BACKSTAGE The SSE Arena, Belfast Becomes First Indoor Arena in Europe to Introduce Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology

A next step in enhancing the venue’s customer journey, guests will have the ability to grab their drinks and snacks faster, getting them back to the events and moments that matter the most.

Located on the first floor of the arena, and aptly named PAY & AWAY, the store is set to modernise the arena’s food and beverage offering by redefining customer convenience and providing an effortless experience. Once open, guests will enter PAY & AWAY by using their chosen contactless payment method at the entry gate, with the technology then detecting what customers take from or return to the shelves and creating a virtual shopping session. When guests complete their shopping experience, they can simply leave without waiting in line, and their chosen payment method will be charged for the items taken.

Dermot McGinn, Group Head of Food and Beverage at The Odyssey Trust, said: “Providing the best experience every time sits at the core of everything we do at The SSE Arena, Belfast and we’re continually looking at ways to enhance our offering. We’re incredibly proud to be working alongside Amazon to bring Just Walk Out technology to our venue, and becoming the first arena in Europe to introduce this checkout-free concept is a radical next step in optimising the customer journey. Through a blend of convenience and speed, the introduction of this innovative new technology will ensure that our visitors can get back to the heart of the action as soon as possible, both during events and at Belfast Giants home games.”

The introduction of PAY & AWAY will mark the first Amazon Just Walk Out technology deployment on the island of Ireland. In addition to this, The Stena Line Belfast Giants – who play all home games at The SSE Arena, Belfast – are set to become the only professional ice hockey team outside of North America to offer the technology, following in the footsteps of several National Hockey League (NHL) sides, including the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings.

Just Walk Out technology has already been successfully rolled out across many leading venues, including TD Garden in Boston, Lumen Field in Seattle, and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is made possible by artificial intelligence like computer vision and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to help accurately determine who took what in any retail environment. Amazon built synthetic datasets to mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios – including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of customers – to ensure accuracy in any environment.

Jon Jenkins, Vice President of Just Walk Out technology, Amazon, said: “We’re thrilled to bring Just Walk Out technology to the island of Ireland and to be working with the team at The SSE Arena, Belfast. We’re seeing tremendous interest in Just Walk Out technology from sports facilities across the globe for its ability to increase sales and throughput and delight customers. We look forward to hearing how concertgoers and sports fans alike enjoy the convenience of the new store.”

To stay up to date with the latest news around the official opening of PAY & AWAY, visit www.ssearenabelfast.com. Customers must be 18 or over and proof of age will be required. Find out more about Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at www.justwalkout.com.