Aldi Expands Instacart Functionality in U.S. Stores, Tests Caper Carts in Austria

Aldi will roll out Instacart Connected Stores solutions across all Aldi South Group locations in the U.S., including the delivery service’s in-store mode for its app; “Carrot Tags” with pick-to-light capabilities; and more streamlined pickup fulfillment technology. Aldi began working with Instacart in 2017 and in June 2023 debuted Aldi Express, a virtual convenience store offering nearly 2,000 of its most-shopped items for delivery.

“By integrating Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies nationwide, we are creating a seamless shopping journey for the missions of customers that shop with us every day,” said Scott Patton, VP of National Buying at Aldi U.S. in a statement.

Additionally, Aldi has begun testing Instacart Caper Carts in Austria. The carts, which use AI and computer vision to identify the items shoppers are placing in their carts, are being introduced in the Aldi store in Sattledt, Austria. In the U.S., Schnuck Markets began using Caper Carts last month.

“We’re thrilled that Aldi South Group is the first retailer to test Caper Carts in Europe, enabling us to bring Instacart’s leading grocery technology to the region for the first time,” said David McIntosh, VP and GM of Connected Stores at Instacart in a statement. “Since launching Caper Carts with other retailers in the U.S., we’ve seen an incredibly positive response from customers of all ages, and we’re excited to begin scaling globally.”

Aldi has been on a growth path in the U.S. via a combination of new store openings and acquisitions. In March 2024 Aldi laid out plans to add 800 U.S. stores by 2028.