Sainsbury’s shoppers can order toys and collectibles via an on-shelf touchscreen and collect them from a vending machine when they exit the store, as part of a trial at the supermarket’s Redditch superstore.
In the trial, shoppers select from a range of Pokémon toys at a screen on a regular in-aisle shelf, and receive a printed ticket, which can be scanned and paid for at a manned or self-checkout or with a Smartshop handset. Upon purchase, the shopper receives another printed ticket, which is scanned at a vending machine near the exit doors of the store. Once scanned, the machine dispenses the chosen toy.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury’s said the testing of the tech was part of “our regular reviews and trials of security measures”.
The technology has been supplied by StrongPoint, and utilises its Vensafe kiosk and dispenser system. Vensafe is used in more than 2,500 stores across Europe – among them Rewe, Carrefour, Coop and ICA – with a heavy presence in Norway and Sweden. In those markets, it commonly secures items like medications, razor blades, tobacco and phone cards, which shoppers purchase on a standalone touchscreen within the store, or a screen on the vending machine itself.
StrongPoint said its system, given products were accessible only after payment, “virtually eliminates the possibility of theft”. And since the machine tracks all door openings and stock changes, it “reduces shrinkage from internal theft to nearly zero”. Applied to other commonly stolen products, the solution avoids the need for on-item security tags or lock boxes. The system also allows for age-restricted items to be purchased via self-checkout with AI-based age estimation.
“The solution has significant potential for UK retailers,” a StrongPoint spokesman told The Grocer, “offering a secure and efficient way to sell high-value items while minimising the impact on the customer experience and creating further revenue potential through digital media.”
“It is extremely versatile and can be used to sell a wide variety of items as diverse as batteries through to high-end cosmetics and everything in between, even in this case Pokémon cards,” he added.
Asda began trials of StrongPoint’s Vensafe dispenser last month, for vaping and tobacco products. As part of proof-of-concept testing, the machine has been placed behind a kiosk desk at Asda’s Ashton-under-Lyne store and the customer purchase journey remains unchanged. The move was expected to “help prevent antisocial behaviour” an Asda spokesman said.
It is understood future iterations of the trial will see the customer purchase age-restricted goods in a similar way to Sainsbury’s Pokémon pilot.
