Sainsbury’s is teaming up with Google’s Cloud Platform (GCP) and Accenture to develop machine learning tools providing new insights into customer behaviours and the trends driving their eating habits.

Google said it was helping the retailer’s commercial and technology teams to analyse data from multiple structured and unstructured sources.

The teams are using Google’s cloud-based analytics tool to ingest, clean and classify that data and a custom-build front end interface for internal users to navigate through a variety of filters and categories, offering Sainsbury’s real-time insights into consumer trends.

Sainsbury’s is using GCP’s predictive analytics models to spot trends and adjust inventory. It is also being developed in response to changing consumer shopping trends, as digital media campaigns on social platforms - such as Instagram and Twitter - become increasingly central to retail marketing strategies.

Phil Jordan, group chief information officer at Sainsbury’s, believes this project will have a big impact on the business’ approach to data.

“The grocery market continues to change rapidly,” he said. “We know our customers want high quality at great value and that finding innovative and distinctive products is increasingly important to them.”

Adrian Bertschinger, managing director for retail at Accenture, added: “The food sector is experiencing significant, rapid disruption, and this new, cloud-based insights platform will help Sainsbury's identify trends much earlier and adapt their product assortment in a faster, more informed way – all for the benefit of customers.”

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