Albertsons to Test Amazon Go-Like Technology at Pumps & in Stores

BOISE, Idaho — A checkout-free experience could soon be coming to Albertsons, as the grocer has plans to pilot a system similar to Amazon Go's "Just Walk Out" technology. 

Shane Sampson, chief marketing and merchandising officer at Albertsons, announced the checkout-free technology pilot during a presentation last week, reported Convenience Store News sister publication Progressive Grocer.

During the presentation, Sampson said Albertsons is experimenting with "Amazon Go-like technology" that will be tailored for use with a "limited set of products, like Plated" meal kits and other offerings. It will enable customers to grab the products they want without scanning their items or checking out.

And Albertsons is not relegating the new technology to just inside its stores. The company intends to roll it out at its gas pumps. The process, to be tested in Boise, will use mobile devices to create a speedy touch-pump-and-go experience. 

The news about Albertsons entering the "just walk out" game comes on the heels of reports that Amazon plans to open two more Amazon Go stores. They are expected to open in Chicago's Loop neighborhood and San Francisco's Union Square. 

Convenience Store News and Progressive Grocer are both properties of EnsembleIQ.