Tesco pilots Simbe Tally shelf‑scanning robot in UK store

Tesco is trialling Simbe Robotics’ Tally robot in a single UK store, with plans to roll it out to a few additional locations. The autonomous aisle‑roaming unit uses AI and computer‑vision to scan shelves, checking product placement, pricing and availability. Simbe says the robot can detect out‑of‑stock items ten times more often than manual audits, helping staff replenish gaps more quickly.

The Tally system, now in its fourth generation, has logged 4.7 million autonomous hours worldwide, captured 44.8 billion shelf photos and travelled the equivalent of 45 trips around the globe. It is already deployed in ten countries for retailers such as Carrefour, Kroger and Albertsons. In the UK, Morrisons piloted the robot last year, and Austria’s SPAR has expanded its use to several stores, showing the technology’s growing adoption across European grocery chains.