Tesco opens first “Just Walk Out” store

Tesco has opened its first “just walk out” branch. The Tesco Express store in Holborn, London, has recently reopened after refurbishment with new pay gates and cameras installed in the ceiling. While the technology is not yet operational, it is expected to be the first public-facing Tesco store equipped with the Trigo-powered version of Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. Computer-vision-powered technology is harnessed to support checkout-free retail experiences, allowing customers to enter, select the items they want, pay on their device and leave the store. Tesco opened a Trigo tech-powered store as part of a trial for staff at its headquarters in Welwyn Garden City in 2018.

Chief executive Ken Murphy said that Tesco would be extending the trial to another store to check it in a more urban environment.

“One of the joys of machine learning is it is continuously improving, so we’re feeling confident that we can put it into another store with higher traffic,” he said.

Tesco has not announced a date for when the technology will go live.