Sainsbury's has confirmed it has removed its SmartShop service from all of its Local convenience stores, a move that affects more than 800 locations across the UK, including branches in Birmingham. The supermarket chain has scrapped the scheme, which allowed shoppers to scan items as they shop and skip queues, from its smaller stores.
The service, which was available in most of Sainsbury's 885 smaller Local stores, has been withdrawn after data showed it was used by just one per cent of customers in those locations. The technology remains available across all of its full-size supermarkets, the company confirmed.
Reason for the change
The decision to remove SmartShop from Local stores comes amid reports and internal data indicating extremely low uptake. According to Sainsbury's, only one per cent of customers used the service in the affected stores, prompting the retailer to streamline its offerings.
A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: “As we bring more of our services together through one Sainsbury's app, we're making some changes to where SmartShop is available, while continuing to look at how we can provide the best experience for customers.”
How SmartShop works
For shoppers who still wish to use SmartShop in full-size supermarkets, the process requires linking a Nectar card. Customers can scan their Nectar card on a SmartShop handset or download the Sainsbury's app to use SmartShop on their own device and link their Nectar account.
If using a handset, shoppers need to scan their Nectar card or enter their Nectar card number. However, scanning a Nectar card is not required to shop within the app, provided the card is already linked to the Sainsbury's app account. Once linked, customers can begin a shop immediately.
Technical requirements and support
Sainsbury's says in its FAQs: "You can use SmartShop within the Sainsbury's app. The Sainsburys app works with Apple iPhones (iOS 15 or later) and Android phones (Android 9 or later). Some of our stores also have handsets at the front of the store which you can use to complete your SmartShop shop."
Customers can use their own mobile connection or the free in-store customer Wi-Fi to stay connected around the store. The FAQ adds: "You will need to accept the T&C's the first time you use it and after that, you'll automatically connect to the in-store customer Wi-Fi each time you enter the store. Just make sure Wi-Fi is enabled on your phone."
The removal of SmartShop from Local stores means shoppers at these convenience outlets will need to use traditional checkout methods. The change is part of Sainsbury's broader strategy to consolidate services into its single app, with the company continuing to evaluate how to improve the customer experience across its estate.
