Page 44 - November 2021

MARK FAITHFULL

Following the

Money

Mark Faithfull crunches the numbers as he looks at

analysis and expansion that reflects changing markets.

TESCO LAUNCHES GETGO SHOP-AND-GO AMAZON OPENS FIRST 4-STAR STORE OUTSIDE
STORE THE US
The UK’s largest supermarket chain, Tesco, has Amazon has expanded its retail presence yet again by opening its
launched its first checkout-free store to the public in first non-food store outside the US, building on the launch of its
High Holborn, London. Named GetGo, the grocery first grocery stores and a trial hair salon in the UK.
giant’s move follows the debut of an Amazon Fresh The Amazon 4-star shop, located in the popular Bluewater
payment-free store in Ealing, West London, just over six shopping mall near Dartford, just outside London, opened recently
months ago and heralds the increasingly intense battle to and offers around 2,000 of its most popular and best-rated products
remove the biggest point of friction for UK supermarket in a concept established in the US called Amazon 4-star, because
shoppers – payment. every item has been rated more than four stars by customers. This
Amazon Fresh now has six just-walk-out stores in is the first Amazon 4-star store outside the US, where there are
London, while German discounter Aldi has opened already 32 outlets after making their debut in New York in 2018,
a pilot store in Greenwich, London, and Morrisons – and adds to the six Amazon grocery convenience stores which have
recently acquired by CD&R – is also working on a no- opened this year in the UK, featuring checkout-free technology.
pay concept. The new store is around 3,500sq ft and the range of products
Visitors to the 2,000sq ft Tesco Express convenience at the new store, which takes in books, consumer electronics,
shop need to download and use the Tesco App in order toys, games and homewares, reflects what Amazon customers are
to check-in to the branch, select groceries, and leave buying online. There is a ‘Most Wished For’ section, showcasing the
without using a physical cashtill. Instead, they will be most popular products from customers’ wish lists.
charged to the card linked with their Tesco grocery App
and will receive a receipt within minutes of leaving the
store.
Cameras and weight-sensors are being used and the
AI-system works by building a unique skeleton outline of
each person as opposed to using facial recognition.
The AI technology in the Holborn store has been
developed in partnership with Trigo, led by two scientists
who previously worked in the Israel Defence Forces.

NICK BEIGHTON STEPS DOWN AS ASOS CEO
Asos Chief Executive Nick Beighton has stepped down from the
UK-based online fashion retailer, with Asos warning that supply
chain problems and rising costs will hit its profits. The fast-fashion
retailer, which has been one of the chief beneficiaries of the online
shopping boom during the Covid-19 pandemic - with revenues
up by one fifth and profits rising by a quarter in the year to the
end of August - said that the global supply chain shortage, tough
comparables and the summer travel restrictions all affected its
business.
And profits could be off by as much as 40 per cent, as the
company pledged to push for international growth to take sales
from $5.5bn annually to $9.6bn within four years.

4450 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2018
44 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2021