Eroski has launched 'Eroski Smart Shop', an innovative solution that allows shopping via WhatsApp using artificial intelligence, with home delivery in approximately one hour. This initiative, currently in a pilot phase in Bilbao, aims to explore the potential of personalized conversational shopping, integrating technology into consumers' usual communication channels. The project is being implemented in nine Eroski stores in the Biscay capital and will extend for a year to assess service acceptance and refine the experience before considering expansion to other areas. The system enables users to make purchases through text messages, audio, or even by sending images, such as a photo of their shopping list. The artificial intelligence interprets the customer's needs and automatically generates a product proposal ready for review and payment. Additionally, it suggests menus and recipes tailored to each user's preferences, nutritional needs, and budget. The process concludes with payment through the quick commerce platform and delivery of the order to the home within approximately one hour. According to Aitor Zuburruti, Eroski's coordinator of retail innovation, digital transformation, and customer experience, the goal is to make shopping as easy as sending a message, using an app integrated into people's daily lives. Eroski also prioritizes the most economical option by default, although the system allows for specific brand selection if requested by the customer, adjusting choices during the conversation. Eroski Smart Shop responds to the transformation of consumer habits and the retail sector, where convenience and speed are now essential requirements. A report from CNBC International indicates that 81% of food sales are influenced by digital channels, and according to NielsenIQ, the main reason for choosing these channels is time savings. Quick commerce, in turn, is experiencing double-digit growth in southern and western Europe, especially in food. WhatsApp, with over 3 billion active monthly users and a dominant presence in more than 100 countries, is consolidating as a key channel for digital inclusion, even among those over 60 in Europe, where more than 50% use it regularly. Source: alimarket.es