Tesco is currently testing a new 6.5ft aisle-roaming robot designed to identify missing stock and pricing discrepancies. The robot, named Tally, utilizes artificial intelligence and computer vision to autonomously navigate supermarket shelves, ensuring continuous monitoring without the need for manual checks by staff.
According to Tesco, the Tally robot, developed by Simbe Robotics, not only detects out-of-stock items more efficiently than manual checks but also assists in identifying shelf gaps for improved visibility. Additionally, Tally can pinpoint pricing errors and misplaced products, promptly generating reports for store employees to address these issues.
Industry expert Toby Pickard from IGD highlighted Tesco’s initiative as the introduction of autonomous shelf-scanning technology in the UK, marking only the second trial of its kind by a major British supermarket. The robot operates by capturing shelf conditions multiple times daily and providing actionable insights to store teams via mobile apps or digital and printed reports, ultimately streamlining issue resolution and enhancing inventory accuracy while allowing staff to focus more on customer service.
Originally introduced a decade ago, Tally has been successfully utilized by retailers in various countries. Last year, Morrisons became the first UK supermarket to trial the machine, deploying it in select stores to oversee product placement and availability, as well as ensure accurate pricing displays. The robots used in the Tesco trial are reportedly taller at 6.5ft compared to the 5ft4 inches models used by Morrisons.
The implementation of this technology by supermarkets like Tesco and Morrisons aims to optimize operational efficiency by reducing the time spent on routine shelf inspections, enabling staff to dedicate more attention to customer service.