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Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, is trialling app free, checkout free, way for customers to skip self-checkouts in an apparent reaction to a competitor supermarket completely removing self-checkouts due to customer demand.
Tesco trials App free, checkout free, payments
The new technology means customers don’t have to scan items at self service tills.
Store users can now take items from shelves and walk up to the checkout which will “magically present them with a list of the products they have picked up”. Customers then check the list presented and “pay in the usual way”.
The trial is taking place at Tesco’s Fulham Reach Express GetGo store, the technology was originally trialled by staff at Tesco Welwyn Garden City headquarters.
“We are constantly searching for the perfect formula to make the shopping trip as seamless and convenient as possible,” comments Sarah Quiggin, Tesco head of store customer experience.
“This trial of scan-free checkouts will add another option for customers in Fulham Reach to save time on scanning items and will reduce queuing in store.
We will be watching closely to see how customers react to this potential new option of having a list of their shopping presented to them automatically.”
The supermarket giant currently has four GetGo stores – Aston University, Chiswell Streeet, Fulham and High Holborn. Tesco opened if first GetGo store in central London in 2021, offering its first checkout-free service, before expanding them further afield.
Shoppers at its High Holborn and Chiswell Street branches in London, and Aston University store in Birmingham, are currently required to download the app, scan a code at the entrance or exit gate before they can pick products and then walk straight out.
Ceiling cameras and weight sensors are fitted around the shops to track customer movements.
The new technology is similar to that used in Amazon Fresh. The grocery venture introduced checkout gates in several of its stores earlier this year.
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