Scots trial of till-free shopping
● Co-op set to launch till-less technology ● Four Edinburgh stores first with service
A major supermarket is to trial till-less technology in Scotland, allowing customers to scan and pay by phone for what is believed to be the first time.
Shoppers in Edinburgh will be able to experience the grocery shops of the future, with a major supermarket chain bringing till-less technology to Scotland for what is believed to be the first time.
Co-op convenience stores on Mcdonald Road, Morrison Street, Frederick Street and Dalry Road will be the first shops in the country to be installed with the new technology from today.
The four shops will be the first in Edinburgh to provide such a service to customers in Scotland.
The technological upgrade will allow time-pressed shoppers to scan the products they want to buy with their phones before paying without visiting a till.
The app will sit alongside traditional methods of paying with tills and self-service machines still in place in shops for those who don’t want to use the app.
The technology is already live in parts of England, with Co-op extending it into Scotland for the first time.
The Co-op states they have seen a 10 per cent drop in the use of notes and coins during the past two years as the use of contactless, cards and other payment methods accounts for more than one in two transactions.
The app, which will roll out to more than 30 stores in total, allows shoppers to scan each individual item as they go around the store, with the cost deducted from their Apple or Google Pay account with the touch of a button as they leave.
Mark Pettigrew, director of retail support at Co-op food, said: “Technology is bringing unprecedented levels of changetoretailing,withspeed and ease key drivers for timepressed consumers.
“We know that people adopt technology at different speeds and, while cash is here to stay, it is clear that it is increasingly playing a lesser role in society.
“Retailers need to adapt and be agile, and this app builds added choice and convenience into the retail experience for our members and customers, while appealing to new shoppers.”
Mr Pettigrew added: “People lead busy lives and shoppers value their time.
“Whether it’s a train to catch or on the school run, this technology cuts queues and saves time.
“It can give our stores increased opportunity to replenish stock and increase product availability so we are at our best even at our busiest times, and enables customers to complete their shopping quickly and get on with the rest of their day and what matters most to them.”
The technology was initially tested in 2018 in a support centre store in Manchester that was not open to the public before being unleashed on the general population.
It follows a number of retailers in the US trialling and launching similar initiatives, including Amazon Go, Walmart and Sainsbury’s.
The app also integrates the benefits of Co-op Membership, where members receive a 5 per cent reward on the purchase of own brand products.
The Co-op chain donates a further 1 per cent to local causes.