Department Manager

In conversation: has retail technology become more important than price? 15th August 2026 ISN Editor Riad Beladi in conversation with a former Carrefour retail executive who moved from supermarket retail to the retail technology supply side Original interview conducted in French. Translated and edited for English publication. Retail technology has moved rapidly from the back office into almost every part of the supermarket. Electronic shelf labels, self-checkout, smart carts, computer vision, automated stock-taking, retail media, mobile applications, artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated data systems are changing both the way supermarkets operate and the way shoppers experience the store. To examine this transformation, ISN Editor Riad Beladi, who has more than 30 years' experience covering the international supermarket industry, spoke with Laurent Martin, a former Carrefour retail executive who subsequently moved to the other side of the industry, joining a supplier of retail technology solutions. Martin has therefore experienced the transformation from both perspectives - first as a supermarket professional responsible for retail operations and technology, and later as a supplier selling technology to retailers. For him, the speed of change is remarkable. "I have never seen retail technology take such a central position in the supermarket industry. Technology used to support retail. Increasingly, technology is becoming part of retail itself." Riad Beladi: You worked inside Carrefour and later moved to the technology supply side. What has surprised you most about the supermarket industry over the last four years? Laurent Martin: The speed of change. Technology was always important in supermarkets. International Supermarket News had systems for stock management, ordering, logistics, checkout and customer data. But technology was often regarded as something operating behind the scenes. That has changed. Today, technology is visible to the customer. The shopper sees electronic shelf labels, self-checkout, digital promotions, mobile applications, smart trolleys and increasingly personalised offers. At the same time, there is technology that the shopper does not see. Computer vision can monitor shelves, systems can identify stock problems, and artificial intelligence can analyse enormous amounts of information. What is different now is that these technologies are connected to the actual shopping experience. I have worked on the retail side and now work with retailers as a technology supplier. I can say honestly that I have never seen technology occupy such a central position in retail. Riad Beladi: Supermarkets say much of this technology is designed to improve the customer experience. Is that really the main objective? Laurent Martin: It is one of the main objectives, but it is not the only one. A supermarket has two customers in a sense. It has the shopper, but it also has the employees who have to operate the store. Take stock-taking. Traditionally, employees spent considerable time checking shelves and identifying missing products. Today, technology can help identify availability problems much faster. The same applies to pricing. Electronic shelf labels can make price changes much faster and reduce the amount of manual work required. Self-checkout is another example. It changes the customer's experience, but it also changes the role of the employee. The objective should not simply be to remove people from the supermarket. Good technology should allow employees to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time helping customers. That is an important distinction. Technology should make the supermarket easier to operate, while making the shopping experience easier for the customer. Riad Beladi: Some people might say this is exaggerated. Supermarket customers still want good prices, promotions and value. Has technology really become more important than price? Laurent Martin: No. I would not say that technology is more important than price. Price remains fundamental, particularly in a period when consumers are very conscious of their household budgets. But I would say that the relationship between price and experience is changing. If two supermarkets offer similar prices, the customer may choose the one where shopping is easier, faster and more convenient. That is where technology becomes important. The shopper does not necessarily think, "I am going to this supermarket because it has artificial intelligence." They think, "I can find what I want, the price is clear, I don't have to wait too long, the product is available and paying is easy." The technology is behind that experience. So I would not put price and technology against each other. Price gets the shopper's attention, but experience can influence where that shopper chooses to return. Riad Beladi: After more than 30 years covering supermarkets, do you believe International Supermarket News is seeing a fundamental change in the industry? Laurent Martin: Yes. I think the biggest change is that technology is no longer a separate department. It is becoming part of merchandising, operations, logistics, marketing, pricing and customer service. Look at retail media, for example. Supermarkets are no longer simply selling products. They are using their digital platforms, customer data and physical stores to communicate directly with shoppers and suppliers. Look at electronic shelf labels. They are not simply digital versions of paper price tickets. They can become part of a wider pricing, promotion and store-management system. Look at artificial intelligence. It can analyse customer behaviour, improve forecasting, support employees and increasingly influence how retailers manage their stores. And look at checkout. What was once simply the final point of a shopping trip has become an area of experimentation involving self-checkout, mobile payment, scan-and-go and computer vision. So yes, something fundamental is happening. But I would not describe it as technology replacing retail. I would describe it as technology becoming part of retail. That is a very different thing. Riad Beladi: My own observation is that retailers have spent enormous amounts of time and money on price, promotions and efficiency. Now the customer experience seems to be receiving the same level of attention. Would you agree? Laurent Martin: Absolutely. The supermarket of the future will still need competitive prices. Nothing changes that. But retailers are discovering that the shopping experience is not one single thing. It starts before the customer enters the store, through advertising and digital communication. It continues with finding products, checking prices, receiving personalised promotions, navigating the store, getting assistance, paying and finally leaving the supermarket. Technology can influence every one of those stages. That is why I believe International Supermarket News is seeing a change in the role of technology. It is no longer simply about making the supermarket more efficient. It is increasingly about making the supermarket more relevant to the shopper. Riad Beladi's conclusion. After more than three decades covering supermarkets, I have seen technology move from relatively isolated systems used by IT and operations departments to something that now touches almost every part of the supermarket. The interesting question is therefore no longer whether retailers will use technology. They already do. The question is how far technology will become embedded in the everyday shopping experience. Carrefour's recent digital strategy and its continuing investment in AI and smart-store technologies are examples of this wider movement. The supermarket is becoming increasingly connected: the shelf, the trolley, the checkout, the employee, the customer and the retailer's digital platforms can all form part of one technology ecosystem. For shoppers, however, the technology itself may remain invisible. They will simply notice that the price is correct, the product is available, the queue is shorter, the promotion is relevant and the shopping trip takes less time. Perhaps that is the real test of retail technology: not how sophisticated the technology is, but whether the shopper notices the difference.

InvestorNewsBreaks - A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: AZ) receives follow-on order for 4,000 smart carts from Sapir Group. A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: AZ) a global smart retail technology company, announced a follow-on purchase order from Sapir Group for an additional 4,000 Cust2Mate smart shopping carts, increasing the Israeli supermarket group's total commitment to 7,000 carts and bringing the total value of its orders to approximately $84 million over the life of the agreements. The expanded order follows Sapir Group's acquisition of approximately 20 stores previously operated by Carrefour Israel over the past two years, significantly expanding its retail footprint and potential Cust2Mate deployment. A2Z said the additional order expands its contracted deployment pipeline and supports its strategy of growing deployments alongside retail partners while increasing its installed base for potential retail media and digital-services revenue. Separately, the company said it is currently renegotiating the terms and conditions of its previously announced purchase order with Carrefour Israel. About A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: AZ) makes in-store retail smarter by connecting retailers, brands, and shoppers at the Smart Cart.Cust2Mate transforms everyday shopping carts into AI-powered, connected commerce platforms that elevate the in-store experience, turning each visit into a seamless, personalized, and rewarding journey. The Smart Cart platform helps retailers and brands grow revenue through targeted retail media and real-time shopper engagement at the moment purchase decisions are made. It delivers actionable, real-time data that provides full visibility into in-store shopper behavior and decision-making. With its modular, state-of-the-art technology, Cust2Mate enables retailers to increase revenue, optimize store operations, and mitigate loss across their chains at scale. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to AZ are available in the company's newsroom at https://ibn.fm/AZ About InvestorWire InvestorWire ("IW") is a specialized communications platform with a focus on advanced wire-grade press release syndication for private and public companies and the investment community. It is one of 75+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, IW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, IW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. IW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge. Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the InvestorWire website applicable to all content provided by IW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.InvestorWire.com/Disclaimer InvestorWire is powered by IBN

Mapfre and Carrefour begin joint sale of insurance. In an initial phase, the offer includes accident, death and purchase protection insurance. The insurer Mapfre and the distribution chain Carrefour began the joint commercialization of insurance, through Carrefour's Linked Insurance Agency, making available in a first phase accident, death and purchase protection products. In a statement released this Tuesday, the two companies indicated that the first products resulting from the partnership, agreed earlier this year, began to be commercialized this week and were designed to offer protection to customers, combined with savings benefits. In an initial phase, the offer includes accident, death and purchase protection insurance, with the gradual expansion of the catalog planned with new solutions adapted to customers' needs.