FairPrice taps Google Cloud for AI-powered store

Singapore supermarket giant FairPrice Group and Google Cloud have teamed up to embed the latest cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across its retail touchpoints as part of its Store of Tomorrow initiative to improve customer experience and retail operations.

As part of the initiative, FairPrice will introduce cloud-connected shopping carts, an AI-driven portal for store operations, and in-store video analytics at its new FairPrice Finest outlet in Punggol Digital District scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2025. These capabilities are being developed using Google Cloud’s services for modern infrastructure, data management and generative AI (GenAI).

“The last few years of global disruption have shown that the only certainty in retail is how quickly consumer needs, tastes, and preferences evolve,” said Vipul Chawla, group CEO of FairPrice. “Through our Store of Tomorrow programme with Google Cloud and its partner ecosystem, we’re applying interoperable, best-in-class GenAI and data analytics capabilities to reimagine shopper engagement across physical and digital formats and make things easier on the experience and wallet for our customers,” he added.

FairPrice is currently piloting cloud-connected shopping carts at its FairPrice Finest in Sengkang Grand Mall in northeast Singapore to assist customers with in-store navigation, highlight nearby promotions, and offer product recommendations tailored to their shopping needs. The carts also feature built-in scanners for convenient scan-and-pay transactions.

This omnichannel experience is powered by the integration of hardware and software from Trollee with FairPrice’s retail systems and consumer app. The entire system is supported by Google Cloud’s BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and Cloud Run services. It also uses the Gemini application programming interface (API) on Vertex AI to generate product recommendations in real-time.

To further enhance convenience, FairPrice plans to implement in-store biometric payments supported by Google Cloud infrastructure. The integration of the FairPrice consumer app with MyInfo will also allow customers in government support programmes, such as seniors and Chas Blue or Orange cardholders, to receive discounts automatically without needing their physical cards.

In addition, FairPrice worked with Tata Consultancy Services and FlutterFlow, a low-code tool provider, to develop Grocer Genie, an AI-assisted portal for store operations. Using AI agents built with Vertex AI, BigQuery, and Gemini models, it provides intelligent task assignments and data-driven insights to store teams. For example, a store manager can upload a photo of a spillage, and Grocer Genie will automatically assign a team member to handle the cleanup.

FairPrice will also deploy a video analytics application that integrates Google Cloud’s Vision AI and Gemini models with existing in-store CCTV and the Grocer Genie portal. The application will deliver real-time alerts to staff, enabling them to address issues proactively. For instance, it can detect low stock on shelves, analyse growing checkout queues to prompt the opening of more registers, or identify safety hazards.

Karan Bajwa, president of Asia-Pacific at Google Cloud, said FairPrice’s latest initiative shows how enterprise AI can help to foster deeper connections between retailers and consumers while streamlining operations. “Our partnership with Vipul and his team will continue to drive the design and deployment of functional and experiential AI innovations that surprise, delight, and offer greater value to Singapore citizens and residents,” he added.