Carrefour Belgium tests profitability of Reckon.ai’s smart vending machines

Customers of the Carrefour store in the municipality of Auderghem, near Brussels, can shop 24/7 for food, snacks and drinks from the smart vending machines, even after closing time. The technology for the smart fridges comes from Portuguese specialist Reckon.ai. It uses cameras, weight sensors and artificial intelligence to identify the products.

The concept for the BuyBye stores was developed by Carrefour’s innovation team together with the technology provider. The company installed its first pilot at the headquarters of its Belgian unit in Zaventem in December 2023. Since then, the retailer has implemented the technology at a few more locations, in franchise stores, hospitals and office buildings, for example at advertising and media group Publicis in Brussels.

The technology has already been successfully tested, as Matthieu Ullens, Director Ecommerce, Data and Digital Transformation at Carrefour, reported to the press. The company now wants to assess its financial viability and measure economic impact. The company sees great future potential for the concept and expects to tap into additional revenue sources by operating the micro stores.

Computer vision identifies products

Customers can access goods in the vending machines by presenting their bank card or via Carrefour’s BuyBye app, where they can enter their preferred payment method. Several cameras installed in the fridges identify the products when customers take them out or put them back. When they close the door, the system automatically determines the amount of their purchases via the selected payment method.

Reckon.ai’s software promises to be able to recognise products from all angles using computer vision. To enable this, the operator must first train it with each of the items on offer. Weight sensors installed in each shelf serve as a further control instrument.

System provides inventory data in real time

The refrigerators can each be set to a temperature between zero and 15 degrees Celsius. This allows the retailer to offer chilled and fresh food, packaged goods, sandwiches as well as baked goods. The system determines stock levels in real time. Carrefour can monitor this via dashboard to organise replenishment.

The system also provides the retailer with valuable information about customers’ shopping behaviour. All data can be transferred to the existing IT systems via API