Some customers are willing to have microchip implants as a means of paying in stores, a report out today says. Teenagers are more open to the idea of having a high-tech shopping experience, the Tomorrow's Shopping World report suggests.
Around 8 per cent of 13 to 19-year-olds were open to the idea of microchip implants while 16 per cent wanted trolleys to be fitted with SatNav systems.
This compared to just 5 per cent and 12 per cent respectively for adults asked the same questions. Two thirds of teenagers and 62 per cent of adults questioned for grocery think tank IGD's report wanted self-scanning systems at shop check-outs.
Some 7 per cent of people in both age groups were willing to use biometric iris or retina recognition payment systems.
On a more low-tech note, 61 per cent of adults and 57 per cent of teenagers wanted staff to pack their bags in shops.
And a "cashless society" is not expected to have materialised within the next decade.
The report says 39 per cent of teenage respondents and 30 per cent of adults said they would still be using cash in 10 year's time.
It adds: "The current and future progress of technology services in store is counter-balanced by the need for shopping with some form of 'human contact'."
One third of adults and 40 per cent of teenagers wanted lots of staff involvement with the shopping experience.
The report, sponsored by technology services company EDS, followed an IGD poll of 500 teenagers and a similar number of adults about their predicted grocery shopping habits for the next decade.
