Major UK retailer brings in ROBOTS to undertake a 'crucial' supermarket task
Morrisons has unveiled its newest staff members - in the form of aisle-roaming robots.
The retail giant is trialling 'Tally' robots at three stores in Wetherby, Redcar and Stockton, to monitor how products are being displayed on shelves.
Using advanced AI and computer vision technology, Tally is designed to spot out-of-stock items, pricing errors, and misplaced products.
Morrisons ' technology manager, Katherine Allanach, called this a 'crucial' role.
'It is a crucial but time-consuming task and so Tally aims to allow more time for colleagues to focus on customer service,' she told The Grocer.
The news comes shortly after Morrisons announced that it would be closing dozens of its cafes and stores forever.
The company said a 'wide-ranging review' had identified several areas where the costs of operations are 'significantly out of line with usage, volumes or the value that customers place on them'.
As a result of the shakeup, 365 people's jobs have also been marked as at risk of redundancy, although the company insists the majority of staff will be deployed elsewhere in the business.
The Tally robots are the brainchild of US company Simbe Robotics, and are already being used globally by Carrefour, BJ's, Albertsons, ShopRite, and Kroger.
Using a combination of autofocus, auto-exposure, and HDR camera systems, the bots are designed to analsye the stock on the shelves.
'Designed to capture accurate inventory in any retail environment, from standard fixture, variable shelving units to coolers, freezers and top stock auditing,' Simbe Robotics explains on its website.
The bots are tall and slim, and have 'polite, friendly faces'.
'Compact, slim design and shy, polite mannerisms are unobtrusive to the customer experience,' Simbe Robotics added.
'Tally is seamlessly integrated in challenging retail environments like tight, crowded spaces and aisles.'
According to the company, the bot is able to capture up to 30,000 products an hour with 99 per cent accuracy.
And if it runs low on battery, Tally will self-dock before charging itself.
Using a combination of autofocus, auto-exposure, and HDR camera systems, the bots are designed to analsye the stock on the shelves
While the idea of a robot kitted out with high-tech cameras might sound creepy, Simbe Robotics maintains that it will not record people.
'Tally is not a surveillance machine,' the company reassured.
'Tally captures shelves and understands the environment around it.'
This isn't the first time that Morrisons has turned to technology.
Last year, the retailer was mocked across social media, after it installed buttons that customers had to press if they wanted to buy certain pricey alcoholic beverages.
One user said: 'I have actually got to say, this will put me completely off buying any spirits from Morrisons.
'What an absolute joke. Buzz for booze? Let's go elsewhere.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Cadbury shrinks Freddo multipack
A Cadbury spokesperson has confirmed a reduction in size 🍫 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Cadbury has confirmed a size decrease in Freddo multipacks The price remains unchanged despite the size decrease Freddo bars has caused a lot outrage over the years due to price increases It's become a long-running joke over the years that some of us are old enough to remember when Freddo's were a lot bigger, and a lot cheaper, than they are now. Freddo is an iconic small-sized chocolate bar produced by legendary chocolate company Cadbury. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Targeted towards young children, the Freddo bar is shaped like a cartoon frog character, with the features of the frog imprinted into the bar. Cadbury shrinks Freddo multipacks - with shoppers getting even less for their money | chrisdorney - Freddo bars were first launched in the UK in 1973, before being withdrawn from shelves in 1979. However, in 1994 Freddo made a triumphant comeback, priced at only 10p per bar. Over the years, the Freddo bar has increased in price, and for a singular bar in 2025, the price currently stands at 30p or more. However, Cadbury has now shrunken the size of its Freddo multipacks by 20% according to The Grocer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The multipacks were previously sized at 5x18g for the usual Freddo multipack, and 5x19.5g for the Caramel Freddo multipack. Now, the multipacks are sized 4x18g for Freddo, and 4x19.5g for Caramel Freddo. Despite the decrease in size, Cadbury has not reduced the price of the Freddo multipacks, which are still priced for around £1.40 across UK supermarkets. A spokesperson for Cadbury owner Mondelez International, said to The Grocer that the change to Freddo multipacks was made due to "significantly higher input costs.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They further confirmed that ingredients used in Freddo have risen in price, leading to the Freddo being expensive to make. They continued: 'This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges. 'As a result of this difficult environment, we have had to make the decision to slightly reduce the weight of our Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo multipacks so that we can continue to provide consumers with the brands they love, without compromising on the great taste and quality they expect." If you have a food and drink story to share with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Scotsman
Cadbury shrinks Freddo multipack
A Cadbury spokesperson has confirmed a reduction in size 🍫 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Cadbury has confirmed a size decrease in Freddo multipacks The price remains unchanged despite the size decrease Freddo bars has caused a lot outrage over the years due to price increases It's become a long-running joke over the years that some of us are old enough to remember when Freddo's were a lot bigger, and a lot cheaper, than they are now. Freddo is an iconic small-sized chocolate bar produced by legendary chocolate company Cadbury. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Targeted towards young children, the Freddo bar is shaped like a cartoon frog character, with the features of the frog imprinted into the bar. Cadbury shrinks Freddo multipacks - with shoppers getting even less for their money | chrisdorney - Freddo bars were first launched in the UK in 1973, before being withdrawn from shelves in 1979. However, in 1994 Freddo made a triumphant comeback, priced at only 10p per bar. Over the years, the Freddo bar has increased in price, and for a singular bar in 2025, the price currently stands at 30p or more. However, Cadbury has now shrunken the size of its Freddo multipacks by 20% according to The Grocer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The multipacks were previously sized at 5x18g for the usual Freddo multipack, and 5x19.5g for the Caramel Freddo multipack. Now, the multipacks are sized 4x18g for Freddo, and 4x19.5g for Caramel Freddo. Despite the decrease in size, Cadbury has not reduced the price of the Freddo multipacks, which are still priced for around £1.40 across UK supermarkets. A spokesperson for Cadbury owner Mondelez International, said to The Grocer that the change to Freddo multipacks was made due to "significantly higher input costs.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They further confirmed that ingredients used in Freddo have risen in price, leading to the Freddo being expensive to make. They continued: 'This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges. 'As a result of this difficult environment, we have had to make the decision to slightly reduce the weight of our Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo multipacks so that we can continue to provide consumers with the brands they love, without compromising on the great taste and quality they expect."
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The cheap foreign meat flooding Britain's supermarket shelves: Farmers' fury over rise in beef and chicken imports from countries 'with lower animal welfare standards'
Cheaper chicken and beef from Australia, Poland and Uruguay is being increasingly seen at UK supermarkets, angry British farmers warned today. Chains such as Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Asda are importing meat from countries with lower animal welfare standards, according to the National Farmers' Union. Sirloin steak from Australia, raw chicken from Poland, sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay and wagyu beef from New Zealand have all been spotted on UK shelves. Supermarkets are being accused of a 'huge betrayal of the UK's hard-working family farms' as they try to source cheaper imports to help keep their prices down. The NFU said the shift comes at a time when farmers in Britain already face an 'unprecedented number of challenges' amid concerns over recent trade deals. The union also pointed out that British livestock farmers adhere to robust standards, with consumers advised to look for the Red Tractor logo carrying the Union Jack. The UK has an animal welfare standards ranking far above all the other countries - listed as B, according to the World Animal Protection's Animal Protection Index. This is compared to C for Poland and New Zealand and D for Uruguay and Australia. Morrisons, which sponsors TV show Clarkson's Farm, is now selling raw chicken and Australian beef – the latter of which was made possible by Liz Truss's much-criticised post-Brexit trade deal with Australia in 2021, NFU sources told The Guardian. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, tweeted: 'This is appalling from Morrisons. They seek kudos for their UK sourcing but then sneakily do this, undermining British farmers and undermining their own integrity and brand.' Meanwhile Asda is selling sirloin and ribeye steaks from Uruguay, priced much lower than the UK equivalents, under the Grass and Grill brand owned by Hilton Foods. They are priced at about £22/kg for sirloin and £24/kg for ribeye, which is around a fifth less than UK and Irish beef at £28/kg and £29/kg respectively. Stuart Roberts, a beef, sheep and cereal farmer from Hertfordshire, said on X: 'With farmers under pressure from multiple directions I'd be fascinated to learn why Asda have decided this is an appropriate time to start stocking Uruguayan beef. 'There is no excuse for this huge betrayal of the UK's hard-working family farms. Consumers and farmers deserve better.' Elsewhere, Sainsbury's has also been stocking wagyu beef from New Zealand – instead of Japan, where it normally comes from. NFU livestock board chairman David Barton said: 'It's deeply concerning to see major retailers now move away from their previous commitments to sourcing British in the last few weeks in favour of imports, many of which have been produced to lower standards. 'Farmers' long-standing partnerships with retailers have supported sustainable supply chains, so this shift is alarming. 'Over the past year, the industry has heard warm words from almost every major retailer pledging support for British farmers. But these words ring hollow when British produce is not given pride of place on shelves.' He added that decisions to 'renege on sourcing commitments' are damaging trust and farmer confidence at a time of global insecurity when sustainable food supply chains have 'never been more important'. Mr Barton continued: 'British farmers have invested in higher standards such as reducing antibiotic use in beef and lowering poultry stocking densities in sheds. 'Consumers want these high-quality production systems, shown by over one million people signing our petition for import standards to match the UK's. 'But delivering these standards comes with additional financial costs. Long-term sourcing commitments from retailers are essential to ensuring that the high welfare British food consumers want remains available.' A Morrisons spokeswoman said: 'Morrisons remains 100 per cent British on all our meat counters. In our aisles – alongside our New Zealand lamb – we are introducing trials of some imported meat from trusted suppliers to help us offer outstanding value through the seasons and through any supply fluctuations. An Asda spokesman added: 'We always look to offer customers a wide choice of products to suit all budgets, and the country of origin is always clearly labelled on pack so customers can make an informed choice about their purchases. 'Grass & Grill steaks are provided by a branded partner and available in our stores for a limited time only. All of Asda's own brand fresh beef continues to be sourced from farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland.' And a Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: 'We're proud to work with thousands of British farmers year-round and the vast majority of our beef range is sourced from the UK and Ireland. We have no plans to change this approach. 'All of our suppliers also have to meet the same rigorous quality standards, regardless of where the product is sourced from. 'These seasonal products account for just 0.1 per cent of our beef range and are an example of where there are times we may also source from elsewhere like New Zealand, so that we can continue to meet customer demand. 'The country of origin is clearly labelled, to help our customers make informed choices when they shop with us.'
