Europe is leading the world in terms of checkout free technology according to analyst house RBR, with 18,000 stores in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) allowing customers to scan items via their mobiles as they shop.

The report highlighted the UK, France, and the Netherlands as being particularly far ahead in terms of rolling out mobile self-scanning technology.

Self-scanning adoption in EMEA outstrips the 9,800 stores in the Americas that offer the technology and the 3,800 in Asia Pacific.

BRB said self-scan was less prevalent in emerging markets in Latin America and Asia, where there are lower labour costs and concerns around shrinkage.

However, the research found the technology is being piloted at retailers in a wide range of countries, including Brazil, India, and Taiwan.

RBR highlighted how the technology is also being adopted in other areas of retail in addition to grocery, including convenience chains, DIY firms, fashion retailers, and toy stores.

In May, Amazon has opened its fourth cashierless UK supermarket in Canary Warf, which will operate under its “Amazon Fresh” brand.

The supermarket uses the e-commerce giant’s “Just Walk Out Shopping” technology, which uses a combination of cameras, sensors, and machine learning to detect when a customer puts items in their basket, and then automatically charges their account when they walk out.

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