Zalando will roll out image recognition functionality to the UK as it reveals its app has been downloaded five million times across Europe.

Zalando will roll out its image recognition functionality to the UK as it reveals its app has been downloaded five million times across Europe.

The new feature, developed with Cortexica, allows customers to use a photo of clothes they like to search and find similar products in Zalando’s catalogue.

The etailer is testing the ‘Photo Search’ function in the UK. It is available on its iOS app and will be rolled out on Android in the next few days.

Zalando UK country manager Robert Schütze said: “The Zalando Photo Search provides our customers with a new and convenient way of online shopping – when they see a style they like on friends or on the high street, they can directly choose from similar products available on Zalando and buy them without having to spend hours looking for it.”

“This innovative tool pays specific attention to the context in which our customers visit Zalando. Moreover, we are able to extend our inspirational approach as customers often recognise what they are looking for only when they see it.”

Meanwhile, Zalando will add more user-orientated features to its app including Style Notes, a section featuring the latest trends, outfits and product highlights that aims to inspire shoppers.

Zalando, which floated on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange with a value of £3.8bn earlier this month, told Retail Week of its plans to turn it into more of a “fashion destination” last month.