AI-powered product recognition system reduces water use, speeds up checkout and supports staff training—while helping 49% of products remain packaging-free.
Cosmetics retailer Lush has introduced an AI-driven image recognition system that’s transforming the in-store experience while advancing its sustainability goals. Developed in partnership with Google Cloud, the upgraded Lush Lens technology recognises unpackaged products at the checkout, reducing reliance on barcodes and enabling faster, more efficient service.
The solution has helped cut queue times at peak periods to just three minutes and reduced the need for water-based product demonstrations by over 440,000 litres. It has also significantly improved onboarding for new staff, who no longer need to memorise hundreds of product codes.
This is about making retail smarter, greener, and more human
Powered by Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and an image database of over 550,000 photos, the system can accurately identify more than 800 products—even when they vary in shape or colour. The technology supports Lush’s long-standing commitment to “naked” (packaging-free) products, which currently account for 49% of its range.
Lush has also reported a reduction in packaging waste and demo materials worth £352,000, as well as improvements in inventory management and billing accuracy.
Beyond sustainability and operational efficiency, the company says the system promotes inclusivity by making till operations more accessible to staff with learning differences. “This is about making retail smarter, greener, and more human,” said Dawn Prentice, Deputy Manager at Lush Glasgow.
First piloted in Japan in 2018, Lush Lens is now integrated across UK and Ireland stores—and remains central to Lush’s vision for tech-enabled, ethical retail.
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