Checkers Rush: Shoprite launches automated, cashierless concept store in Cape Town

The Shoprite Group has announced the launch of an automated concept store in Cape Town called Checkers Rush. The store has no cashiers and lets customers simply scan their phones without needing to checkout individual items.

The company made the announcement alongside the launch of its new digital business hub, ShopriteX.

At the Checkers Rush concept store, customers scan their phones at entry, take products from the shelves, and then walk out.

The store doesn’t require additional scanning or checkout processes. Rather, it detects the customer leaving the store and charges their bank card for the items.

“Using advanced AI camera technology to identify the products being taken off the shelves, Checkers Rush bills users’ bank cards upon exit,” the company said in a statement.

The concept store is located at Shoprite Group’s home office in Brackenfell.

It reproduces a similar concept to Amazon Go store’s in the US.

Will Checkers Rush launch in other places?

So will we see Checkers Rush stores roll out to the public?

We reached out to Shoprite’s media team to find out more.

According to the company, the store will remain in its concept phase for now.

“Hundreds of hours of test footage are required to train the algorithms, so it remains an experiment for now,” the company told Memeburn.

“Only once the Checkers Rush concept store has been perfected, will ShopriteX aim to open one of these stores to the public.”

The company says that the automated store is one of several innovations under development by the ShopriteX team.

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Feature image: Shoprite

*Editor’s note: Updated with comment from Shoprite’s media team.