Instacart announces first ever global launch of AI powered smart trolley Caper Carts with Aldi

Instacart and Aldi South Group are to expand their partnership globally.

This includes the roll-out of Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies across the retailer’s stores in the US, including In-Store mode and Carrot Tags, as well as fulfilment technology to power e-commerce orders.

And in a European first, Aldi South Group is testing Caper Carts in Austria, Instacart’s AI powered smart carts designed to ease the checkout process and personalise the shopping experience for customers. 

Since 2017, Aldi has partnered with Instacart to provide same-day delivery for its customers in the US and will now deploy several Connected Stores technologies to further digitise its stores including: 

• In-Store mode: This helps customers see what’s in-stock, get important details about items on their list, sort items by aisle, and access in-store promotions and discounts through the Instacart app.

• Carrot Tags: These have pick-to-light capabilities, meaning that Instacart shoppers can select an item on their phone and the corresponding shelf label will flash. Carrot Tags have launched in more than 100 Aldi stores in Illinois and Ohio and will roll-out nationwide in the coming months.

• Pickup fulfilment technology: By leveraging the technology behind the Instacart Shopper app, Aldi South Group is streamlining fulfllment to power its e-commerce pickup orders.

• Caper Carts: Customers can find the carts near the store entrance, start shopping by adding items directly into the cart, and keep an eye on their running total via the digital screen. Checkout is available through a “fast lane” if the customer is paying by card.

“Retailers like Aldi South Group value our omnichannel solutions, which help them provide even more personalised and convenient shopping experiences for their customers,” says David McIntosh, VP and GM of Connected Stores at Instacart.

“With a large portion of customers preferring a blend of in-store and online experiences, Aldi South Group is enabling the best of both worlds to its customers through our technologies”

“We’re thrilled that it is the first retailer to test Caper Carts in Europe, enabling us to bring Instacart’s leading grocery technology to the region for the first time.”

“Since launching Caper Carts with other retailers in the US, we’ve seen an incredibly positive response from customers of all ages and we’re excited to begin scaling globally.”

“By integrating Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies nationwide, we are creating a seamless shopping journey for the millions of customers that shop with us every day,” says Scott Patton, Vice President of National Buying at Aldi US.

“Whether shopping online, through mobile app, or visiting our stores, customers can manage their weekly grocery shopping through multiple touchpoints both quickly and affordably.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Omnichannel retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.