Seven-Eleven Japan announced on April 25th that it has expanded the installation test of QR code scanning electronic microwave ovens conducted jointly with Sharp to 1,080 Seven-Eleven stores in the Tokai area.
The microwave automatically sets the wattage and heating time by scanning the QR code on the product label using the camera built into the microwave body. A food detection sensor detects the presence of food in the chamber, and heating starts automatically after scanning the QR code and closing the door with the food inside.
This system reduces the complexity of operation, prevents input errors in wattage and heating time, and avoids mistakes caused by forgetting to press the start button. The installation test is being conducted in two patterns: stores where employees operate the microwave and stores where customers operate it themselves, with some button operation required when customers use it.
In recent years, a wide range of ages and nationalities of employees have been working at Seven-Eleven stores. To address the request from employees to set accurate heating times for each product more easily and quickly, the company has installed microwave ovens with self-service options.
However, there have been challenges with complex button operations in stores with such microwaves. To address these issues, the company has been conducting installation tests of Sharp’s QR code scanning electronic microwave “RE-7700S” since November 2021.
This time, improvements have been made to the camera and QR code installation, and the test has been expanded to 1,080 Seven-Eleven stores in Aichi Prefecture, parts of Mie Prefecture, and Gifu Prefecture (as of the end of March 2024). Both companies plan to continue expanding the introduction of this system to more stores in the future.
