The Co-app supermarket

Scan on phone and skip checkout

LOOKS like we’re gonna need a bigger boat…

It could almost be a scene from Jaws as a huge whale shark lurks below the sea, appearing to dwarf a tourist craft.

Tom Cannon, 26, took the picture off Coral Bay in Western Australia .

AN app that lets shoppers scan supermarket goods with their smartphone, then walk out without using a till, starts a trial today.

The Co-op has brought in the system in partnership with Mastercard at one city centre shop, with plans for a wider rollout this summer.

The 173-year-old grocery store has stolen a march on web giant Amazon to bring “no queue” food shopping to the UK.

But it also plans to keep traditional tills as part of its “community hub” philosophy. The Co-op’s Matthew Speight said: “We recognise there are commu- nities where customers pop in to their local Co-op and enjoy a friendly chat. “For others with a train to catch or on a school run, every second counts.” The app, on trial in Manchester, can even scan loose items such as fruit and veg – but age-restricted products will still need to be verified by staff. Amazon opened a US store in Seattle in January with a similar system, but with no tills at all. Mastercard’s Elliott Goldenberg said: “With Co-op’s app, shoppers check out using securely stored card details and leave with the store knowing they’ve paid.” CHECK IT OUT Co-op’s app