Sainsbury’s is testing new technology that allows customers to pay for goods in-store using their mobile phone, the Daily Mirror reports.
In a trial at its Euston Station store in London, the supermarket chain is letting people scan and pay for items on their phones without having to queue at the tills.
Customers can use a smartphone app to buy the store’s £3 meal deal, which is made up of a sandwich or salad, a side item and a drink.
The cost of the items is deducted directly from the customer’s bank account or credit card via their phone. Once they have paid, they can just walk out of the store.
The app, created by in-house experts, is still in development.
Sainsbury’s already offers the ‘Smartshop’ app, which customers can use to scan items with their phone and then pay at the checkout. This will be available in 50 stores by the end of the year.
However, the new technology is a first because it avoids the checkout altogether.
“Experimenting with a checkout-free experience is a first for Sainsbury’s and for many of our customers, so we are keen to understand how we can take the concept and develop an offering that is a genuinely useful for those who shop with us” commented Sainsbury’s Head of Customer Experience Natalie Dunn.
“We may be some way off from rolling this out – but we’re excited to have taken the first step.”
Feedback from the trials has reportedly been positive, but Sainsbury’s has not yet set out a timetable for when the technology will be rolled out to other stores.
