U.S. grocer Aldi introduces checkout-free shopping

Aldi and Grabango have rolled out Aldigo checkout-free shopping at a Chicago-area suburban grocery store, making the deep discounter the first major U.S. grocery retailer to implement checkout-free technology in an existing full-size store. 

“The launch of Aldigo is a pivotal moment for the grocery industry,” asserted Will Glaser, CEO of Berkeley, Calif.-based Grabango. “Although more challenging, it was important to us to launch this technology in a typical store, and not one purpose-built for us. Aldi is one of the most innovative retailers in the world, and we are honored to partner with them to give their shoppers an exciting new way to shop the store.”

Grabango’s system was deployed at an existing Aldi store, without making any changes to the store’s planogram or product displays. The technology, which uses computer vision to identify and track every item in the store, enables shoppers to leave without waiting in line or scanning items.

“It’s exciting to see a checkout-free capability live in one of our stores,” said Eric Traxler, Aldi’s VP of IT. “Aldi is continuously looking for new ways to be innovative and provide a best-in-class experience for our shoppers, and Aldigo is a great example of that in action.”

The store featuring Aldigo is open to the public at 2275 West Galena Boulevard in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Ill. To use Aldigo, customers shop at Aldi as they usually do, with no special shelves, carts or gates at the entrance. When they’re done, shoppers can pay with a credit or debit card, or with the Grabango app, at the Grabango pay station by the exit. If they prefer, customers can still also check out with a traditional cashier.

This article first appeared on sister publication Progressive Grocer