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Scansation – Until recently, supermarkets were a rare sight for me, and when they were, it was usually for inedible items like garbage bags, shower gel, or maybe a packet of nuts or muesli. But lately, I've been bitten by the cooking bug and I've been increasingly craving – brace yourselves – cooking for myself. Yes, really. Not just for product reviews for my website, but for personal enjoyment, just for me, and without any social media posts. Crazy, right? And what do you need, without a doubt? – Exactly, ingredients! And where do you get them if you don't have kind neighbors who give you everything? – Right, at the supermarket. And because, unfortunately – and this hasn't changed – I practically never have any free time, I usually have little time for such trivialities as grocery shopping when I want to cook. 😉 Therefore: It has to be quick. As a lifelong "optimization machine," I'm always on the lookout for answers to questions like, "How can everything be made even faster and more efficient?" Or, "Is there a solution for even more convenient supermarket visits?" I found an answer when I wanted to see just how technologically advanced supermarket shopping can be these days. Now you might be wondering, "Um... Bianca...!? Ever heard of Amazon Prime?" – Nope, nope! I'm a very tactile person, and when I'm going to eat food or buy groceries, I need to be able to not only see it but also touch it. Even things like packaged cookies, pasta, salad, etc. You might think that's strange, but if I'm going to do it, I want to do it properly and go to the store.

With this knowledge in mind, I – as so often – searched the internet to see what was available. It wasn't long before Scansation caught my eye. I found the wordplay amusing, the logo with the scan code was self-explanatory, and I clicked on the website, landed on the download page, and had the Scansation app on my phone. The name says it all: The app scans your groceries in the supermarket, saving you time at the checkout and making you feel super advanced. I liked the sound of it, so I tested it out. I tied my shoes and headed to the supermarket.

Put it in the holder and off we go!

…and how does the Scanstation app work?

I'll spare you the intricate technical details and explain it simply: You download the app, don't need to register with your data, and can basically get started right away. There's a tutorial at the beginning, but you don't really need it, or rather, I trust anyone who can find their way to the supermarket on their own to figure out how to use this app. 😉 Currently, the app from the Munich-based startup only works in one supermarket (Isargärten supermarket, Thalkirchen, Schäftlarnstraße 181 in Munich, right next to the U3 subway station "Thalkirchen"). This is also due to the fact that some minor technical adjustments need to be made in advance at that particular store to ensure Scannation works flawlessly. For example, a phone holder – compatible with any phone (see photo) – is attached to the shopping carts, and a device needs to be installed at the checkout to scan the QR code that the app generates on the display once your shopping is complete. So you walk through the store, put what you need in your cart (a maximum of 15 items – I'll explain that in a moment), scan each one, and go to the checkout. You then show the cashier your phone screen (see cover image). Before paying, the screen displays the number of items you need in your cart in the top right corner. The cashier then simply checks if the cart contains the same number of items (hence the 15-item limit, to avoid three hours of counting), then you pay as usual with cash or card, and that's it. Cool, right? The advantage of the Scansation app is clearly the time saved at the checkout.

It works very simply: Scan and put it in the car.

The app under test

So, there I was, standing in the supermarket. The app had located my position beforehand – which took a little while, but once it was found, I was good to go. I grabbed a shopping cart, put my phone in the holder – which is really handy because it leaves both hands free for scanning and shopping – and off I went. If you already know what you need when you enter the store, the whole process is lightning fast. The scanner works very well, and the scanned item appears on the virtual shopping list in what feels like half a second. Since you know from the start that the cashier will have to count everything at the end, it's best to place the items side by side in the cart so they're clearly visible. About five minutes later, I had scanned everything I needed and put it in my cart (this also works at the deli counter because your pre-packaged meat, sausage, and cheese have a scan code) and could head to the checkout.

If you need an item twice, you don't have to scan it twice; you can easily add another item (press the plus sign). (Of course, you'll have to add it to your cart yourself 😉 and even if it's the same item twice, it still counts as "two out of fifteen items.") I've also found that it's best to leave your phone in the holder the whole time, as the scanner is so sensitive that otherwise, it's easy to accidentally scan an item without realizing it. Therefore, you have to activate the scanner with one click before each scan. Also, be careful not to accidentally delete an item from your cart – you can do this with a simple swipe to the left, and you can adjust the list as needed. Here's a tip: Place one of those square baskets directly in your shopping cart and put the items in it. Then, after scanning the QR code at checkout and paying, you only have to lift the basket out of the cart – you don't even have to repack anything. Trick 17c!

I found the Scansation app very easy and straightforward to use. I skipped the tutorial and had no questions while shopping. The payment process with the QR code was also quick and easy.

Scan the QR code at the checkout, pay, and leave.

… what I still wish for from „Scansation 1.1.“

The 15-item limit made perfect sense to me when I went to pay. The cashier really only looks in the cart and counts to see if the number on the display matches the contents. Nothing is touched or removed. That's why you have to place everything clearly visible. It might sound more "cumbersome" than usual, but it really isn't. I think it would be great if customers could eventually buy as many items as they wanted. The young Scansation team has already thought of that, and they're currently working on another "model" that would allow you, as a customer in the supermarket, to buy multiple items after several "successful shopping trips"—essentially, "we trust you." I also think it would be fantastic if the app, after a certain period (and with my prior consent), would ask me via push notification if I still have (for example) coffee if it's been more than two weeks since my last shopping trip, or if I've run out of the milk I bought through the Scansation app a few days ago. In other words, the app should think for me – but they're already working on that too.

Of course, more supermarkets will be added over time, and ideally, the supermarkets will also be better equipped to use the app. It would be fantastic if the app could eventually be linked to a bank account, eliminating the need for users to go to the checkout or wait in line altogether. I can reassure those who fear job losses. Staff rarely sit at the checkout all day; they also stock shelves. So, the store operations could be optimized, and staffing levels could be reduced. Besides, it's unlikely that 1001,003,000 shoppers will want to pay using a technological aid. Since the Scansation app is still quite new, there will certainly be further technological developments. I already find the Scansation app cool and quite advanced, and I'm looking forward to updates and new features. Then I can finally buy the ingredients for my multi-course meals without any hassle. 😉 Download the app and give it a try.

+++ This article was created in cooperation with Scansation. Thank you! +++

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