Morrisons Project Sarah taps AiFi tech for checkout free stores pilot

Morrisons is testing out a store with no checkouts or staff, known internally as Project Sarah, at its Bradford head office.

Britain's fourth largest supermarket, which is currently at the centre of a takeover battle, is working with US venture AiFi on the initiative.

Customers (or Morrisons staff members in the case of this trial) download an app on to their smartphone which must be scanned on entry.

Digital cameras then track where people are in the store and record which items they place in their bags.

A source close to Morrisons said the technology was working well, with “a couple more in flight. The tech itself is phenomenal, which uses cameras rather than weights – it has been very smooth”.

This is a compact version of the store and is designed to be 'transportable', which means it could be located in areas not easily accessible for Morrisons stores, such as university campuses or in train stations, as well as on urban high streets.

Later versions may be bigger than the initial test model. The concept could also be developed as a fixed bricks and mortar location.

Tesco and Amazon

Earlier this month, we reported that Tesco was gearing up to deploy its Trigo powered version of Amazon’s Just Walk Out offering in a second UK location.

Tapping AI and computer vision technology, the Easyout solution enables shoppers to walk into a store, check in via a QR code, select items for purchase and leave without having to bother with pesky checkouts.

Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy recently commented: “We have a system installed in our Express store in Welwyn Garden City (at head office), and we’re extending that to another store to check it in a more urban environment.”

He added: “It’s been opened about a year now, and it’s working really well… 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 a higher traffic.”

According to social media chatter, that store can be found in High Holborn, on the edge of the City of London.

Last year, this became the retailer’s first cashless store in central London.

Tesco declined to comment when contacted by RTIH. It is, however, promising to share more details in the coming weeks.

A couple of weeks ago, we popped along to the High Holborn store and found that it has been refurbished and kitted out with cameras and computer servers. Place your bets on an imminent launch, we would say.

Amazon Fresh

Amazon recently opened an Amazon Fresh location in Camden, London.

It is the fifth such convenience store to feature Just Walk Out tech, which was pioneered at the Amazon Go offering in the States, in the UK.

The other four are in Ealing, Wembley Park, White City and Canary Wharf. Opening hours are from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, seven days a week.

Tony Hoggett

Tony Hoggett is stepping down from the role of Tesco Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer to head up Amazon’s international stores arm.

He will move to Amazon’s HQ in Seattle, Washington and become Senior VP of Physical Stores in January 2022.

In a note to staff, Ken Murphy wrote: “Tony’s career in Tesco has spanned over 31 years, during which time he has worked in various roles, most recently as Group COO and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer.”

“Tony has made an incredibly valuable contribution over these years, and I wish him the very best for the future.”

Murphy added that Tesco would begin the search for a successor in due course.