Ireland's first ever completely frictionless store, Market x Flutter, officially opened in Clonskeagh, Dublin 4, on February 15, at Flutter Entertainment’s newly renovated global headquarters.
The store, developed for Flutter by Compass Group Ireland, uses AIpowered computer vision technology from AiFi, allowing shoppers to purchase items in-store without having to wait in line or stop to scan or pay. The store stocks fresh meals, including a selection of hot and chilled dishes to-go, as well as drinks and confectionery.
A truly friction-free shopping experience, customers ‘check in’ when entering and then freely wander through the store, selecting from the food offering at their leisure; no scanning and no queuing. They leave with their purchases and a receipt is delivered to their phone moments later.
The store was described as “an exciting innovation in retail and customer service” by Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, who spoke at the launch. “It is a new, user-friendly experience for customers and is a reflection of the creativity and dynamism of the foodservice industry in Ireland.”
The new store uses frictionless technology from leading global AI experts, AiFi. Facial recognition is not needed with this technology, so there is complete anonymity. Once inside, computer vision cameras anonymously track the shopper, adding selected items to the virtual shopping cart. No facial recognition or biometrics are used, ensuring privacy.
Deirdre O’Neill, Managing Director at the innovative catering company Compass Group Ireland, said that trials of the new foodservices solution at the Flutter workplace have been very successful: “We’re incredibly excited by this new frictionless store technology, and are proud that our Irish operation is leading the way. We constantly look at how to offer the most convenient service to customers and tailor food solutions to their needs. Now, customers just pop into the store and pick up what they need, whenever they need it – it’s a great flexible solution for busy workers.”
