'SMART CART'. Coming to a Store Near You... (VIDEOS)

2026 Update: Where Are the Smart Carts Now?

Looking back from 2026, it is fascinating to see how the grocery tech landscape has shifted since this post was originally written. Sobeys launched their initial AI-powered Smart Cart pilot using Caper technology at select Ontario stores, functioning as a complete self-checkout lane on wheels. While the tech was impressive, wide-scale rollout ultimately hit a massive financial wall due to three brutal realities:

• High Fleet Costs: A standard metal shopping cart costs roughly $100, while a single AI cart ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 due to complex touchscreens and scales.
• Razor-Thin Industry Margins: Supermarkets operate on brutal 1.5% to 2% profit margins, making fleet purchases an immense risk for local operators.
• The Nightmare of Maintenance: The cost to repair fragile electronics, cracked screens, or scratched camera lenses left out in wet parking lots and freezing Canadian winters drained store resources too quickly.

Because of these heavy hardware expenses, major Canadian chains quietly shifted away from physical carts to prioritize software-driven mobile scanning apps and advanced checkout conveyor belts.

Below is our original 2021 article coverage from when this smart grocery tech first hit the store aisles:

VIDEO: Safety at Niagara Parks

Good to know...

We have implemented additional measures across Niagara Parks to ensure the health and safety of our guests and our employees.

INFOGRAPHIC: History of PANDEMICS

Interesting graphic on the history of pandemics...

Pan·dem·ic /panˈdemik/ (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world.

As humans have spread across the world, so have infectious diseases. Even in this modern era, outbreaks are nearly constant, though not every outbreak reaches pandemic level as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has.

Today’s visualization outlines some of history’s most deadly pandemics, from the Antonine Plague to the current COVID-19 event.

Source(s): visualcapitalist

VIDEO: Coronavirus outbreak: Canadian travellers scramble to get home; provinces announce school closures

Don't travel if you don't have to people! And for goodness sakes, wash your hands!...

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Abigail Bimman reports on the scramble of Canadian travellers to get back home as the federal government prepares to escalate its response against the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, Heather Yourex-West looks at the tough measures provinces are taking to keep people safe.

COVID-19: The FACTS (14)

Some interesting facts, we discovered, from the World Health Organization through myths they are trying to bust on the covid-19 virus. Some may be scary, some may be amusing, but all are the facts!...

Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation, and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range or partners.

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Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?

No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria.

The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.

However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

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COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

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Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus.

There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

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