UAE: First FacePay Introduced in Abu Dhabi

A monumental moment in the retail scene of Abu Dhabi is here as Astra Tech, the leading consumer technology conglomerate in the Mena region, unveils B Store at Sky Tower, Reem Island. This historic introduction signifies a significant change in the retail landscape, offering a new and innovative shopping experience to the capital of the UAE.

By combining advanced AI, cloud systems, and FacePay, this store offers a fully automated shopping experience. Shoppers can purchase food items like juice, coffee, bread, condiments, and snacks with just a quick scan of their faces.

The store provides a huge transformation in the shopping industry giving a glimpse of what the future of retail will look like, according to Valeriya Thores, E-Commerce Director at Astra Tech. "B Store represents the future of retail," she said.

According to a spokesperson from Astra Tech, customers are welcomed at the entry gates with a screen displaying the message 'Tap or Scan to Enter.' They are then presented with two payment options: using a card reader to tap their bank card or utilizing FacePay. For FacePay, customers need to download the app and complete the registration process.

“For card payments, customers will need to simply tap their cards on the POS machine, while for FacePay, they will need to move to the FacePay machine and simply look at it. Once the payment method of choice is determined, the gates open, granting them access to the store.”

This store is one of the newest AI-operated shopping experiences available in the UAE. In September 2021, the Carrefour City+  convenience store in Dubai was opened by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.