Toshiba Tec to sell smart shopping cart with self-checkout function in spring 2023

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:23 JST, October 9, 2022

Toshiba Tec Corp. will begin selling a smart shopping cart with a self-checkout function developed by IT company Retail AI, Inc. to retailers in spring 2023.

Aimed at helping supermarkets facing labor shortages and to shorten wait times at checkout counters, the company aims to sell 20,000 units in fiscal 2025.

In the system, shoppers scan the bar codes of items to be purchased using a dedicated reader, and the total amount to be paid is displayed on a tablet attached to the cart. Payment is completed using a pre-registered prepaid card by passing through a dedicated gate.

The carts are already in use on a limited basis at about 100 stores nationwide, including those of discount retail giant Trial Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Retail AI.

The cart will be linked to Toshiba Tec’s point-of-sale (POS) system to expand sales channels.