Every month, one of our partners will share an innovative case from their country. This month: The Netherlands! On the 20th of July, the first check-out-free supermarket of ALDI in the Netherlands has opened its doors in Utrecht! Frank Quix, Managing Director from our Dutch partner Q&A Insights & Consultancy, has already visited this innovative store, and talks to Jan Oostvogels, CEO of ALDI The Netherlands, about this new step for the supermarket chain.

The very first ALDI Shop & Go is located on the corner of the Oude Gracht and the Lange Viestraat in Utrecht - a beautiful place with many passengers. The concept is simple: you check in via the ALDI Shop & Go app when you enter, grab your groceries and put them directly in your bag, and then check out again using the app when you leave the store. You receive your digital receipt shortly after your visit and pay automatically via your personal account. Various sensors follow the movements of the product you take from the shelves and put back there, so that you can do your shopping without any worries.

In the store you will find a wide range of products, including a large fresh food department and a bakery. You can also buy alcoholic beverages here: there is a separate, enclosed section in the store that you can access after an age check by an employee.

Curious about the store's appearance? In the video below you will find the first impressions of the store and you will learn more about this innovative concept. Frank and Jan go deeper into the shopping process and talk about the development of the concept, the technology behind it and why this step fits so well with ALDI.