Russia’s Magnit pushes supermarket “super‑app” with AI assistant and in‑app self‑checkout

Russian retail giant Magnit is quietly turning its mobile app into a supermarket “super‑app,” according to its latest annual report. The Magnit app already plays a central role in the company’s loyalty programme, but new features show a deeper push to merge in‑store and digital experiences.

A built‑in AI assistant called Magic uses purchase history and stated preferences to recommend products, recipes and money‑saving ideas through a chat‑style interface. Customers can ask for suggestions and receive personalised baskets, positioning the app as a digital shopping companion rather than a static coupon book.

Magnit is also rolling out a “Checkout in Your Smartphone” feature for members of its Magnit Plus loyalty scheme. Shoppers scan product barcodes with their phone and pay directly in the app, effectively putting a self‑checkout terminal in their pocket and reducing time spent queuing. Alongside this, the company is testing digital age verification via the MAX messenger and experimenting with smart scales and digital shelf labels, pointing toward a highly instrumented, data‑driven store environment.

While Western grocers have popular apps for loyalty points and delivery orders, Magnit’s combination of AI guidance, mobile self‑checkout and digital identity checks suggests a more ambitious attempt to make the smartphone the primary interface for the entire shopping journey.