Sberbank hails launch of first 'take and go' shop in Moscow

The new site, which opened to the public on 9 June, met strong demand, with over 200 transactions made and 1,100 persons downloading the necessary artificial intelligence powered app that utilises so-called QR codes, allowing the companies to fine tune the new installations.

The shop, located on the emblematic Presnenskaya Embankment, serves a wide range of food and drinks, with beverages, sandwiches, and dairy products all among the best selling items, although it was Greek yogurt that rose to the top of the list as the most sought out item.

Dmitry Malykh, Acquiring and Bank Cards Director at Sberbank said: "Together with our partners, we’ve implemented a project Russia hasn't seen before – making take&go purchases will unlock a completely new customer experience.

"I am sure that customers will appreciate the new technology as the first pilot results and the number of times the application is being used have proven that the service enjoys demand."

For his part, Michael Berner, country manager for Visa in the Russian Federation, emphasised the change in shopping habits over recent months.

"Many of us have found out new channels and formats. We see how digitization in general is gaining momentum everywhere and the opening of a store that utilizes computer vision is a good example of this trend.

"Visa supports global and local solutions aimed at improving consumer experience and it is nice to note that Russia is one of the markets using such solutions in real life."