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Seven robots have been unleashed in Russian supermarkets to chat to customers they can even recognise if they are regulars - and help them with their shopping.

In a world first, the so-called Promobots work alongside regular employees to chat to customers about discounts and promotions and even demonstrate new products.

They have been unveiled at the Russian chain of Lenta shops in Moscow and are proving popular as people have been making special journeys just to interact with them.

The Promobots have groundbreaking facial recognition software which allows them to recognise regular customers as they walk autonomously around the aisles.

Oleg Kivokurtsev, Promobot's Director of Development explained: "Each of the seven supermarkets introduces one robot as a consultant.

"We actively study the market and international experience.

"Now, we can confidently say that this is the largest implementation of autonomous service robots in retail, at the moment.

"There were no similar cases neither in Asia, nor in Europe or the US."

Earlier this year a Promobot robot "used its initiative to save the life of a little girl.

The girl had started to climb a bookshelf, which started to topple.

The robot, spotting the danger, raced over to hold the bookshelf up.

At the time Mr Kivokurtsev said: "When the child began to raise his hands to climb on the rack, the robot also started to raise his hands.

"We are glad that Promobot was on the place at that moment, otherwise, the consequences could be deplorable for the child.

"We create robots to improve people's lives."