UNITED KINGDOM –  Waitrose has become the U.K.’s first major supermarket brand to operate a cashless store after opening a workplace convenience store in Sky’s new flagship head office building at its Osterley campus.

This is the retailer's second workplace store, the first being at the British Airways' offices in Harmondsworth, and is also the second smallest Waitrose format at 1,400 square feet. Waitrose opened the British Airways store in 1998, another small footprint at just 529 square feet.

The new little Waitrose branded store is located inside Sky’s new office building, Sky Central, which will be home to more than 3,500 staff. Sky employees are only able to pay by card or through their mobile devices at one of the five self-service checkouts in the store. 

Waitrose met with groups of Sky employees to determine what they would like to see in their new store. The focus is 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 household staples. Bread and croissants are baked each day, too.

Travel accessories and mini health and beauty care products are also available for those needing to travel at late notice or choosing to take advantage of the on-site gym.

The store is run by Waitrose employees and has created 20 new jobs.