From:Packaging News

Amazon is trialling a new-concept grocery store in Seattle without lines or checkout counters, kicking off more competition with supermarkets.

People walk by the Amazon Go brick-and-mortar grocery store without lines or checkout counters, in Seattle Washington, U.S. December 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Redmond - RTSUU23

Packaging, labelling and coding will play a big part in this concept – pack and label designs will be crucial to ensure products are registered on a system without traditional til operators in-store.

Currently available only to Amazon employees and located close to the company’s headquarters, Amazon Go’s 167sqm store is designed to provide a rapid grocery shopping concept.

Checkout lines are the most inefficient (and frustrating) part of shopping. A system of identifying registered Amazon users combined with sensors in the store detecting items shoppers have picked off the shelves results in bills sent to shoppers’ Amazon accounts.
According to reports, if tests are successful Amazon plans to open more than 2,000 grocery stores to the public, starting next year.

Amazon has usually targeted the UK when launching new services outside the USA – so the roll-out of these new stores could well be seen in Britain before other markets.
arkets.