Kroger Co. has unveiled its "store of the future" in its hometown Cincinnati.
Kroger said one of the aspects is how the store changes the way customers check out. The new concept gives customers a variety of options that include a group of Kroger’s new high-tech modes of checkout as well as the traditional low-tech methods.
Customers at the new concept store will have the ability to use Kroger’s KroGo carts that have built-in scales and cameras. The KroGo carts allow customers to scan groceries as they shop, pay at the cart, and completely skip the checkout line. Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional supermarket operator, has tested those high-tech carts in a few markets.
Kroger shoppers can also use the belted self-checkout lanes, which Kroger has also tested in a few markets. The belted self-checkout is very similar to Kroger’s typical self-checkout lanes, but they have conveyor belts that are useful for larger orders. If two people are shopping, one can scan the items and the other can bag them.
If the test works well, Kroger plans to expand it. It would bring the concept to about six Greater Cincinnati stores next year as well as some in Columbus, Ohio, she said.