‘Supermarket of the Future’ is a coveted title in these tech-ridden days, and Amazon Go has some formidable competitors out there. A glaring example has just opened for business in Milan, Italy, thanks to a partnership between Italian supermarket chain Coop and MIT professor, architect, engineer and inventor Carlo Ratti.
To avoid all doubts, Ratti dubbed it ‘Supermarket of the Future’—and not without reason.
All items are presented with extreme attention to detail, and tech integration and visionary layout are the store's strongest assets. Through Kinect sensors and overhead displays, shoppers can learn the entire ‘backstory’ behind each product, including origin, carbon footprint, price, promotions and allergens. All they have to do is hold the item up and let the augmented reality sensors identify it. The icing on the cake is a 54-monitor wall showing cooking suggestions and daily best-selling items.
Over the next few months, Ratti plans to spread the revolution further and expand the concept beyond Italy’s boundaries, in the name of transparency, personalisation and new loyalty-building strategies.
