Waitrose has become the UK’s first major supermarket to operate a completely cashless store, after opening a new store last week in Sky’s flagship head office building in Osterley, Hounslow.

The new 1,400sqft Little Waitrose branded store will only accept payment by debit and credit card, chip and pin, contactless card, and mobile device payments at the five checkouts in the store.

The store is the first Waitrose to open on a workplace campus in nearly 20 years and will become the second smallest store in the retailer’s estate, serving more than 3,500 members of staff employed at Sky’s new office building ‘Sky Central’.

Waitrose opened its only other office-based store in 1998, a 520sq ft shop at British Airways’ Waterside headquarters in Harmondsworth.

The retailer underwent extensive consultation with groups of Sky employees to determine what they would like to see in their new store. The main focus was on evening meals and food to go, including fresh sandwiches, wraps and sushi, as well as a selection of fresh produce and ingredients, celebration cakes, freshly cut flowers and store cupboard staples. Fresh bread and croissants are also baked each day.

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