4,000 Smart Carts in Israel: Why Carrefour’s Huge Deal Faces Steep Odds

Chris Walton and Laura Kennedy discuss the operational and financial realities of the Carrefour-A2Z Cust2Mate partnership:

Massive Deployment: The deal aims to put 4,000 smart carts into approximately 150 Carrefour stores in Israel.

Execution Difficulties: Store technology often struggles because real-world retail environments are inconsistent and uneven.

Mixed Feelings: Many consumers still dislike automated options like self-checkout, preferring traditional methods.

Monetization Goals: Retailers are increasingly focused on monetization points and retail media through trackable store technology.

Unproven Scale: There is skepticism regarding whether the size of this deal will actually materialize given the lack of proven ROI for smart carts.