Publisher: Supermarket News
Published: September 21, 2026
Source: Read at Supermarket News (https://www.supermarketnews.com/grocery-technology/instacart-can-track-grocery-shelves-in-real-time)
Category: Food Access
Instacart unveiled software that gives grocers and consumer packaged goods companies real-time data on product availability and shelf conditions across stores. The company said it collects more than 10 million data points daily from approximately 600,000 shoppers who scan shelves across North America, with shoppers visiting stores an average of more than 15 times per day per location. The system combines shelf scans with information from 1.6 billion orders, shopper imagery, and images from Caper smart shopping carts. Instacart is rolling out Inventory Intelligence and the Store Excellence Portal with select grocers and brands, providing store-level reports on availability, estimated lost sales from out-of-stock items, and customer substitutions.
Why this matters: Independent grocers could use the tools to spot out-of-stocks and shelf gaps without relying only on manual floor checks. Store-level data on lost sales and substitutions could help operators decide where to focus limited staff and inventory resources.
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