Intu is set to roll out a trial paid-for VR experience across its three of its shopping centres, allowing shoppers to interact with characters from The Emoji Movie.
The pilot scheme will test whether customers are willing to pay £5 for the experience, with scope to expand across all 14 of its centres if successful.
Last year, high street chain Game announced it would be charging £5 per 10 minutes on the PlayStation VR headsets in its stores.
This was initially met by a fierce public backlash despite Game arguing that it was required to cover the staffing costs.
However, this scheme has subsequently proven popular in the retailer‘s Belong gaming arena.
READ MORE: Game fights back at pay-to-play criticisms
Intu‘s experience will be tested at its shopping centres in Merry Hill, Lakeside and Braehead throughout August.
It will also look to test the popularity of movie-related VR experiences, offering lines from leading voice over actors in The Emoji Movie, including James Corden.
“We are running a number of trials to look at the benefits of virtual reality and augmented reality in a modern shopping centre environment,” Intu‘s head of digital innovation Karen Harris said.
“We think there is enormous potential for these types of leisure experiences to drive up footfall, dwell time and likelihood of revisiting a shopping destination.
“Data from this trial will be used to understand how we can continue to take this technology forward.”
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