The Daiei supermarket chain has opened the nation's first store where shoppers can walk out with their groceries as an app automatically collects payment, replacing cash registers with a network of cameras and weight sensors.
The Catch & Go shop, which was developed in collaboration with major IT company NTT Data, opened Friday in Yokohama.
Hiroshi Yamauchi, the manager of Daiei's information technology planning department, said the store is located in an area with heavy foot traffic near Yokohama Station, with people rushing to get to school and work. That means a large base of potential customers seeking an efficient shopping experience.