Aldi opens first checkout-free site so shoppers can leave without queuing to pay

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Aldi has opened its first-ever checkout-free site, allowing customers to choose their items and leave without needing to queue up to pay.

Instead, the shoppers will be able to purchase their items using Aldi’s Shop&Go app, which they must be registered with prior to entering.

On the app, they can pay for the items they have chosen, including alcohol, which will be verified using facial age estimation technology to check whether the shopper appears to be over the age of 25.

The technology has provided by the company Yoti and allows customers to confirm their identity via the app. However, people can opt out and choose to be age-verified in store.

Staff will also be able to use a series of hi-tech cameras to follow customers while they do their shopping so that they can verify their bill before they leave.

The trial has been launched at Aldi’s new site in Greenwich, south-east London.

The supermarket had been trialling the service with employees prior to launching.

It follows on from launches of similar check-out free sites at Tesco, which opened its first checkout-free site in October last year.

Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley said: “Today is the culmination of months of work, not least from the team here in Greenwich, and I’m looking forward to seeing how customers react to our trial.

“This store utilises the very latest in retail technology.”

Store manager Lewis Esparon said: “We have been working towards this day for several months now so it will be great to see how our customers react to the new technology.”

Additional reporting by PA.