A SHOPPER has shared what the new ”AI” Aldi looks like inside – and the Shop&Go store has left people totally divided.
The Aldi Shop&Go concept store in Greenwich, London, opened in January 2022 and allows customers to complete their shop without scanning a single product or having to go through a checkout.
The Aldi Shop&Go in Greenwich is the supermarket’s first checkout-free store in the UK[/caption]
One customer revealed what the new concept store looked like inside[/caption]
The store uses technology that monitors anything you pick up and your card is charged when you leave without you having to scan anything or visit a till[/caption]
Before bargain-mad shoppers are allowed into the store, they need to download a free app called Aldi Shop&Go and register.
This only takes a few minutes, but you must add a payment card before you’re allowed inside to browse and do your shopping.
Once you have successfully managed to sign up, you hit a button which will generate a QR code – which you scan to open the barriers and go inside.
How does it work, you may wonder?
The store uses technology that monitors anything you pick up and your card is charged when you leave without you having to scan anything or visit a till.
You can put items back that you decide not to buy.
Aldi said if shoppers do find an error with their receipt they can request a refund through the app within 28 days of purchase.
One person who recently visited the store was Chris Sayer, who said he ”jumped at the chance of a quick shopping trip” the second he learnt a Shop&Go had opened up nearby.
Sharing what the concept store looked like inside, the customer explained there were ”no tills, no self-checkout and no staff”.
”There was literally one security guard at the door and that was it,” the Aldi fan said in a video posted on TikTok.
”At Aldi Shop&Go, you walk through these barriers into the supermarket, you can your credit or debit card.
”You pick up your shopping and an AI camera calculates each item you put into your bag – you can put it straight into your bag,” the excited shopper added.
”I was just absolutely gassed for this experience. It kind of feels like you’re shoplifting – but you know that money is gonna get taken from your card.”
‘Don’t like this concept’
While Chris – and others – may be a fan of the new bizarre way of shopping, the Aldi Shop&Go concept hasn’t necessarily become a major hit for many.
One person said: ”Worst idea ever, there [they’re] just putting people out of work.”
Another chimed in: ”I wouldn’t trust it, might take more out my bank, won’t be going Aldi anymore.”
Someone else wondered: ”What if you put it in ya bag and it scans but ya don’t want it so you put it back?”
”So they have complete access to your funds. No thanks,” another critic wrote.
Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts
IF you’ve ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you’ll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff.
Aldi’s speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals.
It’s all part of Aldi’s plan to be as efficient as possible – and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers.
Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process.
It also uses “shelf-ready” packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock.
£10 pre-payment
Aldi has since introduced a £10 pre-payment for shoppers entering a checkout-free store in Greenwich, sparking frustration among customers.
A deposit is taken before entry and deducted from the final bill, but those spending less than £10 or leaving empty handed could wait days for a refund.
The ‘pre-authorisation’ charge applies to both app users and contactless shoppers at the Shop & Go store.
Customers tapping their card at the entrance or generating a QR code through the app are automatically charged £10 before being allowed inside.
A refund is issued if they spend less than £10 – but the timing depends on the customers’s bank or card provider.
Some customers have also reported being charged multiple times if they accidentally press the app button more than once before entering.
Aldi’s terms and conditions confirm that the deposit is required to verify payment cards and ensure smooth transactions, but customers are given little warning how much is being pre-authorised before payment is taken.
While Aldi was one of the first UK supermarkets to trial the checkout-free technology, the concept has struggled to take off.
Amazon initially planned 260 Just Walk Out stores in the UK but has since scaled back its ambitions, while Tesco operates just four hybrid check-out free GetGo stores.
Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “This store utilises the very latest in retail technology, offering Aldi’s award-winning products and unbeatable prices to customers in a new and innovative way.”
