Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the Food Retail sector, opening up new possibilities to optimize operations and improve the customer experience. From more efficient self-checkout systems to solutions that minimize losses, AI-based technologies are revolutionizing the way retailers address their everyday challenges.
Technological innovations in Food Retail
Food retail has adopted AI in areas such as data analysis, inventory management and, particularly, self-collection systems. Solutions such as image product recognition enable faster and more accurate transactions, eliminating the need for barcodes. Additionally, the implementation of AI tools to monitor and optimize processes has contributed to improving operational efficiency, while reducing costs in the long term.
Proppos, a solution for fast and efficient payments
A notable example is Proppos, a company that uses image recognition to identify products and speed up self-payment with its Fast Pay system. This solution allows customers to make quick payments without the need to manually scan each product, improving the customer experience and reducing wait time at the checkout.
The impact of these technologies in the sector is significant: according to studies, 85% of consumers prefer self-payment because it is faster than traditional systems, and 60% of buyers have increased their use of these options since the pandemic.
The challenge on theft in self-checkout enviroments
However, self-check-out systems present a significant challenge: theft. According to recent statistics, up to 4% of retailers’ total inventory is lost in these environments, and up to 33% of failed scan cases are due to intentional theft. Furthermore, 72% of offenders admit that self-collection systems make it easier for them to steal products. These losses not only affect profits, but also create problems in inventory management and sales data analysis. To combat these practices, some chains have implemented advanced solutions, such as the use of AI to monitor behaviors at points of sale.
Easeefy: AI at the service of loss control.
Easeefy has developed an innovative solution that uses AI to detect theft attempts in real time. This system monitors scanned products, customers’ hand movements, and detects whether unpaid items remain in carts or baskets. It also identifies common practices, such as manipulating the weight of bags on fruit scales to pay less or altering price labels.
This technology not only reduces theft, but also allows retailers to optimize their operational management by minimizing human errors and improving the accuracy of anomaly detection.
In summary, self-checkout will continue to be a key trend in food retail, but its success depends on retailers’ ability to implement technologies that balance customer convenience with business security. Solutions such as those from Proppos and Easeefy exemplify how AI can address these challenges, becoming indispensable allies for the sector.
Is your company prepared to face these technological challenges?
At IM Projects we are here to help you!
