Aldi to follow Amazon into checkout-free retail?

Reports are circulating that Aldi may be looking to follow Amazon’s lead in checkout-free stores

According to ChargedRetail, Aldi “placed an international call out to tech startups specialising in computer vision and artificial intelligence,” the technologies behind Amazon Go stores.

The rumours come as Amazon is set to open around 30 physical shops in the UK which won’t have checkouts for paying.

These will deploy Amazon’s “Just Walk Out Technology”, where customers simply scan into Amazon Go stores with their mobile phones, take what they want off the shelves and walk out the doors paying electronically.

Amazon has also announced an expansion of its online grocery offering as it targets traditional online supermarket delivery services.