Tesco to take visual recognition technology to wine

Tesco shoppers will soon be able to watch video content on any wine in store by pointing their smartphone at the bottle.

In a move to avoid placing QR (quick recognition) codes on all wine labels, the retailer is embracing visual recognition technology which will allow customers to find out more about products in-store using their mobile phones.

Already, those who have downloaded the Tesco Discover application can use their smartphones to watch videos or see “bonus content” by pointing their device over “trigger images” in the Tesco magazine (pictured, left).

However, in an interview with the drinks business last week, Tesco wine buyer Nick Juby said the technology would be taken to products in-store, so that shoppers could photograph any wine label on the shelf and see additional information about the product on their phones.

“One you have downloaded the app you point the smartphone at the label and you can use the phone to buy the product or take you to a video with one of us – or the winemaker ­– telling you about the wine,” he said.

Tesco Discover app

He said that trials have already been done with wine labels to prove the technology works, but he said there were “a few issues” still to resolve, such as the lighting of the bottles to ensure the smartphones can capture the trigger images.

“The beauty of it is that you don’t need an ugly QR code in the artwork,” he summed up.