How smart shopping carts support sustainable retail? ESG Trends on ZeroQS

In Poland, 4.8 million tons of food are wasted annually, with 7% of this amount attributed to losses in retail. While 7% might seem like a small fraction of the overall problem, it still amounts to 336,000 tons of food wasted each year. Innovative technologies and tools supporting ESG goals in retail are emerging as solutions to these challenges. The Polish team at ZeroQs has developed intelligent shopping carts designed to ensure precise inventory management.

The carts designed by ZeroQs not only enhance the shopping experience by helping customers avoid checkout lines but also enable retail networks to monitor their inventory levels with high accuracy.

Equipped with advanced scanning and weighing technologies, these carts provide precise data on every item placed in the cart. This allows stores to track the sales of products like fruits and vegetables in real-time and respond more quickly to changing consumer demands.

"More accurate inventory management means products are replenished where needed, in the right quantities, minimizing the risk of spoilage and food waste. As a result, stores can operate more efficiently both operationally and environmentally. Our technology is also much cheaper to implement and maintain compared to traditional store infrastructure, and retail networks can rent our carts on a subscription basis" — explains Jarosław Kaczmarczyk, CEO of ZeroQs.

ZeroQs Smart System vs. Traditional Retail Solutions

The integrated weighing and vision system in ZeroQs smart carts ensures sales security by detecting errors, fraud, and theft in real time. Payment is processed automatically at the store exit or at a designated payment station.

Unlike traditional cash registers and self-checkout stations, smart shopping carts eliminate the need to wait in line and offer far broader analytical capabilities than conventional solutions. They simultaneously enhance the shopping experience, increase security, and provide better control for store managers.

Social Benefits and Greater Transparency

ZeroQs smart shopping carts also contribute to social goals within ESG frameworks. By automating the shopping process, they support fair working conditions by reducing the physical and mental burden on employees.

From the consumer’s perspective, smart carts significantly improve shopping comfort by reducing stress and frustration, especially during peak periods. They allow consumers to fully enjoy the shopping process and increase their loyalty to the store.

The technology developed by ZeroQs also supports good management practices. Automating shopping and payment processes reduces the risk of human errors and financial losses related to discrepancies in accounts and databases. Monitoring the entire shopping process is also cost-effective, eliminating errors on both the customer’s and the store’s side.

ZeroQs supports the ESG goals of retail networks by integrating smart shopping carts, combining efficiency with social and environmental responsibility, while helping to meet increasing ESG-related demands. This enables stores to stay ahead of the competition by offering modern, environmentally friendly shopping solutions.

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