The Co-op is set for a major expansion of its Pay in Aisle checkout-free technology, with 30 stores offering the service by the end of next month, The Grocer can reveal.
The rollout is due to kick off today (23 July) with the addition of 11 stores in Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
These are in addition to the stores in the retailer’s Angel Square, Manchester HQ, the site of the original trial early last year, and its Burton Road store in West Didsbury.
The Pay in Aisle app, which is now available on Apple and Android devices, has been updated to make it easier for shoppers. It has removed the need to use Mastercard’s MasterPass digital wallet system and can now be synced with both Google and Apple Pay. Shoppers can also add their payment details by scanning their card with their camera. The app also works in conjunction with the society’s 5:1 membership scheme, which gives members a 5% rebate on purchases of own-brand items and a 1% donation to a local charity.
The Co-op said the checkout-free option in the stores would complement its existing payment options, including traditional cashiers and self-scan tills. Over the past two years the retailer said it had seen a 10% reduction in the number of transactions using cash, with use of contactless cards and other payment methods now accounting for more than one in two transactions.
It said that during the trials in Angel Square and West Didsbury, it found that customers flexed their use of the technology - using Pay in Aisle for ease and speed when they were busy, and being served by cashiers when they were in less of a rush.
“Technology is bringing unprecedented levels of change to retailing, with speed and ease key drivers for time-pressed consumers. We know that people adopt technology at different speeds, and while cash is here to stay it is clear that it is increasingly playing a lesser role in society,” said Co-op food director of retail support Mark Pettigrew.
“Retailers need to adapt and be agile, and this app builds added choice and convenience into the retail experience. People lead busy lives and shoppers value their time. Whether it’s a train to catch or on the school run, this technology cuts queues and saves time, enabling customers to complete their shopping quickly and get on with the rest of their day and what matters most to them.”
Pay in Aisle stores
Manchester - Piccadilly
Manchester - Spinningfields
Manchester - West Didsbury
Manchester - 1 Angel Square
Manchester Green Quarter - Cypress Place
Cardiff - Senghenydd Road
Cardiff - Kings Road
Cardiff - Pontcanna Street
Edinburgh - McDonald Road
Edinburgh - Morrison Street
Edinburgh - Frederick Street
Edinburgh - Dalry Road
Wembley - Olympic Way
Kentish Town - Fortress Road
Westminster - Portman Square
Westminster- Westbourne Grove
Regents Park - Park Road
Hackney - Great Eastern Street
Hackney - Cambridge Heath Road
Canary Wharf - Harbour Exchange Square
Merchant Square - Paddington
Holborn - Kingsway
London - Fenchurch Street
London - Ludgate Circus
Clifton
Scala
Newnham - Grantchester Street
Cambridge - The Marque
Shoreham - Ham Road
West Sussex - Southwater
West Sussex - Southwick Square
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