Geissler’s Supermarkets, an Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) retailer, has entered a partnership with technology company Instacart to improve the checkout experience across its stores.

Instacart’s artificial intelligence-powered (AI) smart carts, known as Caper Carts, will be deployed across Geissler’s seven retail locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, US.

The smart cart leverages computer vision and AI to automatically identify items as they’re placed in the cart.

This enables customers to shop and pay from anywhere in the store.

Customers will benefit from personalised promotions and savings by using their loyalty accounts on the carts.

Caper Carts plans to replace the majority of Geissler’s traditional shopping carts, making it the first grocer to make the transition.

Geissler’s Supermarkets president and CEO and IGA retailer advisory board chairman Bob Rybick stated: “We see clearly the value that Caper Carts bring to our customers and our business, in the short and long term. At launch, they’ll reduce lines and congestion while freeing up store associates to focus more on customer support.

“The carts’ screens help customers easily find items on their list, stay on budget and access tailored recommendations and deals as they browse the aisles. More engaging experiences drive larger basket sizes and repeat customers, and we see even more possibilities long term.”

Caper Carts is part of Instacart’s Connected Stores technology offerings for retailers.

In July 2023, grocery retailer Schnuck Markets expanded its partnership with Instacart with the introduction of Caper Carts in select stores in the US.