---
title: Grocers are spending more on bits and bites
description: Grocery stores are investing more and more in tech (but not VR, thankfully).
---

[Hustle News ](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news)

# [Grocers are spending more on bits and bites](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/grocers-are-spending-more-on-bits-and-bites)

 Written by [Jacob Cohen](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/jacob-cohen) | Jul 27, 2023 9:55:20 PM

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. More tech at the grocery store is fine, but let’s make sure it actually solves the industry’s most urgent problem: the smell at the seafood counter.

Unfortunately for us, it appears America’s food retailers have other (much better) ideas.

#### **AI-ron chefs**

The industry spent 1.3% of its total sales, or [$13B+](https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocers-invested-13-billion-in-technology-2022/686872/), on technology investments in 2022, per *Grocery Dive*.

The numbers come from The Food Industry Association’s 74th annual report, which we’re gonna guess looks quite a lot different than its 4th — and probably even its 64th:

- A quarter of food retailers and over one-third of suppliers are now using AI to track and predict consumer interests and spending.
- Last year, 85% of retailers were trying new tech to improve customer experiences, up from 2021’s 73%, and 83% say they’ll increase their tech spending this year.

#### **Where’s that money going?**

Innovation in brick-and-mortar food retail has generally been hot — outside of grocery shopping [with VR goggles](https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2022/1/5/22868323/walmart-metaverse-shopping-video-viral-old), which thankfully has not.

- We’ve [previously written](https://thehustle.co/09202022-groceries/) about Instacart’s smart Caper Carts and e-ink price tags.
- Last fall, startup Swiftly raised $100m to grow its app-building service for groceries.
- Just last week, Amazon said it plans to bring palm scanning to all Whole Foods stores, which we will: a) definitely try out, and b) nervously laugh every time we do.

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/grocers-are-spending-more-on-bits-and-bites)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Jacob Cohen"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2023-10-11T19:16:05.250Z",
  "datePublished" : "2023-07-27T21:55:20Z",
  "headline" : "Grocers are spending more on bits and bites",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 628,
    "url" : "https://7355427.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7355427/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1856839884-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Grocery_tech_20230726215040.webp",
    "width" : 1200
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/grocers-are-spending-more-on-bits-and-bites",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Hustle News"
  }
}
```