New Delhi, April 7 -- Indian multinational food products company Britannia Industries, in collaboration with advertising firm WPP and powered by Google's Gemini AI, has launched a new initiative aimed at improving retail accessibility for the visually impaired. The pilot project, named Britannia A-Eye, has been introduced in partnership with More Retail and the NGO Mithra Jyoti.
The tool uses a smartphone's camera to scan the store environment, guiding users through voice prompts that adapt to each retail setting. At present, it is functional with Britannia products, helping users identify items and providing information such as price, ingredients, nutritional content and expiry dates without requiring assistance.
Powered by Google Cloud's Vertex AI, the tool uses multimodal artificial intelligence to provide real-time navigation and product recognition. The aim is to enable visually impaired individuals to shop more independently.
Executives from the partner organisations have described the initiative as a step towards creating a more inclusive shopping experience. Siddharth Gupta of Britannia said that the project shows how technology can help break barriers. Daniel Hulme from WPP highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to support social good, while Amar Jain, co-founder of advocacy group Mission Accessibility, said the tool offers dignity and autonomy to visually impaired shoppers.
More Retail stated that inclusive shopping should be a standard rather than an exception.
The pilot is still in its early stages, but those involved hope it will lead to broader changes in how retail services are designed for people with disabilities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has started changing the retail market scenario as businesses have started adopting it to enhance consumer experience. Earlier this month, professional services provider Accenture joined hands with Malabar Gold & Diamonds to develop a cloud-based digital platform powered by AI, aimed at strengthening the jewellery retailer's operations worldwide. The project seeks to improve experiences for both customers and employees, while also boosting overall business efficiency.
In February, KiranaPro, a neighbourhood quick commerce platform operating on the ONDC network, announced a partnership with ZuperAI, a company focused on AI-driven commerce solutions. Quick commerce, or Q-commerce, refers to a form of online shopping that emphasises rapid delivery, often within an hour.
The partnership is intended to strengthen AI-based market insights, product matching, and personalised shopping, with the goal of supporting local retailers and contributing to the growth of digital commerce in India.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from TechCircle.