Meet Pixie: Checkers Sixty60 Launches AI-Powered Personal Shopping Assistant
South Africa’s on-demand grocery pioneer, Checkers Sixty60, has officially entered its next era of digital transformation with the launch of Pixie, an advanced AI-powered personal shopping assistant. Developed in-house by ShopriteX, the Group’s tech and innovation hub, Pixie marks a strategic shift from rapid delivery to high-intelligence, personalised commerce.
Beyond the Search Bar
Pixie is designed to eliminate the friction of traditional digital shopping. By leveraging machine learning and data from Xtra Savings—South Africa’s largest retail loyalty programme, Pixie analyses individual purchase history and restocking patterns to anticipate customer needs.
The centrepiece of this update is the “Smart Basket” interface. Instead of manually searching through thousands of products, users are presented with curated suggestions they can add or remove via simple swipe gestures, making the weekly shop faster and more intuitive.
Local Tech for Local Needs
“This is the dawn of using the best of AI to make shopping simpler and more personalised for consumers,” says Neil Schreuder, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Shoprite Group. “Pixie is like a little friend, assisting each customer quietly in the background, making shopping and saving effortless.”
Unlike "off-the-shelf" AI solutions, Pixie was built from the ground up by a South African team of data scientists and engineers at ShopriteX. This ensures the assistant understands local nuances, price sensitivities, and specific product preferences unique to the South African market.
The Future of Autonomous Retail
The launch on 9 April 2026 serves as a beta rollout exclusively for Xtra Savings Plus members. However, the Group views this as only the beginning. Future iterations of Pixie are expected to include:
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Conversational Commerce: Natural language interaction for hands-free shopping.
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Automated Replenishment: One-tap reordering of household essentials.
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Smart Meal Planning: Tailored recipes based on budget, dietary needs, and current pantry contents.
As the on-demand market becomes increasingly crowded, Sixty60 is distancing itself from the competition by focusing on the "Experience Economy." With Pixie, the goal is no longer just to deliver groceries in 60 minutes, but to provide a service that knows, adapts to, and simplifies the lives of its users.
Supplied by: Checkers.
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