E-Mart rolling out robot concierge

SoftBank's human-like robot named ‘Pepper' speaks to a customer in its role as a PR manager of Tottori prefecture at the prefecture speciality store in Tokyo, Japan, July 1, 2015. Pepper will work at the store until July 2, as the first workplace venue for its temporary staffing service. REUTERS/Yuya Shino - RTX1IIVH

South Korean discount store chain owner E-Mart Inc says it has started testing a robot to provide an automated concierge service to shoppers.

Dubbed “Pepper”, the robot concierge will be stationed at an E-Mart outlet in Seoul for about three weeks, the company says.

Developed by Japan’s Softbank Robotics Corp., the 1.2m-tall robot provides product information, introduces sale items and answers frequently asked questions, E-Mart says.

This follows E-Mart unveiling an autonomous shopping cart, Eli, for a test run at its warehouse-style supermarket Traders in Hanam, just southeast of Seoul.

This week, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Seoul National University to carry out joint research on the implementation of auto-driving robots in the retail sector.