Sainsbury's shoppers in south London can now shop without needing to go to the checkout, as they trial new scan, pay and go technology. In a UK first, visitors to the Clapham North brand of the supermarket chain can do their shop using just their smartphone in the shop before leaving without passing through the checkouts or self-scanners.
Customers can already use SmartShop in 68 Sainsbury's supermarkets, but the trial in Clapham takes the new technology one step further, as shoppers can pay for their basket from anywhere in the store instead of paying for shopping at a designated till point.
Sainsbury's Group Chief Digital Officer, Clodagh Moriarty, said: "Technology and changing customer shopping habits have transformed the way people buy their groceries.
"Our teams are constantly working hard to bring new convenient shopping experiences to customers and we're delighted to be the first grocery retailer in the UK to offer customers the ability to shop checkout-free. The latest version of SmartShop, with its new payment feature, will make it super quick for customers to get in and out of the store for those that want to scan, pay and go."
Sound a bit much for you? Don't worry, you can still choose to go through the checkout as normal - but if this trial takes off, how long will this option be around for?