Retail gets a sixth sense with Britannia A-Eye

Britannia Industries, in partnership with WPP, launched Britannia A-Eye. Powered by Google Gemini, based on Vertex AI Multimodal Live, it aims to democratise the retail experience.

The FMCG company launched the pilot leveraging Google Astra’s capabilities to empower retail experience for the visually impaired, in partnership with More Retail and Mithra Jyoti, an NGO dedicated to empowering the visually impaired community.

Britannia A-Eye turns a smartphone into an intelligent shopping assistant, allowing users to scan their surroundings through their smartphone cameras. The AI reads the environment, providing voice-based responses to guide shoppers through store aisles which are customised to each retail store.

Further, the solution identifies products, and access details such as pricing, ingredients, nutrition information and expiry dates and currently this solution is enabled for Britannia products. This innovation removes barriers to information, omitting the dependency on external assistance.

This first-of-its-kind initiative uses the latest multimodal AI capabilities of Google Cloud to enable seamless navigation, real-time product identification, and instant access to key product information, empowering consumers to shop independently.

Siddharth Gupta, general manager for marketing at Britannia Industries, said, "At Britannia, we believe that technology has the power to break barriers and create a more inclusive world. This initiative is not just about leveraging cutting-edge technology—it’s about fostering equity and independence for all consumers.”

Speaking about the initiative Amin Lakhani, CEO of Mindshare South Asia, said, “A-Eye, our collaboration with Britannia, exemplifies WPP's commitment to leveraging technology for inclusive retail. By merging brand vision, agency expertise, and AI innovation, we are creating a smarter, more accessible shopping experience for the visually impaired. This initiative paves the way for industry-wide adoption, where AI-led content helps dissolve barriers, empowers every community, and strengthens the very fabric of our diverse society by fostering equity, accessibility, and inclusivity for all.”

Daniel Hulme, chief AI officer of WPP added that the agency’s partnership with Google is about pushing the boundaries of AI-driven innovation. “With Britannia A-Eye, we’re not just creating technology—we’re redefining inclusivity in retail, proving that AI can be a force for good, transforming lives and empowering communities. While this initiative is still in its early days, it holds the promise of fundamentally changing the way retail is experienced, ensuring accessibility is not an afterthought but a standard for all,” he added.

Amar Jain, co-founder of Mission Accessibility, lawyer and a key advocate for accessibility, noted that for the visually impaired, the ability to shop independently is not just about convenience—it’s about dignity. “Britannia A-Eye is a powerful step towards ensuring that visually impaired individuals can experience shopping as it should be—autonomous, seamless, and barrier-free. It’s inspiring to see technology being used in such a transformative way, and I hope this paves the way for a more inclusive ecosystem across industries,” he surmised.

Vidhyashankar Jayaraman, chief merchandising and marketing officer of More Retail commented, “This initiative ensures that visually impaired shoppers can navigate stores and make informed decisions independently. We are proud to be part of a movement that is setting new standards in inclusive retail."

The pilot has been creatively conceptualised and executed by Mindshare, global media agency and VML, global creative agency with support from Mithra Jyoti.

Babita Barua, CEO of VML India said, “At VML, we believe creativity and technology can come together to create something truly meaningful and drive real change. That’s how Britannia A-Eye was born—an AI-powered voice assistant designed to make shopping more independent and intuitive." Consumers experienced this technology at More Supermarket at TC Palya, Bengaluru currently.

Campaign’s take: In a retail world obsessed with visual merchandising, how do you serve a customer who can’t see the shelf, let alone the label? Britannia Industries, in partnership with WPP, may have just found an answer with Britannia A-Eye—a smartphone-powered shopping assistant designed for the visually impaired, currently piloting at a More supermarket in Bengaluru.

Powered by Google Gemini and developed using Vertex AI’s multimodal live capabilities, A-Eye goes beyond adland bravado. It uses a phone camera to scan store environments, read out navigation prompts, identify products, and deliver essential info—price, ingredients, expiry date—through voice.

But let’s be clear: this is not a feel-good campaign wrapped in tech theatre. It’s a real push toward making retail genuinely inclusive. Visually impaired shoppers often rely on others, which strips away autonomy. A-Eye hands that power back—one aisle at a time.

This initiative saw marketers, tech giants, retailers, and NGOs like Mithra Jyoti unite on a common brief: dignity. By embedding accessibility into the retail journey, not tagging it on, this effort is a nudge to the industry—accessibility isn’t just a checkbox, it’s the future of consumer experience.

After all, true innovation doesn’t just cater to eyeballs. It listens. And responds.