Barclaycard is piloting a new payment concept which allows customers to scan and pay for their in-store shopping using their smartphone, without the need to visit a physical checkout.

The new system is currently being trialled in Barclays’ staff restaurants in the UK and the US to gather feedback before a public roll-out in the coming months.

Users must download the Grab+Go app, create an account and pre-load their payment details, and then use their smartphone camera to scan the barcodes on their selected items as they shop. When finished, users click the ‘I’m done’ button and walk out of the store; the payment is then taken from the user’s account and the receipt is stored in the app.

The concept is currently being tested by Barclays and Barclaycard colleagues in the staff restaurant at their London offices, with sites in Northampton and Teesside in the UK, and Wilmington in the US, to follow shortly.

Usman Sheikh, director of design and experimentation at Barclaycard, said: “One of the key customer frustrations with shopping is the time spent queuing to pay for items they want to buy – especially when they are in a hurry. Using the latest technology, we have developed Grab+Go to streamline the shopping experience by removing the need to physically check out every time you want to buy something.

“An important part of this trial will be getting feedback from colleagues, as well as the operators in the staff restaurants, to further develop the product and proposal,” he continued. “Once the final version is complete, it will be available to our clients to help revolutionise payments in their own businesses.”

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