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The so-called six-foot economy named for the practice that keeps shoppers socially distant to prevent infection is here for the foreseeable future, and food retailers are working double-time to maintain business as usual during these highly unusual times.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a significant layer of operational complexity to already existing industry-wide challenges. Expectations of cleanliness are at an all-time high among shoppers. With significant inventory turnover, its a struggle to keep shelves consistently stocked. Added to retails long-standing labor shortage, its no wonder this new reality is causing a growing number of grocers and other retailers to evaluate how automation and robots can bring greater efficiency, flexibility, and sanitation to their in-store operations.

Enter the latest wave of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) intelligent machines that can safely navigate crowded public spaces while taking care of mission-critical tasks. From robotic floor scrubbers and vacuum sweepers to self-driving shelf scanners and in-store delivery tugs, AMRs can be deployed quickly and easily, require no costly or complicated infrastructure, and show too much value for grocers to ignore. Many top U.S. retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, and Giant Eagle, have already made the leap and are seeing huge dividends.

Every food retail business today should be assessing the value of robotics as a part of its retail operations. Why? Here are seven reasons:

As the world adjusts to the new normal, food retailers must prepare for the next normal. Investing in a long-term robotics strategy to bring greater efficiency, safety, accountability, and cost management to in-store operations is one of the first steps. While AMRs are not a panacea for all of the challenges grocers face, they do address the most critical ones: labor shortages, employee safety, consumer experience, and sanitation.

Chris Wright is vice president of sales at Brain Corp,a San Diego-based technology company specializing in the development of intelligent, autonomous navigation systems for everyday machines. Read More

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7 Reasons Grocers Should Invest in Robotics Right Now - Progressive Grocer