The Super Markets of the Future: from Paper Bags to Self-Driving Deliveries


Supermarkets have seen a surge in competition in recent years from smaller more environmentally conscious chains that have gained customers. Whilst the trend has largely been seen in the states we are seeing an increase in environmentally conscious consumers in the UK.

More paper bags have lined our shelves and increasingly better technologies are being used to get our groceries to our fridges. Here are 3 of the most interesting developments we may see in our supermarkets in the near future.

Supermarkets with no tills 

For decades tills have been the main function of staff in a supermarket. Cashiers would scan the items and you would pack them into your paper bags. However that is already changing.

Many businesses have adopted self-checkout services and are offering reusable paper bags that consumers are able to pack the goods in that they have scanned themselves.

In the future we may not even have to scan the products before checking them out. We will simply walk in, pack our groceries into our paper bags, and walk out. A scanner by the exit will scan and charge out cards for our purchases. 

An increased focus on reusable paper bags 

Many initiatives have already been launched by governments around the world that are attempting to limit the use and production of plastic bags in favour of paper ones. In the UK this has prompted many customers to adopt reusable bags in an attempt to limit the bill and help the environment. Because of this the trend is likely to continue and we will see more paper bags and other reusable products in our supermarkets.

Automated Delivery from Supermarkets 

In the mid to near future we may see a reduction in supermarkets in general. Many households have started to go for home delivery over a traditional supermarket visit.

As the developing technology around self-driving cars increases we are likely to see this adopted by supermarket chains in the near future. 

Threat of Automation 

A key theme throughout these developments is that machines will likely replace many human jobs. This is an issue that will have to be discussed in the near future as the global economy reshapes in response to greater machine integration. 

Get Reusable Bags for the future of your business 

Despite the increased adoption of technology by supermarkets we as consumers will still need a way to carry our products when we are shopping.

If you are a business looking to attract the future environmentally conscious customers finding a supplier of high quality reusable bags will benefit your business’s brand as well as the environment.