Sainsbury’s Launching Self Scan Service in Chiswick Store

Customers can scan goods as they shop and pay with an app

New Self Scan devices in Sainsbury's. Picture: Mike Abbott

Sainsbury’s is to launch a new self scan service in its main Chiswick store later this month.

This allows shoppers to go till free and pay for goods using an app their smartphones and a self scan device. Customers scan their groceries as they go around the store. They then pay using their bank card on the app and scan a QR code which will confirm that their payment has gone through.

The scanning devices are on display already in the store and a notice gives the start date as 18 June. The layout of the till area has been redesigned with space set aside for checkout using the devices. The traditional self scan checkout points have been moved along to make way but the number has not been reduced.

Sainsbury’s customers regularly complained about the machines being temperamental and staff had to be constantly on hand to help people when they malfunctioned. Sainsbury’s are hoping the new technology will be more reliable.

Sainsbury’s have been trialling self scan technology since 2017 and have rolled out SmartShops with no tills the first one of which is in Holborn.

At the time of the opening Sainsbury’s group chief digital officer, Clodagh Moriarty, said: "We know our customers value their time and many want to shop as quickly as possible - technology is key to that.”

Picture: Sainsbury's

An app based service was launched in Waitrose last year to allow customers to self scan using their phone but this has since been withdrawn.

June 9, 2019