implementation, boasting a net promoter score above 70, validates the technology's market potential and suggests strong customer acceptance in the Australian market.

This strategic move positions Coles as an innovation leader in APAC retail, potentially creating a competitive moat through first-mover advantage. The integration with Coles' Flybuys program is particularly noteworthy, as it creates a seamless omnichannel experience that can drive both customer loyalty and valuable shopping data analytics.

The technology offers multiple revenue optimization opportunities:

• Increased basket sizes through real-time spending tracking
• Reduced labor costs from automated checkout processes
• Enhanced customer engagement via gamification features
• Improved inventory management through real-time tracking

The expansion also strengthens Instacart's position in the global retail technology market, potentially opening doors for further APAC partnerships. The successful implementation could accelerate the adoption of smart trolley technology across the region, creating significant growth opportunities for both Instacart and early-adopting retailers.

Coles Supermarkets is the first retailer in the Asia Pacific region to deploy Caper Carts, Instacart's AI-powered smart trolleys

SAN FRANCISCO and MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart (NASDAQ: CART), the leading grocery technology company in North America, and Coles Supermarkets (ASX: COL), one of Australia's leading retailers, today announced the rollout of Caper Carts, Instacart's AI-powered smart trolleys, at its Richmond Traders location in Melbourne. Customers can now shop smarter, bag as they shop, and pay directly on the Coles Smart Trolley for a seamless in-store shopping experience. 

Customers can find the new Coles Smart Trolleys at the front entrance of the Coles Richmond Traders supermarket. Caper Carts are equipped with AI, cameras, and a built-in scale, which work together to automatically recognize items as they are added to the trolley. Caper Carts enable customers to bag as they shop and watch their running total – similar to an online shopping experience. At the end of their shopping, customers can conveniently checkout directly from the trolley.

Caper Carts sync to Coles' Flybuys rewards program, allowing customers to earn points as they shop. Customers can scan their Flybuys card or Coles app to instantly access personalized offers and view in-store specials on the trolley's digital screen. When customers shop in-store with Caper Carts, they can later view purchased items under their 'buy it again' list on the Coles app and website. Equipped with gamified capabilities, customers also have the chance to win discounts by spinning a digital wheel on the trolley's screen at checkout.

Coles is the first retailer in the APAC region to launch Instacart's Caper Carts, as well as the first retailer in Australia to introduce AI-powered trolleys. Demonstrating their strategic commitment to meeting their customers' rising digital usage, the Coles Smart Trolley is creating an easier, faster and more enjoyable omnichannel shopping experience for customers – fully bringing the benefits of online shopping to the in-store journey.

"Coles Supermarkets is our ideal partner to introduce Caper Carts in the APAC region because we share a similar vision for creating a personalized shopping experience that delights customers," said David McIntosh, Chief Connected Stores Officer at Instacart. "We've already heard first-hand from Coles customers how the trolleys are easy to use, while enabling them to track their spending and bag as they shop. Caper Carts are transforming the chore of shopping into an adventure, leveraging Edge AI-powered systems to make the shopping experience fun and personalized. We're excited to bring Caper Carts to Australia in partnership with Coles and continue to collaborate to deliver the best possible in-store shopping experience, bringing what customers love best about online shopping into the store, and vice-versa."

"We're proud to be the first retailer in Australia to offer AI-powered smart trolleys to our customers, bringing our omnichannel vision to life," said Ben Levinson, General Manager for Digital Product at Coles. "Caper Carts help our customers bag as they shop, manage their budget, and save time with faster checkout – all while providing a more personalised shopping experience. We're always looking for new ways to further improve the customer shopping experience and are excited to introduce smart shopping trolleys as another convenient way to shop our aisles."

Caper Carts bring the beloved attributes of online grocery shopping to the store experience. The smart trolleys enable retailers like Coles to offer their customers a way to save money on food and grocery essentials, while delivering a delightful shopping experience as they shop the store aisles. In the US – where more than a dozen grocers have launched Caper Carts – customer reception has been notably strong with customers offering a net promoter score of more than 70 at ramped locations, in line with some of the world's most loved brands.

Caper Carts are part of Instacart's Connected Stores suite of technologies, built to help grocers bridge the online and in-store shopping experience. 

To learn more about Instacart's Caper Carts and Connected Stores, visit www.instacart.com/company/retailer-platform/connected-stores. 

To learn more about Coles Supermarkets, visit https://www.colesgroup.com.au/news/ 

About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize 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, right 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. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com. Maplebear Inc. is the registered corporate name of Instacart.

About Coles Supermarkets
Coles is one of Australia's leading retailers, with more than 1,800 supermarkets and liquor stores nationally. Coles employs more than 120,000 team members, engages with more than 8,000 suppliers, and welcomes millions of customers through its store network and digital platforms every week. Coles' purpose is to help Australians eat and live better every day. 

 

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SOURCE Instacart

FAQ

What features do Instacart's Caper Carts offer at Coles Supermarkets?

Caper Carts feature AI, cameras, built-in scales for automatic item recognition, running total tracking, in-cart checkout, Flybuys integration, and personalized offers on a digital screen.

Where are Instacart's Caper Carts first launching in Australia?

The Caper Carts are first launching at Coles' Richmond Traders location in Melbourne, Australia.

What is the customer satisfaction rate for Caper Carts in the US market?

In the US, Caper Carts have achieved a net promoter score of over 70 at established locations.

How does the Caper Cart integrate with Coles' loyalty program?

Caper Carts sync with Coles' Flybuys rewards program, allowing customers to earn points, access personalized offers, and view in-store specials on the trolley's digital screen.

What gaming features are available on Coles' Smart Trolleys?

Customers can spin a digital wheel on the trolley's screen at checkout for a chance to win discounts.