Society
9.9.2021
Dubai: Carrefour opens a fully automated shop
A few days ago and after Amazon, it was the turn of French retail giant Carrefour to open its first fully automated shop in Dubai. A crazy bet for the brand, driven by artificial intelligence, allowing it to do away with all the traditional checkouts and simplify its consumers’ purchases.
In the heart of the Mall of the Emirates shopping centre in Dubai, the Carrefour shop, which has no checkouts and is entirely digital, has just opened its doors. Owned by Majid Al Futtaim, which owns and operates shopping centres in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the new shop has been named Carrefour City+.
A new experience for consumers
“Carrefour City+ has been designed to make life easier by using technology to remove friction and enhance the retail experience. The shop represents a huge leap forward for retail in the UAE and the region as Carrefour continues to innovate to meet the needs of the present while anticipating future shopping trends” said Hani Weiss, managing director of Majid Al Futtaim.
Indeed, thanks to the artificial intelligence revolution that has been part of our ecosystems for a few years now, and after taking a cue from tech giant Amazon, the process is simple: access to the shop and payment for shopping is activated via Carrefour’s mobile app. Once inside, each item picked up by the customer is simultaneously and seamlessly added to their digital basket. The purchase is then settled automatically when the consumer leaves the Carrefour.
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The cameras and artificial intelligence are able to recognise and identify the 1,300 items on offer in the shop, including snacks, drinks, packaged foods and takeaways, as well as basic necessities, with extreme accuracy.
An anticipated grand opening at the top
And this new revolution has not gone unnoticed. Indeed, Carrefour City+ was inaugurated by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Telework Applications.
He was accompanied by Alain Bejjani, Managing Director of Majid Al Futtaim Holding and Hani Weiss, Managing Director of Majid Al Futtaim Retail.
In the wake of #AI and the rapid transformation in technological retail, we’re launching #CarrefourCity+ store as the region’s first checkout-free store at @CarrefourUAE. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/mdZ7QsicJZ
— Majid Al Futtaim (@MajidAlFuttaim) September 7, 2021
With the opening of this new shop, Dubai, the UAE and the digital and tech world are taking us on a new road to a possibly totally digital future…
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