September 3, 2021

Daiei and NTT Data Develop Fully touchless “No-checkout Stores”

Opening stores where you can buy products with smartphone authentication, without going through checkout

Photo by NTT Data and Daiei

Using NTT Data’s Catch & Go service, cameras installed in the top of the store and weight sensors identify the products shoppers pick up. When they enter the store, shoppers swipe a smartphone, with a dedicated app installed, at the gate. Then they just take the products they want and leave, and their credit card is used to settle payment automatically. No steps such as paying at a cash register or self-scanning a bar code are required during the process.

The store shown on the photo has the largest floor areas of any of the walk-through stores in Japan, having around 600 items, such as bento boxed meals, beverages, and frozen goods, on the shelves. Users can be notified through the app about clearance discounts on bento and other products with short shelf lives, as a labor-free system for expanding sales opportunities and reducing food losses.