Coop Italia, leader in Italian grocery retail presents the Future Food District, a representation of what the supermarkets of tomorrow might look like. This futuristic structure is set in the Expo Milan 2015 and covers a surface area of 6,500 m2. Italy’s leading large-scale retail chain invested 15 million euros in the entire project. The space is designed as a store for visitors but also offers an interactive and educational experience in an adjacent space named the Exhibition Area, aimed at exploring what might be the future image of retail.
Designed by Coop Italia itself, in collaboration with Boston’s Mit Senseable City Lab and associated studio Carlo Ratti, the supermarket will stock over 1,500 carefully selected products on its hi-tech shelves. These will communicate with the consumer through intelligent labels that provide all supply chain details, highlighting elements aimed at promoting healthy and conscious consumption. “The format we are presenting for Expo is not the supermarket of the future, but we hope it resembles it” – stated Marco Pedroni, chiarman of Coop Italia –. The project is an experiment and we will try to take inspiration from the initiatives and suggestions arising from use of the technology. Moreover, with the Exhibition Area, we have created a place where Expo visitors will have the chance to become more familiar with all topics surrounding food: from the problem of fake products to systems that farm using energy from the sea and sun and even how edible insects really are. It is an educational area that can also be used by school pupils to provide them with the basic knowledge about correct and ethical diet”.
