CES 2016 – MasterCard Just Took The Misery Out Of Food Shopping

Food shopping in 2016 may become a lot easier thanks to the launch of a new service from MasterCard and Samsung.

The two companies have teamed up to launch Groceries by MasterCard, a shopping service that will allow customers using Samsung’s new Family Hub smart refrigerator to order their food with just a few taps.

The service has already signed up several major partners in the US ahead of its public launch in May, and MasterCard is hoping to bring it to the UK before long.

Tap and go

Marking the first shopping app ever integrated into a refrigerator, Groceries by MasterCard lets households share, build, manage and modify their shopping lists and trolley throughout the week.

The service will also learn a family’s shopping habits, making personalised suggestions on items and brands it thinks they may like. The final shopping list is approved with a four-digit pin, meaning children can’t run wild buying sweets, with the items paid for in a single checkout experience that accepts any U.S.-issued credit and debit cards.

Orders are delivered directly by the partner merchants, meaning they are not dependent on a third-party delivery service, which should cut down on delivery times and make shopping more efficient.

Samsung and MasterCard, which jointly developed the service, which is also available in a companion mobile app, are promising new features will roll out in the coming months, including recipe and video integration.

“In a world where every device – from the phone to the refrigerator – is connected to the Internet, the ways in which consumers interact and transact with their favourite brands are changing,” said Betty DeVita, chief commercial officer of MasterCard Labs.

“We’re developing compelling, safe and seamless commerce experiences for consumers across channels and devices as we continue to eliminate the boundaries between how we shop and how we pay.”

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