Joachim Pinhammer

Boots is trialling the use of ChatGPT for its online business. Generative AI will provide Boots.com customers with recommendations when choosing beauty products. The measure is part of a larger initiative that also includes implementation of the Boost platform from Ocula Technologies.

Aldi Süd is piloting automatic recognition of fruit and vegetables at its self-checkouts. Diebold Nixdorf's AI-based Vynamic Smart Vision software analyses the camera image of goods placed on the scanner scale to identify items without a barcode. Aldi Süd's checkout software partner Gebit managed the integration into the existing system.

Australian retailer Coles is working with technology provider Northfolk to make menu planning easier for online shoppers. The Swedish start-up's platform provides personalised recipe suggestions and automatically adds the ingredients to the shopping basket.

M-Preis is implementing Zebra's Workcloud Task Management software. The Austrian food retailer wants to digitally transform processes between head office and stores to better integrate employees, optimise stock levels and improve customer experience.

Norway’s Norges Gruppen has selected Manhattan Associates’ warehouse management solution for its Meny supermarket banner operation. The retailer wants to better fulfil growing customer requirements in e-commerce. For the metropolis region of Oslo, it is currently building a fulfilment centre, scheduled to start operations in autumn 2024.

7-Eleven Japan plans to use generative AI for the introduction of new products in the future. Software from Open AI, Google and Stability AI is set to help reduce planning processes by up to 90 per cent. Deploying this technology in the area is new to the retail sector.

Regional co-operation Edeka Minden-Hannover relies on intelligent shopping trolleys from manufacturer Pentland Firth. The company has rolled out a total of 6,400 Easy Shoppers since 2019. The Retail Optimiser visited two of the company-owned stores and spoke to managers and customers about their experiences with the systems.

Schwarz Group is investing in German AI start-up Aleph Alpha. The key technology is intended to help optimise processes in all areas of the group. The investors wish to become independent of US players and comply with European data protection standards.

Aldi Süd enables customers to pay cash at its self-checkouts going forward in Germany. The latest installations of Diebold Nixdorf machines have integrated cash recyclers. The Retail Optimiser spoke to Aldi Süd Communication Specialist Carolin Sunderhaus about motivations and experiences with self-checkout in this country.

Walmart is deploying a solution jointly developed by technology providers Knapp and Packsize to ship online orders in exactly right-sized packaging. Thus, deliveries can be handled in a more cost-effective and sustainable way.