Barcode scanning e-commerce fridge launched

Friday, January 13, 2012 - 11:05 by Graham Miller

LG has used the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week to showcase what is being heralded as a 'smart fridge.'.

The fridge's product name is the Smart Manager and it is essentially a large fridge with a built in computer that can let you organise your shopping online, without having to fire up your PC and log into the site of your retailer of choice..

You will pay around £2,000 for this fridge when it launches in the UK later in 2012, but you are definitely getting a lot for your money. The question that most will ask is whether or not they will actually use its smart features..

By scanning the barcode of items which you have used up and are in need of replenishing, the fridge's touchscreen display can then be used to place your order with a delivery firm like Ocado. The idea is that this will keep you stocked up with the items that you need..

You can also use your smart fridge to interact with a compatible LG oven in the future, sending over recipes based on the ingredients you have, so that your cooking can be carried out smoothly and under the instruction of multiple kitchen gadgets..

Shopping online from your fridge may sound like a completely alien concept to most people, but LG seems to be convinced that it will take off in a big way..

However, given the availability of m-commerce apps which let you use your smartphone to organise your shopping list, scan barcodes and much more while you are on the move, the appeal of standing next to your fridge for minutes at a time, while you tap away on an immovable touch screen, might be a little less obvious.