Were you unable to attend Transform 2022? Check out all of the summit sessions in our on-demand library now! Retailers and convenience stores have increasingly invested heavily in technology, especially mobile applications, that enable customers to do much of the shopping legwork from home. Are autonomous stores the next big thing in retail tech? Chris Hartman, senior director of fuels, forecourt, advertising and construction at Rutter's, thinks so.

Helen, a stay-at-home mum living in the north of Lisbon, has just done a weekly grocery shop. But instead of paying for her items at the cash register, she's walked straight out of the store without going to a checkout. The 34-year-old is one of the early customers of Europe's first autonomous store, which uses computer vision and machine learning to enable customers to shop without queuing, paying with a cashier or even getting their wallet or phone out. "I'm glad this store opened in my neighbourhood," she told Sifted on a recent visit. "It's so much more convenient to shop when you have a baby stroller. The store, which is a partnership between technology provider Sensei and the physical retailer Continente, is an early example of what Sensei hopes will soon be used by retailers across the continent. It aims to be Europe's answer to Amazon Go, the checkoutless shop created by Amazon which launched in London this March after testing the water in the US over the past three years. Sensei's bet is that ultimately all shops will be compelled to adopt this technology in pursuit of improved customer experience. "There's no hassle, no friction in the experience: if you forgot to buy water, you just go in, buy your water, come out –– it's super fast!