Airbnb takes groceries powered by Instacart across the US and Canada as company builds on pilot
Home sharing platform Airbnb is expanding its grocery delivery service with Instacart across the US and Canada, allowing guests to order through its app ahead of their stays. This builds on a pilot that started in four cities earlier this year.
Guests can place orders up to three weeks before check-in, with $0 delivery fees on orders of $10 or more. The service does not require a separate Instacart account or app, and the listing address is automatically populated. The service will launch in Canada in the coming weeks.
In Phoenix, Arizona, and Orlando, Florida, hosts can also opt to receive grocery orders and stock the refrigerator and pantry before guests arrive.
Airbnb says groceries have been one of its most requested services. “We wanted groceries to feel like a natural part of a stay, not another errand,” says Juan David Borrero, Airbnb’s Global Head of Partnerships and Business Development.
Morrisons
Morrisons has 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. These automatically recognise items as they are placed in the trolley, including weighing fresh produce on the spot.
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.
"Caper smart trolleys represent a new era for in-store grocery shopping - one where the physical store is as intelligent and personalised as the best online experience," says David McIntosh, Chief Connected Stores Officer at Instacart. “Customers want technology that helps them stay on budget and discover products they love, and Caper smart trolleys deliver both, directly in the aisle. We're proud to bring this to the UK for the first time through our partnership with Morrisons, who share our belief that technology should make the weekly shop not just easier, but genuinely more enjoyable."
"Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we're always looking for ways to make their weekly shop easier, more rewarding, and more enjoyable, to give them more reasons to shop at Morrisons," says Gordon Macpherson, Productivity Director at Morrisons. “Caper smart trolleys do exactly that, giving customers real-time visibility of their spending, instant access to their More Card savings, and a more seamless experience in the aisle. We're proud to be the first UK retailer to bring this technology to our customers, and we look forward to seeing how shoppers in Preston and across Lancashire respond to this innovative new trolley in this in-store trial.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Grocery retail 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.
