On June 3, 2020, the oil company Neste opened its first RFID self-service store (Easy Deli) in Finland. This is the first self-service convenience store in Europe that uses RFID technology. This RFID technology can penetrate shopping bags or backpacks and scan all the purchased items of customers at once.
The shopping behavior of consumers is changing dramatically. Neste hopes to be part of this change and provide a smoother and faster new customer experience. The Easy Deli product scanner is the first of its kind in Finland, and has made a huge leap compared to traditional self-checkout systems. This makes the shopping experience faster and easier. According to the closest references found in China, RFID-based stores also received positive feedback.
RFID technology can speed up checkout and reduce waste. Nordic ID has developed an RFID item tracking service system to collect product data. RFID technology can scan a single product without visual contact. Therefore, a large number of products can be scanned in just a few seconds. In addition, because not every product needs to be scanned individually, there will be fewer false scans.
The inspiration for this self-service shopping solution is inspired by changes in consumer shopping behavior. People want to go shopping at the right time—close to home, regardless of time. They do not want to wait in line, and if they wait for too long, they may even give up buying. Using barcode-based self-checkout may take longer than traditional manual checkout. For users unfamiliar with the barcode system, scanning the barcode of each product may cause inconvenience, which makes the checkout speed slower.
In the retail industry, the fashion apparel industry first adopted RFID technology. In addition to making shopping more accurate and faster, the technology can also predict and reduce food waste and prevent theft.
To enter the Easy Deli store, consumers must first register the Neste mobile APP. This will ensure shopping safety and prevent any misuse and vandalism. After registration, customers select their products and place them in the RFID-based self-checkout system. This program can scan all products at the same time in just a few seconds, eliminating the need for barcodes or scanning products one by one. Finally, customers use Apple Pay, Google Pay, or payment cards to pay for the purchased goods.
In addition to fast and smooth shopping, Easy Deli stores are flexible and versatile. You can quickly create a store without any construction or excavation work. It is built using sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, and its energy consumption has been minimized during the construction phase.