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At NEXCO EAST (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), in order to maintain and improve services to customers even in the face of a shortage of workers to address social issues, the group has adopted a policy of "reducing the number of workers" through innovation in commercial facilities at service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA).
As part of this initiative, NEXCO East Japan Area Tract Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo) signed a business partnership agreement with TOUCH TO GO Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter referred to as TTG) in June 2024, and has been considering the demonstration of an unmanned sales store utilizing TTG's unmanned payment system.
We are pleased to announce that the first unmanned sales store at a SA/PA in the country will open at 11:00 2024 at the Higashi Yunomaru Service Area (Out-bound) on the E18 Joshin-Etsu Expressway.

1. Addressing the labor shortage through business partnership with TTG

As the labor shortage has become a societal issue, SA and PA will also be faced with the challenge of how to reduce the number of staff required without compromising the quality of service provided to customers, and how to improve service to meet customer needs. To solve this problem, it will be necessary to improve the operational efficiency of stores through innovation and to consider various unconventional sales formats and methods.
TTG is promoting digital transformation in stores through its unique unmanned payment system, and has achieved significant labor savings in stores of various types and industries, including convenience stores, souvenir shops, specialty stores, and mini supermarkets.

New store operation model

2. Overview of the demonstration store

A retail store using the unmanned payment system provided by TTG will be set up in the commercial facility at Tobu Yunomaru SA (Out-bound). This unmanned store will stock a variety of products, including the local specialty "Toge no Kamameshi," souvenirs, and sweets.

Usage flow (examples from other companies)

When you pick up an item from the shelf, you can complete your purchase by checking the display and paying for it without the need for the item to be scanned at the register.

3. Future developments

We will continue to verify the effectiveness of the system at Tobu Yunomaru SA (Out-bound) and work towards further expansion.

Reference: Overview of business alliance

This business alliance aims to develop unmanned stores that take into account the unique role of SA/PA as rest facilities on Expressway, as well as customer needs and usage scenarios, and to provide a new purchasing experience with speedy payment. Through this initiative, we will continue to challenge ourselves to develop a new store operation model.