Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Revolt against cashier-less checkouts is starting to register – ParcelHero

Revolt against cashier-less checkouts is starting to register – ParcelHero
(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Attempts to reduce the number of staffed tills in Britain’s supermarkets and convenience stores are leading to a customer rebellion, warns the home delivery expert ParcelHero.

More than 236,000 Tesco customers have so far signed a petition to halt the further introduction of self-service tills for bigger trolley loads. The protest comes after the UK’s largest supermarket chain stripped out some staffed tills from many of its largest supermarkets. It replaced them with new self-service tills with larger bagging areas better able to accommodate larger trolley loads.


At the same time, Amazon’s plans to extend its number of Amazon Fresh checkout-free stores have also proved overripe. A report in The Times indicates it has ended talks to take on dozens of new sites, and will only open new stores it is already committed to.

"There’s no doubt that cashier-less checkouts are the future of retail, but stores shouldn’t be self-serving in pushing through self-service and till-less shopping," said ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T.

"Amazon’s checkout-less convenience stores are actually inconvenient for those shoppers who haven’t downloaded its App or kept up-to-speed with the latest retail developments. Not everyone who shops for groceries is young enough or tech-savvy enough to find using these stores easy. Amazon’s checkout-free tech is in danger of erecting barriers for many shoppers."

He added that sales at most Amazon Fresh stores have fallen short of expectations, according to The Times's report.

"It’s also expensive technology to install, especially as grocery and convenience stores operate on traditionally low margins. Ironically, it will take a long time for cashier-less checkouts to pay for themselves.

"Similarly, my own large, local Tesco has already removed a number of conventional tills and installed self-service tills suitable for trolley-loads. Currently, this new area appears to be little used, while shoppers with full trolleys squeeze to use conventional staffed tills. The reduction in traditional cash registers has not yet increased queuing time, as most remaining tills are manned, but come Christmas it could be a different matter.

"It was assumed that families who had started doing just one large, weekly shop during lockdown would return to more frequent, smaller shops once the threat of Covid had passed. It’s not clear that has happened to the extent many retailers predicted. My family, for example, has continued our once-a-week Tesco shop, our trolley groaning under the heavy load. Trying to fit a week’s shop in the bagging area and scan it all through ourselves would prove quite stressful.

"Many shoppers, particularly those who live alone, also still value the social side of shopping and enjoy the opportunity to have a brief chat with their favourite cashiers.

"The self-evident truth of self-service and till-free shopping is that the tech has yet to match consumer expectations. Many shoppers would probably skip supermarket queues entirely, even at the expense of missing a regular chat, if the technology reads items as customers left the store, with accounts automatically deducted. That’s without having to download special Apps, etc. Trials for this kind of ultra-simple, checkout-less process have gone on for several years, often based on RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, similar to the traditional barcode.

"Anything short of that, in terms of self-service or cashier-less shopping, is extra faff and stress for customers. Retailers need to ensure they are not perceived as attempting to save costs by reducing staffing levels at the expense of customer experience."

More for you

Freight crime cost over £680 million

iStock image

Freight crime cost over £680 million

Freight-related crime cost the UK economy an estimated £680-700 million in 2023, when accounting for lost revenues, VAT, and insurance costs, revealed a recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics.

The study, funded by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), documented 5,370 reported incidents of HGV and cargo crime across the UK last year, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. Experts suggest that the actual figures could be significantly higher due to under-reporting. The direct value of stolen goods reached £68.3 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
 a glass jar of honey
Photo: iStock

British beekeepers urge retailers to stock local honey as imported products fail authenticity test

British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), which represents hobbyist beekeepers, has urged retailers to stock local honey, after a new research raised significant questions about the composition of blended honey samples imported to the UK and sold at supermarkets.

In a recent authenticity test, 96 per cent of samples of imported honey from supermarkets were found to be ‘atypical’ for honey, compared to 100 per cent of UK beekeeper samples that were deemed ‘typical’.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Illegal vapes

Illegal vapes seized in Swindon raids

Photo: Wiltshire Police

Five arrested after seizure of illegal vapes worth thousands of pounds in Swindon

Wiltshire Police have arrested five people and seized more than £55,000 worth of illicit vapes, tobacco and alcohol following a series of warrants in the Broadgreen area of Swindon.

In a joint operation HMRC and Trading Standards, officers executed four warrants in Manchester Road at three stores and a property on Tuesday as part of the force’s ongoing Clear Hold Build work within Broadgreen.

Keep ReadingShow less
Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.

Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jisp unveils new NPD service

Jisp unveils new NPD service

Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.

The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.

Keep ReadingShow less