Supermarkets have seen a surge in competition in recent years from smaller more environmentally conscious chains that have gained customers. Whilst the trend has largely been seen in the states we are seeing an increase in environmentally conscious consumers.

More paper bags have lined our shelves and increasingly better technologies are being used to get our groceries to our fridges. Here are 3 of the most interesting developments we may see in our supermarkets in the near future.

Supermarkets with no tills

For decades, cashiers at supermarkets have been focused on operating tills. Customers would have their items scanned, and then they’d pack them into paper bags. However, this is rapidly changing.

Many businesses now offer self-checkout services, providing reusable paper bags for customers to pack their own scanned goods.

Looking forward, we might not even need to scan products before checking out. The future could involve walking into a store, packing groceries into reusable paper bags, and simply walking out. A scanner near the exit would read and charge our cards for the purchases. Supermarkets would mainly need to source branded food products from reputable wholesale suppliers, such as this one offering Kraft Products Canada, place them on shelves, and the rest of the process would be taken care of by the customers.

An increased focus on reusable paper bags

Many initiatives have already been launched by governments around the world that are attempting to limit the use and production of plastic bags in favour of paper ones. In many countries, this has prompted many customers to adopt reusable bags in an attempt to limit the bill and help the environment. Because of this, the trend is likely to continue and we will see more paper bags and other reusable products in our supermarkets.

Automated Delivery from Supermarkets

In the mid to near future we may see a reduction in supermarkets in general. Many households have started to go for home delivery over a traditional supermarket visit.

As the developing technology around self-driving cars increases, we might be able to see trucks automated (you can see https://torc.ai/trucking/ for a better idea) and this concept adopted by supermarket chains in the near future.

To make home delivery the primary shopping method, supermarket chains might employ various strategies. This could involve partnerships with existing delivery platforms or the development of their own delivery fleets.

To optimize the delivery process, supermarkets may also utilize automated logistics and multi-carrier shipping software, ensuring efficiency and timely deliveries. The integration of these technological advancements with strategic approaches has the potential to revolutionize supermarket operations, adapting to the evolving preferences and demands of consumers.

Threat of Automation

A key theme throughout these developments is that machines will likely replace many human jobs. This is an issue that will have to be discussed in the near future as the global economy reshapes in response to greater machine integration.

Get Reusable Bags for the future of your business

Despite the increased adoption of technology by supermarkets we as consumers will still need a way to carry our products when we are shopping.

If you are a business looking to attract the future environmentally conscious customers finding a supplier of high quality reusable bags will benefit your business’s brand as well as the environment.