Mindless shopping

-- SHOPPING can now be as mindless as' you'd like it to be - the smart shopper can opt for the smart trolley. It directsr,@-Idvises, locates, tempts, and c&n even draw up a menu. Videocart Incorporated, a Chicago-based company in USA, has developed a small liquid crystal display screen which can be attached to the handle of a shopping trolley. As the shopper moves around the store, infrared sensors located in the ceiling trigger radio signals which activate the display, passing information to the consumer.

The first information to flash on the screen is the floor plan of the shopping XW complex, followed by information 'specific to each aisle. By pressing a button, information about discount offers is displayed and simultaneously recorded for the cashier. The videocart also offers nutrition tips and suggests menus. The display has 10-second commercials flashing on, which will make it a significant 'rival to TV advertising. It is expected, as research indicates, that 80 per cent of brand choices are.made at the point of purchase.