Grocery technology company Instacart and family-owned US chain Schnuck Markets have announced the chainwide rollout of the former's Carrot Tags electronic shelf labels (ESL) software.
The software solution integrates with retailers’ ESL hardware to improve order fulfilment accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Schnucks will enable Instacart shoppers to activate items from their picking list within the Instacart shopper app.
The rollout across most Schnuck stores follows a successful pilot earlier in 2023.
Schnucks has seen an increase in found rates and higher order quality since implementing the Carrot Tags pick-to-light [a light-based order picking system for split-case picking of items in a warehouse or distribution centre] functionality.
Schnucks chief information and supply chain officer Bob Hardester said: "We're always striving to give our customers the most reliable online experience, and Carrot Tags' pick-to-light functionality has helped us ensure our customers receive exactly what they ordered.
"As we continue to digitise our stores, we believe that Carrot Tags is an integral part of our omnichannel approach – especially once they connect to customer-facing technology like Caper Carts. From electronic shelf label software to smart carts to an e-commerce platform, Instacart's technologies help us meet our customers, no matter how they choose to shop."
Instacart's Carrot Tags have been integrated with Aperion, Schnucks' ESL hardware provider, to enable the pick-to-light functionality.
Instacart's ESL software is part of its Connected Stores suite, which aims to bridge the gap between online and in-store shopping experiences.
Carrot Tags will also be integrated with Caper Carts, enabling customers to locate items more easily on the shelf.
The partnership between Schnucks and Instacart began in 2017 and has expanded to include a full omnichannel suite of offerings.
Instacart connected stores vice-president and general manager David McIntosh said: "As our first retail partner to introduce Carrot Tags' pick to light functionality chainwide, we're incredibly excited by the telling results of our partnership.
“Schnucks has long served as a leading-edge partner for Instacart, especially when it comes to adopting our Connected Stores technologies like Caper Carts and Eversight. We look forward to building the future of grocery alongside Schnucks for years to come."
In June 2024, Instacart partnered with Price Chopper and McKeever’s Market & Eatery to introduce its AI-powered smart carts, known as Caper Carts.
