Morrisons launches AI Product Finder with customer privacy in mind

Morning light spills through the front windows. The faint hum of refrigerators mixes with the slow clatter of trolley wheels. Near the entrance, a shopper pauses, head bent toward a phone. One quick tap, a flick of the thumb. The answer appears before they’ve even shifted their weight. Aisle five. Left-hand side. Clear as day.

Seamless navigation in the aisles mirrors how some seek the same ease in other parts of life. The idea of reaching what’s wanted, without barriers, has a certain pull that stretches well beyond the supermarket floor. From finding the quickest route through a busy station to unlocking a hidden menu at a favourite restaurant, convenience takes many forms. Some turn to streaming platforms that open up international catalogues with a few extra steps. 

Others look for online destinations, including casinos that are accessible via VPN. They broaden choice with exclusive titles and a range of payment options, including crypto and fast fiat, opening the door to more flexible play. Bonuses, free spins, and cashback rewards enhance the overall experience while maintaining a balanced approach. With strong privacy protections and reduced verification steps, these platforms provide global access to opportunities that are not restricted by geography.

The thread is the same — removing unnecessary steps to get to the goal. It’s about reducing friction, whether that’s in digital spaces or on the shop floor. The same principle now shapes how Morrisons guides customers through its aisles.

Morrisons has quietly woven a new AI-powered Product Finder into its shopping app, built to take the uncertainty out of finding everyday items. It doesn’t stumble over imperfect spelling or muddled descriptions. A half-formed request for “spag” will still lead to spaghetti. The system holds a map of each store, down to the shelf, matching words to exact locations without breaking stride.

The feature was tested during one of the busiest periods of the year. Easter meant shifting product displays, seasonal promotions, and aisles that never stayed the same for long. Even under that churn, the tool kept its bearings. Close to fifty thousand searches a day were handled without fuss, pointing customers to their items as though the layout hadn’t changed at all.

The work was carried out entirely in-house, with Morrisons’ own data specialists designing the system, deciding how it would function, and setting clear limits on what information to retain. That level of ownership matters, particularly at a time when awareness of how movements and search data are stored is sharper than ever. 

Keeping control of the technology offers a measure of reassurance, much like the way creators value oversight when using AI in content creation. According to Morrisons, the setup follows UK privacy regulations, ensuring the focus remains firmly on usefulness rather than intrusion.

For staff, it removes a common interruption. The “Where is…” questions can now be answered without breaking pace. That frees hands for other work — restocking, customer advice, the kind of service that can’t be scripted.

The feeling on the floor changes. Shoppers walk with more purpose. No looping back along crowded aisles. No scanning shelves for too long under harsh lights. The store’s layout feels less like a puzzle, more like a route already known.

Those concerned with privacy will note the limits: the fewer outside systems involved, the tighter the grip on what happens to customer data. Industry voices still call for clarity on how long searches are stored or if they link to loyalty accounts. Yet compared to many digital tools in retail, the approach here is restrained.

The launch hasn’t been dressed up in noise. No giant banners. No push notifications screaming for attention. Just a new line in the app, waiting to be used.

It’s a subtle change, but one that alters the rhythm of a shop. The moments saved add up. A quick check for coffee beans points the way without fuss. Bread, milk, fruit — all found without hesitation. And then out, bags in hand, with the feeling that the process has been smoothed, made lighter, almost unnoticeably so.