Booking and reservation systems service provider Adactus has launched a universal ‘take a ticket’ social distancing app in the UK.

Named SmartQ, the app is designed to eliminate long physical store queues and ensures safer, smarter and fairer shopping for their customers.

The app requires a mobile number registration, offered for free to consumers and provided to all retailers with a free four-week trial.

Adactus managing director Scott Muncaster said: “With our virtual queue app retailers and consumers will only need one solution – SmartQ.

“Social distancing queues are likely to remain for the foreseeable future and we’ve already seen the major disruption and frustration this can cause customers alike when faced with long physical queues.

“As lockdown eases this disruption is only likely to get worse unless new solutions such as SmartQ are taken up.

“The alternative is more and more people physically queuing in ever longer queues along with the risk of neighbouring store queues getting in each other’s way which could spell disaster for retailers.

SmartQ app will be available to retailers from 31 May.

Scott added: “Safe distance queuing shouldn’t have to be a terrible experience and with the support of the consumers and a widespread buy-in from UK retailers this will ensure it’s safe, easy and convenient.”