Tesco and Sainsbury's make major self-checkouts change in UK stores

Tesco and Sainsbury's are both rolling out new technology in stores to improve the self-checkout experience for shoppers and crack down on shoplifting.

Tesco has implemented new "VAR-style" technology at its self-checkouts across UK stores which includes an overhead camera that records customers scanning and packing their shopping. The AI powered cameras can identify items, including loose products without barcodes like fruit and vegetables, and detect when items aren't scanned properly. Supermarket staff can also remotely approve transactions using tables, reducing the need for staff to intervene at the self-checkout area.

If a customer fails to scan an item properly, a replay of their actions is shown on the self-checkout screen, along with a message saying "the last item wasn't scanned properly, remove from bagging area and try again", prompting them to rescan the item.

The AI technology has been mocked by some shoppers on social media, with customers joking it is similar to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used in football.

The new cameras have been installed as part of efforts to reduce shoplifting in stores and to make the self-checkout process smoother and more efficient.

A Tesco spokesperson said: "We are always looking at technology to make life easier for our customers. We have recently installed a new system at some stores which helps customers using self-service checkouts identify if an item has not been scanned properly, making the checkout process quicker and easier."

The technology is also being rolled out across Sainsbury's stores as part of a broader till upgrade launched in August last year. The supermarket chain signed a seven-year agreement with NCR Voyix "to help transform its shopping experience and support its Next Level Sainsbury's business strategy". The deal will see the checkout technology, point of sale solutions and self-checkout systems rolled out to 22,500 checkouts.

In a further change, Sainsbury's also launched a trial in May this year that allows customers to pay directly on its handheld SmartShop devices, removing the need to visit the checkout entirely.

The new technology is currently being tested in Richmond and Kempton and allows customers to simply tap their card on the device to pay once they've finished their shop, before selecting a printed or emailed receipt and then returning the handset at the designated bay.

The trial intends to "reduce friction" for shoppers and follows the launch of AI cameras at self-checkouts to tackle theft. But it's still in the early stages and only allows shoppers to pay for their shopping, so things like discounts and swiping Nectar cards cannot be done at the moment.

Sainsbury's future stores director Darren Sinclair told The Grocer: "I think about this as trying to reduce friction, improve payment and simplify the shopping journey, as well as the future potential space."