Grocery store chain Albert Heijn has teamed with ING Group, the Amsterdam-based banking company and California-based startup Aifi, to test a new cashierless convenience store concept that allows customers to enter and pay for goods with a contactless credit card. 

The concept store, located in front of Albert Heijn's headquarters in Zaandam, uses computer vision and weight sensor technologies to let customers enter the 14-square-meter store with a debit or credit card and walk out with their purchases, which are automatically scanned without the need to use a POS checkout. 

The concept store will be tested over the next two months with Albert Heijn employees and will then be moved to another Netherlands location later this year. Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Hein, said the store can operate like a pop-up type store that can be plugged and played in a location where there is a temporary need, like an office or college campus or residential site under construction that doesn't yet have a shopping center. 

"Technological innovations follow each other at breakneck speed and offer endless opportunities," van Egmond said in a company release. "Convenience for our customers comes first."

The customer payment method is registered at a kiosk-like device when the customer enters the store and when the customer selects the items ready to purchase and stands in front of the exit, the purchases are automatically recorded up to about $28 (25 euros) and the customer gets a notification of the purchase and can then just walk out of the store. 

There is no need for advanced registration or a mobile app download to use the store. 

Cover image courtesy Albert Heijn.