JR East to open first unmanned, cashless NewDays convenience store

Japanese railway firm JR East is launching an unmanned, cashless NewDays convenience store at its Musashisakai Station.

The store will be the first of the company’s convenience store businesses to feature unmanned services. Shoppers at the store will scan their own product barcodes at self-checkout counters and pay by card. Cash payments and age-restricted products such as cigarettes will not be available.

The NewDays convenience store will be restocked by staff at other outlets and a security camera system will prevent shoplifting.

The store will serve as a prototype for future unmanned outlets planned by the company for the Tokyo metropolitan area. It is among a number of convenience store operators considering unmanned stores in response to labour shortages in the territory.

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