Morrisons, a major UK supermarket chain, has made a significant change in its approach to self-checkouts, admitting that it may have gone too far in its previous reliance on the technology. The company’s chief executive, Rami Baitiéh, announced a review of the balance between self-checkouts and manned tills, indicating a shift towards prioritizing human staff.
This decision follows a similar move by Asda, another major retailer, which recently declared its intention to invest in staff rather than self-checkouts. Booths, a northern supermarket chain, took the even bolder step of completely ditching self-checkouts last year.
Morrisons’ analysis revealed that the widespread adoption of self-checkouts might have contributed to a rise in shoplifting. While self-checkouts were initially implemented to cut costs and improve efficiency, they have proven to be a controversial move for many shoppers who prefer human interaction at the checkout. This trend has even been linked to the rise of ‘middle-class’ shoplifting.
The company’s analysis found that 20 stores specifically needed to rebalance the number of self-checkouts and manned tills. In one Yorkshire store, Morrisons has already replaced some self-checkouts with four new manned tills, a change that has been positively received by both staff and customers.
This shift towards more staff-centric checkout experiences comes after Asda announced a £30 million investment in increased staffing hours, aimed at bolstering checkout staff numbers and ensuring well-stocked shelves. Asda’s CEO explained that the company believes it has reached a point where the optimal balance between self-checkouts and manned tills favors the latter.
The move by Morrisons, Asda, and Booths suggests a growing recognition that while self-checkouts offer certain advantages, they come with drawbacks that outweigh those benefits. It appears that a more human-centered approach to checkout experiences is emerging as the preferred model in the supermarket industry.
