Tesco is testing a new AI-powered assistant in its app as the supermarket looks to make meal planning and basket building easier for shoppers.

The retailer has launched the tool as a beta trial for colleagues, with around 280,000 staff set to get early access over the coming weeks before a wider customer launch later this year.

Initially, the assistant will focus on meal planning, using conversational prompts to suggest recipe ideas based on customers’ preferences and dietary needs.

It will also be able to help shoppers add ingredients to their basket in the Tesco app, using factors such as previous shopping history and product preferences.

Tesco said the long-term aim is to use AI to reduce the time, cost and friction involved in grocery shopping, while also helping customers cut food waste by suggesting meals built around ingredients they already have at home.

The supermarket is using its colleague base as an early testing ground, giving staff the chance to road-test the assistant in their day-to-day lives and feed back on what works before the tool is rolled out more widely.

Chief executive Ken Murphy said the assistant had the potential to reshape how customers shop with Tesco over time, particularly through more personalised support built into the app.

The project has been developed by Tesco’s in-house app, data science and engineering teams, working with UK AI consultancy Tomoro AI.

Tesco said the assistant is part of a broader push to build out its AI capability, following years of using AI behind the scenes in areas such as Clubcard personalisation and operations.

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