Finnish convenience retailer R-kioski has opened a cashierless store R-kioski Go! in Viikki, Helsinki.
The outlet, which operates 24-hours, offers a wide range of products, speed of service and convenience and is accessible through the R-kioski Go! app.
Teemu Rissanen, CEO of R-kioski, said, "We carefully considered the location of the pilot kiosk. The Viikki campus of the University of Helsinki was chosen as a natural location for the R-kiosk Go because of the pioneers in the area, both students and staff. We will collect customer experiences and then consider setting up more unmanned kiosks based on the pilot."
How It Works
While in the store, the app allows customers to add products to their shopping carts and pay for them without scanning the products or going to a checkout.
The store is equipped with sensors mounted on the ceiling, and when a customer selects a product from the shelf, it is automatically added to the shopping cart in the app.
If a customer returns the product to the shelf, then the product is automatically removed from the shopping cart.
Payment is made through the app, which has details of the customer's payment card and address. The app also provides access in and out of the store.
'Making Life Easy'
Rissanen added, "R-kioski's mission is to make customers' everyday lives easier and brighten up their days. R-kioski is a company that aims to make life easier for our customers by helping them to relax and enjoy their shopping. We closely monitor changes in consumer behaviour and seek to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalisation.
"In Finland, we also want to explore the viability of the technology in outlets where there is demand, but it has not been economically viable to operate a service-based outlet."
The new cashierless store offers snacks, drinks, sweets, coffee and baked goods, among others. Pastries are baked on the spot, as in other R-kioski outlets, the retailer added. It does not sell tobacco, alcohol, or betting games.
Rissanen said, "As there is no staff, security is provided by signage and CCTV cameras, among other things. The kiosks are manned by their own shopkeepers and customer service is available by phone to help with any problems. The kiosk gates have an emergency exit so that no one gets stuck in the store."
In the UK, Tesco unveiled a new checkout-free store concept in central London, GetGo, which offers customers the chance to shop and pay without needing to scan a product or visit the checkout.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Dayeeta Das. For more Technology news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
