Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV is trialing a fully digital, checkout-free Albert Heijn store called AH to go.
The 14-square-meter outlet is in front of the chain's support office in Zaandam, Netherlands.
In the store, the entrance door opens with a debit or credit card and customers are free to shop for items "as if they were taking it out of their refrigerators." The site is equipped with cameras that detect the position of customers and link product items to their virtual baskets, while sensors keep track of products that were taken off or returned to the shelves.
Payment takes place automatically as the customer leaves the shop, the grocer said. Ahold Delhaize added that customers do not need to register in advance or use a mobile app to be able to shop.
The concept store was developed by Ahold Delhaize in collaboration with U.S. startup AiFi and Dutch bank ING, which designed the payment solution and takes care of payment processing.
The store will be tested with associates over the next two months, Ahold Delhaize said.
E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. has also opened checkout-free stores called Amazon Go in the U.S.
