Marks & Spencer launches checkout-free shopping in Ireland
James Cox
Marks & Spencer has today announced the launch of checkout-free shopping technology Scan & Shop across all stores – meaning customers can quickly buy their groceries up to €50 without visiting a till.
Customers can do this using the M&S Sparks app on their smartphone. M&S is the first major retailer in Ireland to provide a till-free in-store shopping experience for customers.
The announcement is "the latest step in M&S’s efforts to offer new digital services customers are increasingly searching for".
Scan & Shop is now available in all stores across Ireland through Sparks, the M&S customer loyalty programme. The launch of the service coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Sparks programme in Ireland.
How Scan & Shop works:
- Scan their items as they shop.
- Pay using a pre-saved card or Apple pay (up to €50).
- Go without visiting a checkout.
Eddie Murphy, M&S trading director of Ireland, said: “Digitally enabled stores that offer a seamless customer experience are a crucial part of our transformation and our ambition to be a Digital First retailer.
"Our customers are so busy, any tech that can speed up the shopping experience is a massive benefit to them. Crucially, it also means our brilliant colleagues are freed up to offer great service in other parts of the store, helping to improve the overall customer experience. Through the Scan & Shop service our customers can simply scan, pay and go. At M&S, we pride ourselves on innovation and customer experience, so it’s just another step in providing the best possible service.”
Mr Murphy added: “Since the launch of the Sparks programme in Ireland, membership numbers have grown rapidly. We have a huge number of customers benefiting from the exclusive deals every day. We are also conscious of making the rewards and offers as relevant as possible to our members such as offering a 20% discount on school uniforms this year – available throughout the summer to help families with back-to-school costs.
“Now, we want to give customers back time. The Scan & Shop service will eliminate the need to carry cash or stand in queues and enables our customers to keep tallies of their shop to help manage their spend in-store.”
