Instacart (CART) is increasing its reliance on artificial intelligence to help customers shop more easily according to their dietary needs or to help offer healthy options.
The company announced a new feature, Smart Shop, that helps customers filter their shopping experience based on health needs.
That includes settings for 14 dietary preferences, including gluten-free, high protein, low carb, organic, and preservative-free settings. There are also 30 health tags on items including gluten-free, grass-fed, heart-healthy, high fiber, high protein, keto, lactose-free, minimally processed, pasture-raised, preservative-free, no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, non-GMO, vegetarian, vegan, and wild-caught.
“At Instacart, we want to turn the ordinary task of grocery shopping into a delightful, personalized shopping experience that takes the mental load out of finding the exact items that meet your preferences,” Daniel Danker, Instacart chief product officer, said in a statement.
“By customizing your shopping journey to match your personal health goals or fit your dietary restrictions, we can unlock possibilities that weren’t even on the table before.”
The timing coincides with the increased use of weight-loss drugs and customers being more conscientious about their diets. Grocery stores have seen a decrease in purchases by GLP-1 users — as much as 6%, according to one recent study.
Instacart has also partnered with the American Diabetes Association to turn “nutrition advice into easy, shoppable solutions through our Inspiration Pages. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition like diabetes or simply looking to make more informed food choices, we’re here to help make grocery shopping simpler and more personalized,” according to Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president and general manager of Instacart Health.
The reliance on AI in online grocery shopping is not new but continues to grow as a trend.
Two years ago, Kroger (KR) launched a healthy cart option, with a grading system on customer carts to help them make healthier choices. Meanwhile, other companies have launched smart carts for in-store shopping to help customers shop smart and healthier.
Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, care services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. That includes GLP-1s, of course. Follow Anjalee on social media platforms X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky @AnjKhem.
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