Schnucks Expands Caper Carts to New Stores Across Missouri and Illinois
Midwest grocer Schnuck Markets Inc. is expanding Instacart’s Caper Carts to new stores across Missouri and Illinois.
“Schnucks was an early adopter of Caper Carts, so they’ve seen firsthand how the carts can drive a double-digit basket size increase,” said David McIntosh, chief connected stores officer at San Francisco-based Instacart. “Whether customers are looking to save money, stay on budget, or simply enjoy the convenience and ability to scan, pay and go, we’re proud to offer an engaging and personalized way to shop for Schnucks customers.”
“It’s clear to us that customers love shopping with Caper Carts – and at our newly launched stores, we’re seeing many times throughout the day where all 10 carts are in use,” added Chace MacMullan, senior director of digital experience at Schnucks. “As a family-owned grocer, we’re always looking for new ways to stay competitive and improve the in-store experience for our customers. Caper Carts are intuitive and make shopping fun and engaging.”
Schnucks has long been an early adopter for many of Instacart’s technologies, first partnering with Instacart in 2017 to introduce same-day delivery. In addition to Caper Carts, Schnucks has introduced a number of Instacart Platform technologies, including e-commerce, Carrot Ads, Eversight and Carrot Tags.
Meanwhile, Instacart has introduced a new feature to its Caper Carts: a lower tray. Designed to improve the cart’s versatility, this option now makes it easier for customers to add heavy, bulkier items such as cases of water, soda or pet food to the cart. By simply scanning the item and placing it on the bottom tray, customers can shop for every item on their shopping list, without having to skip heavy items or lift them all the way to the basket.
Caper Carts are equipped with AI, cameras and a built-in scale, which work together to automatically recognize items as they’re added to the cart. Customers can bag as they shop, watch their running total, and, once shopping is complete, they can conveniently check out directly from the cart.
The Caper Carts at Schnucks stores also alert customers to available promotions and discounts by syncing to their Schnucks Rewards account, as well as provide Caper-exclusive coupons just by shopping with the cart.
St. Louis-based Schnucks operates 114 stores in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, and employs nearly 12,000 associates. The company is No. 65 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Schnucks among its Outstanding Independents for 2025.
