Tesco has begun testing scan-free checkouts at a supermarket in west London. The grocery giant is offering shoppers to check and pay for their purchases without installing the Tesco Grocery mobile app.
Tesco has previously launched GetGo shoppers at its London branches in High Holborn and Chiswell Street, as well as its Aston University store in Birmingham. Customers were offered a cashless experience using a mobile app.
After installing the app, all they have to do is scan a code at the entrance and exit of the supermarket and then purchases are automatically scanned thanks to the numerous sensors and cameras in the sales area. The company said it aims to provide shoppers with a more “seamless and convenient” shopping experience.
Shoppers at the supermarket’s Fulham Reach Express GetGo store can now proceed to the checkout where it will “magically present them with a list of products they have picked up”.
“We are constantly searching for the perfect formula to make the shopping trip as seamless and convenient as possible. 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.” commented Tesco head of store customer experience Sarah Quiggin.
The new technology that Tesco is using in its cashierless stores is similar to the one introduced a few years ago in Amazon Go. The British retailer began testing the new technology formats in early 2023. The scaling of the project will be announced later, after the pilot project is completed.
