Supermarket chain Aldi opens its first unmanned cash register store

Global supermarket chain Aldi opened its first unmanned cash register store on Tuesday, CNET reported. Greenwich, south-east London, used Aldi's new Shop & Go app to avoid the need for cashiers and avoid long lines. Motion sensor cameras and weight sensors track what customers are holding and then charge through the app after they leave.

According to New Food magazine, facial age estimation technology will be used to scan customers who buy alcohol, although people who choose not to use the system can show id cards in the store.

Giles Hurley, Aldi's UK and Ireland chief executive, said in a statement that the concept store opened at 7am local time on Tuesday and was "the result of months of work".

In the UK, supermarket brands such as Tesco and Sainsbury's have launched unmanned cash register stores. In the U.S., Amazon already has automated Amazon Go convenience stores and Amazon Fresh supermarkets, and is expected to introduce its unmanned cashier "Just Walk Out" technology to Whole Foods in Washington, D.C., and Sherman Oaks, California, sometime this year.

The German discount chain has more than 10,000 stores in 20 countries, including more than 2,000 locations in the United States.