Amazon will open its first hi-tech food shop in London TODAY… and customers can leave the till-less store without stopping to pay
- Shoppers tracked by cameras as they take from shelves and are charged via app
- Shop in Ealing, west London, is expected to be the first of several in the capital
- Using Fresh grocery delivery brand, store will sell everyday basics and hot food
Amazon is to open its first hi-tech food shop today where shoppers can leave without stopping to pay.
They are tracked by cameras as they take items from the shelves, and charged via an app after leaving.
The shop, Amazon’s first foray on to the high street, is in Ealing, west London, and is expected to be the first of several in the capital.
Using the Fresh brand Amazon has for its online groceries, the store will sell everyday basics and hot food. Fresh’s Matt Birch said the goal was a ‘really easy shopping experience’.
Shoppers are tracked by cameras as they take items from the shelves, and charged via an app after leaving. Pictured: an Amazon Go store in New York City, US
The ‘contactless’ payment system uses hidden sensors and cameras – similar to those in self-driving cars – to track what customers take from the shelves.
Shoppers will be asked to download the app, load their card details and then scan a QR code to enter the store.
They can then take items to add them to their virtual shopping list, with loose items such as fruit and vegetables added in the same way.
The customer can then walk out of the shop without paying. They will be charged via the app on their mobile phone.
Shoppers will find hundreds of ‘by Amazon’ own-brand products, items from Morrisons, and discounts for lunch and dinnertime combinations.
There will be a coffee station for customers to make their own drinks with the option to use a dairy-free machine.
Shoppers will find hundreds of ‘by Amazon’ own-brand products, items from Morrisons, and discounts for lunch and dinnertime combinations. Pictured: the snack aisle in an Amazon Go store in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of Seattle, Washington
Using the Fresh brand Amazon has for its online groceries, the store will sell everyday basics and hot food (pictured: an Amazon Go store in Seattle)
It will also sell Amazon products such as the Echo Fire and Kindle, and online customers will be able to pick up and return parcels at an in-store ‘Amazon Hub’.
The foray on to the high street marks a major challenge to established supermarkets, following rapid growth of online food delivery in recent years.
The company hopes the speed and ease of shopping will draw commuters rushing to work as well as families shopping for their evening meal.
Mr Birch said: ‘The focus was just creating a really easy shopping experience for customers. We recognise that UK customers want to shop in a convenient way so we really think they will appreciate being able to walk in and walk out with the shopping they need.
The frozen foods aisle is seen at an Amazon Go store in Seattle. Shoppers will be asked to download the app, load their card details and then scan a QR code to enter the store
Fresh’s Matt Birch said the goal was a ‘really easy shopping experience’. The customer will be charged via the app on their mobile phone (pictured: store in Seattle)
‘We hope to open a few more in and around London. We think they will also work well in city centres and more urban locations.’
Bosses say their prices will compete with other major supermarkets. The ‘by Amazon’ range will include two pints of milk for 85p, six free-range eggs for 90p and 500g of 5 per cent fat beef mince for £2.75. Five oranges will cost £1.60 and a cauliflower will cost 79p.
Customers can buy two fully-cooked mains and two sides for £10 as part of a takeaway deal, or a main course and side dish for £5, as part of the ‘Night in’ deal.
Amazon already owns seven Whole Foods stores in the UK, an upmarket grocer only found in London.