SPAR Ireland opens technology-led flagship store in Dublin
The store includes an avocado ripeness scanner helps shoppers avoid food waste by checking each fruit before purchase.
SPAR Ireland has opened a pioneering flagship store at Kimmage Cross Roads in Dublin, showcasing what the retailer describes as the future of convenience retail through a combination of AI-powered technology, sustainable design and reimagined shopper journeys.
The store, which opened on September 10, introduces several Irish firsts. Its Deligo AI Self-Checkout system uses machine vision to identify all basket items instantly. An avocado ripeness scanner helps shoppers avoid food waste by checking each fruit before purchase. Ordú Digital Deli Ordering Kiosks allow customers to place fresh food orders upfront and collect them while picking up groceries elsewhere in the store, eliminating counter queues.
The location also features a walk-in chilled alcohol section — the "Kimmage Chill Room" — with an air door on the beer cave to minimise cold-air loss, alongside refrigeration systems delivering close to 65% energy savings.
Sustainability is another focus point of the store: an external living wall supports biodiversity and insulation, a wind turbine generates part of the store's power, and rainwater harvesting irrigates external planting. A dedicated cup recycling initiative, The Cup Collective, encourages customers to change everyday habits.
"SPAR KCR is a fantastic showcase for the future of retail, designed to deliver a faster, more convenient shopping experience, championing sustainability and innovative technology," said Colin Donnelly, SPAR Ireland Sales Director.
SPAR is part of BWG Foods and has operated in Ireland since 1963.
