Today, Aldi debuted its first concept ‘Shop&Go’ store in London after being trialled by staff for months.

Samuel Mueller, CEO and co-founder at Scandit made the following comment:

“Aldi opening their first Shop&Go store comes as no surprise as this move was to be expected by UK retailers after being squeezed by online giants like Amazon for over a decade.

“Just-walk-out technology may be suitable for small-format stores with limited products that suit the ‘grab-and-go’ model but many retailers cannot use it because their product range is larger, complex and requires explanation. Also, while retailers are waking up to the reality that the key to winning the omnichannel war is to leverage the device in consumers’ hands, they need to think carefully about how the transaction technology fits within the overall customer experience.

“We’re seeing many retailers turning to smart data capture and computer vision powered apps on consumer smartphones that offer a frictionless blend of digital and physical shopping. Consumers want the convenience and choice of self-scanning plus the ability to view real-time product information on their device before buying. 

“The beauty here is that retailers bring all the benefits of online shopping into the physical store, without the need for a costly and time intensive store refit. And the same technology on smartphones can be provided to their employees – adding speed and simplicity to supply chains, operations and customer service.”