Aldi Is Testing a Massive Change to Grocery Checkout (No More Standing in Line!)
Sick of having to wait on the checkout line at the grocery store? Aldi understands your pain, which is why, in partnership with Garbango, the store is testing out an entirely new way to pay for your groceries while skipping the checkout line altogether with its new Aldigo technology. Shoppers will be able to simply grab their items, pay at a station, and walk out. No scanning necessary.
“It’s exciting to see a checkout-free capability live in one of our stores,” says Eric Traxler, vice president of IT at Aldi, in a statement. “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.”
This particular system relies on computer vision technology and artificial intelligence to keep track of what’s in your cart, so you don’t have to. Shoppers simply download the Garbango app, add items to their carts at the store, then scan the QR code and pay through the app, all while cameras around Aldi stores keep track of what shoppers are grabbing. This way shoppers can avoid lines, making for an even more efficient shopping experience.
Amazon has attempted this type of model before with its AI-powered “Just Walk Out,” but Aldi is the first major grocery retailer to attempt this type of tech. Garbango’s CEO, Will Glaser, says this partnership is a “pivotal moment” for the grocery industry by launching the company’s tech in a store like Aldi, which experiences a lot of foot traffic.
The Aldigo technology has been tested by both companies since 2023, but this is the first time it is appearing in a store for customers to use. Currently Aldi is only testing this technology out in one of their stores, located in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb outside of Chicago. There are no plans for expansion of this tech in other stores at the moment, but if the test is successful, this checkout-less way of shopping could reach an Aldi store near you and completely change the way you shop for groceries as you ditch the line for good.
