Two thumbs up for Morrisons as grocery retailer tests out Instacart smart trolleys in Preston store
Earlier this week, we reported that Morrisons had launched Instacart’s Caper Cart smart trolleys at a Preston supermarket, marking North American firm Instacart’s first retail partnership in the UK for its AI powered solution. Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner at IGD and a member of the judging panel for the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards, went to see the technology in the wild and, we think it’s fair to say, he was impressed.
Customers can bag items as they shop, saving time throughout the trip and making checkout quicker and easier. The trolley's touchscreen displays a running basket total to help customers stay on budget, makes relevant product recommendations, and enables them to scan their Morrisons More Card to access loyalty savings and promotions throughout their shop. At the end of their trip, they scan the barcode displayed on the trolley's screen at a dedicated Caper checkout lane to complete payment.
In a LinkedIn post, Pickard said: “My first impression? It was incredibly easy and intuitive to use. The onboarding process was simple, supported by short video tutorials on the trolley screen that quickly explained how everything worked. Within minutes, I was shopping as normal while benefiting from the technology in the background.”
A couple of features stood out for him: Built-in weighing scales for loose produce. Rather than having to stop and weigh fruit and vegetables elsewhere, the trolley handles it seamlessly as part of the shopping journey; Also, real-time deal alerts. “When I placed certain products in the trolley, it automatically notified me about relevant promotions and offers available on those items - a great way to ensure shoppers don't miss savings opportunities. The trolley automatically recognises products as they're added, keeps a running basket total, links to loyalty rewards, and allows customers to bag items as they shop,” Pickard noted.
He added: “The result is a faster, more informed, and more enjoyable shopping experience. What's particularly interesting is how this bridges the gap between online and physical retail. Many of the benefits shoppers have come to expect online - personalisation, budget visibility, recommendations, and convenience - are now being brought directly into the store aisle. As retailers continue to explore ways to improve the in-store experience, trials like this provide an exciting glimpse of how technology can remove friction while helping customers stay in control of their shopping journey. It will be fascinating to see how shoppers respond as the trial progresses.”
In addition to the UK, Caper Carts are now live in more than 100 cities across the US and Australia with the likes of Kroger, Wakefern Food Corp., Schnucks, and Coles.
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Smart carts will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
