England: No more automatic checkouts for these supermarkets

Six years after implementing self-service checkouts in its branches, British grocer Booths is taking a step back and putting employees behind the checkout.

Therefore, the company intends to remove this technology from 25 of its 27 supermarkets as part of its renovation program, it reported on Wednesday. The Grocer. The goal is to bring cashiers back into stores to provide better customer service.

Self-checkouts have allowed merchants to cut customer service costs in recent years. However, many people have expressed their frustration with the system for a variety of reasons, such as the application of regulations on the purchase of alcohol – which require regular verification of the customer’s age – or recurring technical problems. .

“We’re not big fans of self-checkouts. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and that couldn’t be done with a robot,” Booths managing director Nigel Murray told British media.

“If competition brings down prices, we will promote quality,” he added.

Still, the company believes it is necessary to keep self-service checkouts in two of its stores because they “get busy,” Mr. Murray said.