Airport Kiosks: Virtual Grocery Kiosks Piloted

UK retail giant Tesco has revealed the pilot deployment of new virtual grocery kiosks at Gatwick Airport in London- the very first UK service of its kind. The solution has been created to help passengers who are fed up of coming home from holiday to an empty fridge. The virtual grocery kiosks aim to allow travellers in the airport departure area to shop via a video screen after realising their refrigerator at home is bare.

What are the pros?

Coming home from holiday to no food or items that have expired can be a hassle but the technology means that passengers can have the products waiting for them when they get home. Customers can view everyday groceries like milk and bread, scan the barcodes with their smartphones, add them to the online basket, book a home delivery slot and checkout. The shopping will then be delivered when the person returns from holiday and it will benefit the 30,000 people that depart from Gatwick each day. The world’s first virtual store launched last year in South Korea which allowed commuters to shop at bus stops and in subways by scanning their mobile phones at billboards. For the first time the concept is being trialled in the UK but with interactive digital displays instead. Ken Towle, Tesco’s Internet Retailing Director, said: “Our business in Korea is teaching us a lot about how customers and technology are transforming shopping. It gives us a unique window into the future and the chance to try out exciting new concepts. The virtual store blends clicks and bricks, bringing together our love of browsing with the convenience of online shopping. “It’s a chance to showcase what we can do to the 30,000 people a day who will depart from Gatwick’s North Terminal, many of whom will need to fill their fridges when they get home, and we’re looking forward to hearing what they think.” As evident of the news, more and more firms at airports are embracing the innovative technology. Here at Protouch, we helped Birmingham airport ease its passenger’s queuing times with our fast track kiosks. If your firm, be it in retail or hospitality, is based at an airport and you want to improve your services for staff and consumers, speak to the experts today by clicking here.