Russian health food brand and food tech company VkusVill has opened its first cashierless store in Moscow as part of a pilot project.
The store, located at 1 Testovskaya Street, covers an area of 52 square metres and offers around 220 SKUs.
The range includes prepared meals and sandwiches, groceries, pre-packed fruits and vegetables, drinks, desserts and dairy products.
The company teamed up with AI-based technology solutions provider Neurus on the development of the store.
'Automated Shopping'
Ivan Talalaev, chief technology officer at Neurus, commented, “Technologies are constantly moving forward, and automated shopping is becoming increasingly popular. Perhaps it’s hard to believe, but it’s true: we have algorithms that can track a person’s movements to help them with basic things like grocery shopping.”
During the early stages of the pilot, VkusVill deployed a consultant to introduce shoppers to the technical features in the store.
Customers scan a QR code that appears in their VkusVill mobile app when they enter the store. They can then select the items they need and exit through a special turnstile.
Payment is automatically deducted from the bank card attached to the customer’s mobile app.
Customer Response
In its first two weeks, the cashierless store saw an average of 70 purchases per day, with sandwiches and confectionery the most popular products.
Kirill Scherbakov, director of Micro-Marts and head of the cashierless store project at VkusVill, said, “We’ve noticed how people’s attitudes to shopping have changed, and we want to support this trend. As we’ve developed our grocery delivery service, we have observed that customers tend to avoid lines at the store, valuing speed and convenience.
“The new store format, featuring ready-to-eat food and a contactless payment system, is becoming increasingly popular. This format appeals not only to those who value their time, but also to fans of new technologies.”
Last year, VkusVill expanded its delivery offering for prepared meals to include hot food.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Technology news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
