The Avocado Scanner Is Real — and It’s Already in Stores

Before you keep reading, know that this is an avocado lover’s only story. We’re here to celebrate and honor the greatness of the mighty avocado. However, there is one downside to this perfect fruit (yes, it’s a fruit). And that is that it can go from raw to overly ripe in a true split second. 

According to the experts at DoesItGoBad.com, ripe avocados last only about a day or two in the pantry and three to five days in the fridge, giving you a narrow window to enjoy them at their best. That makes it even more important to pick the right one that isn’t too firm or overly mushy. While you could use the good old “squeeze” method to check if it has a little give, we live in the 21st century, which means there’s technology to help you. 

Enter the avocado scanner. 

“With the avocado scanner, shoppers can test the ripeness of avocados. This is especially beneficial for those who find it difficult to judge avocado ripeness levels or are frustrated by bruised fruit due to overhandling,” OneThird, a food waste reduction company, shared about its high-tech avocado scanner. “The scanner eliminates the need for hand-picking. Preventing bruising or damaging and preserving fruit quality while reducing waste.” 

This isn’t some far-off technology either. It’s already being tested at Tesco locations in the UK. According to The Guardian, the machines will be available at five Tesco stores, where shoppers can use the infrared scanner that examines the inside of the fruit to provide a “ripeness reading,” helping them understand the stage of their avocado. (According to The Independent, the stores include the Cheshunt Extra in Hertfordshire, Colchester Superstore in Essex, Stratford-upon-Avon Superstore in Warwickshire, Wokingham Superstore in Berkshire, and Salisbury Extra in Wiltshire.) 

“Smashed avocado on sourdough continues to be one of the trendiest snacks at the moment, garnering millions of views on social media sites for recipe ideas, so we think, for that reason, the scanner will be really popular with shoppers,” Lisa Lawrence, an avocado buyer at Tesco, shared with The Guardian. 

The scanners can also be found in retailers across the world, according to OneThird, including  Jumbo Ranst and Veurne in Belgium and K-Citymarket in Finland. 

While the machines certainly seem fun for shoppers, they could also significantly help reduce waste. The company mentioned that among its earliest customers, who initially installed the avocado scanner to offer shoppers the “best service and customer experience,” they also observed both “an increase in avocado sales and a reduction in waste.”

“We see in the last 18-week period an increase in sales of the most sold individual avocados and the whole segment. During the last 9-week period, waste in the segment went down,” a spokesperson for K-Citymarket shared in a testimonial. “The scanner has already returned my investment, and it will continue to improve our customer experiences. We cannot wait to use the scanner for other produce.” 

If only this machine and the Autocado at Chipotle could meet and be friends, we’d surely reach singularity sooner.