Only about one-third of surveyed retailers plan to invest in self-checkout technology this year, significantly fewer than in 2025, according to an annual retail industry report. While...
I don’t see any evidence they’re “pulling back”, at least not in Europe. More and more are self service checkouts than ever before. That said I think stores prefer the kiosks where people scan their items than the kind where people have barcode readers and wander the store scanning (or not scanning) goods.
My experience isnt representative of the situation as a whole, but ive noticed a pull back in our usual shopping locations (mid-west US). Our local Meijer (grocery) closed half of the self checkouts and added two more people to their standard checkout lanes plus a few more to assist the remaining self checkout. Costco near us got rid of their self checkout entirely. Aldi on the other hand installed more self checkouts, but its in a gated area where you have to scan your receipt to get out.
My local LIDL in Ireland just installed a self-checkout / gate system. Curiously there is an ALDI not far away with self-checkout and no gate. Near to that is a Tesco which has self checkout and another lane for the bar code reader devices. I hardly ever see people with bar code readers. I don’t believe anybody likes those - not staff, not customers.
I don’t see any evidence they’re “pulling back”, at least not in Europe. More and more are self service checkouts than ever before. That said I think stores prefer the kiosks where people scan their items than the kind where people have barcode readers and wander the store scanning (or not scanning) goods.
My experience isnt representative of the situation as a whole, but ive noticed a pull back in our usual shopping locations (mid-west US). Our local Meijer (grocery) closed half of the self checkouts and added two more people to their standard checkout lanes plus a few more to assist the remaining self checkout. Costco near us got rid of their self checkout entirely. Aldi on the other hand installed more self checkouts, but its in a gated area where you have to scan your receipt to get out.
My local LIDL in Ireland just installed a self-checkout / gate system. Curiously there is an ALDI not far away with self-checkout and no gate. Near to that is a Tesco which has self checkout and another lane for the bar code reader devices. I hardly ever see people with bar code readers. I don’t believe anybody likes those - not staff, not customers.