AI shopping carts could drive up your grocery bill

Artificial intelligence is making its way into the grocery aisle, and it could have an unexpected effect on how much you spend. You grab a grocery cart, start working through your list and notice a screen on the handle offering directions, coupons and product suggestions. It can keep a running total and may even let you skip the checkout line. That sounds convenient. It also gives the store a new way to reach you while you are deciding what goes into your cart.

New research found that shoppers who chose a smart shopping cart spent 32% more on average than people using a regular cart. They also bought more items and stayed in the store longer. So the question for you is pretty simple: Does a smarter cart help you shop better, or does it make spending more a little too easy?

Here's how the study worked, where these smart carts are already showing up in the U.S. and how to use one without letting it push your grocery bill higher.

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The research comes from Bayes Business School at City St George's, University of London. The study, published in the Journal of Business Research, looked at how digital shopping carts were associated with spending and shopping behavior. Researchers studied smart shopping carts at a well-known German supermarket chain during March 2025.

They analyzed 12,418 individual shopping sessions over the month. Of those trips, 9,422 involved shoppers actively using the smart-cart technology. These were grocery carts fitted with tablet-style screens on the handle. Shoppers could use the technology for digital shopping lists, personalized recommendations and in-store navigation. The carts also supported checkout-free payment.

Researchers recorded how much shoppers spent and how many items they bought. They also measured how long each shopping trip lasted. The differences were substantial.

Smart-cart shoppers spent 32% more on average than non-users. They also purchased 25% more items and spent 23% more time in the store. The spending gap grew during afternoons and weekends. Meanwhile, shoppers tended to spend the most time in stores during the evening.

Those numbers naturally caught the researchers' attention because a cart that increases shopper engagement could become a valuable tool for stores. Dr. Sabrina Gottschalk, a lecturer in marketing at Bayes Business School and lead author of the study, said the findings suggest retailers could see significant revenue gains from the technology.

She pointed to special offers and new product recommendations as potential opportunities. The screen also creates another place for retailers and brands to advertise while someone is actively deciding what to buy. That last part catches my attention. The screen may help you find something faster. At the same time, it can put another product in front of you when you are already in shopping mode. Your grocery cart has essentially become another screen competing for your attention.

There is an important limitation here. The study found an association between smart-cart use and higher spending. Because the researchers observed shopping behavior rather than randomly assigning shoppers to different carts, the results do not prove that the technology itself caused the 32% increase.

Someone choosing a smart cart may already have planned a bigger grocery run. A shopper with a longer list could also be more interested in technology designed to make navigating the store easier. Then researchers found another wrinkle.

They looked at shoppers who interacted with the smart-cart screen more than 20 times during a single trip. These "superusers" bought significantly more items and stayed in the store longer. However, they did not spend more money overall. Once screen interaction reached higher levels, spending and basket size eventually began to decline.

Researchers suggested that some of these shoppers may have been using the technology more for the experience than because they wanted to buy more. So the research does not prove that tapping a smart-cart screen automatically sends your grocery bill soaring. Still, a 32% difference in average spending is hard to ignore.

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While this particular study happened in Germany, smart carts are already rolling through grocery stores here in the U.S. Instacart says thousands of its AI-powered Caper Carts are deployed across more than 100 cities. The company also said in May 2026 that Caper Carts spanned 15 states and were available across more than a dozen retail banners overall. U.S. retailers using the technology include Kroger and Schnucks, along with Wakefern banners such as ShopRite and Fairway Market. Weis Markets has also begun deploying them at select stores.

Caper Carts use cameras, built-in scales and other sensors to understand what shoppers put into or remove from their baskets. The screen can also deliver recommendations while customers move through the store. Amazon has a competing version called Dash Cart.

Its newest Dash Cart displays prices and keeps a running total as you shop. It can offer personalized nearby deals, help navigate the store and let shoppers bypass the traditional checkout line. Amazon says the newest version will expand to dozens of additional Whole Foods Market locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026. That means this technology could become a much more familiar part of your grocery run.

Here is where I think smart carts become especially interesting. A traditional shopping cart holds your groceries. A smart cart can also put promotions directly in front of you while you move around the store.

Instacart says its Caper Cart technology can use signals such as what is already in your basket and where the cart is inside the store to decide when to surface recommendations. The company says prompts designed to remind shoppers about forgotten items have increased average basket size in its own testing. Think about how powerful that can be.

You turn down an aisle and a promotion appears for something nearby. Something already in your cart could also lead to a recommendation for another product. Sometimes that could save you money or remind you about something you genuinely need. Other times, you may end up buying something that never appeared on your shopping list. Retailers have spent decades figuring out where to position products. Smart carts bring another version of that strategy directly onto a screen that moves through the store with you.

There is also a data side to these carts that deserves attention. Instacart says its Caper Carts use basket-facing camera sensors and outward-facing cameras. They also rely on built-in scales and location-tracking systems.

The company says those systems can detect which products enter or leave the basket and how shoppers move through store aisles. Instacart also says its technology can connect physical shopping interactions with purchase history. That data can make the cart more useful. It can also help make recommendations more targeted.

That is why I would pay attention to the privacy settings connected to any grocery-store account or loyalty program you use. Take a look at what information the retailer collects and what controls it gives you over personalized advertising.

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You do not have to avoid an AI shopping cart simply because there is a screen attached to it. Some of the technology can genuinely make grocery shopping easier. The key is using those features without letting every recommendation change what you planned to buy.

Decide what you need before you enter the store. When the cart suggests something extra, compare it with the list you already made.

This could actually be one of the best features of a smart cart. Keep an eye on your total as you shop instead of waiting for the final surprise at checkout.

A recommendation may be useful, but remember why it appeared on your screen. The retailer benefits when another product lands in your cart.

Do not assume a coupon or promoted product gives you the best deal. Compare prices and look at the unit price when package sizes differ.

Here is a simple experiment you can do yourself. Compare what you spend during a few smart-cart trips with your regular grocery runs. You may discover the technology helps you stay organized. You could also find that those convenient suggestions are adding more to your bill than you realized. For more ways to cut grocery costs, check out our article on 8 apps that can cut your food bill.

I like technology that removes some of the aggravation from grocery shopping. Seeing your running total can be useful. Getting out of the store without standing in a long checkout line sounds pretty appealing to me too. What I want you to remember is that the screen on your cart has another purpose. Retailers can use it to put offers and recommendations in front of you at exactly the moment you are deciding what to buy. That does not make every suggestion a bad deal. Some could genuinely save you money. Still, the 32% spending difference in this study caught my attention. As these carts become more common in grocery stores, I think we should pay as much attention to how they influence our shopping as we do to how much time they save us. Enjoy the convenience and take the discounts when they really help. Most of all, keep your shopping list and your budget in charge.

Would you grab an AI-powered shopping cart if it helped you skip the checkout line, or would knowing smart-cart users spent 32% more make you stick with a regular cart? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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