Spinakerr self-service checkout

Are self-checkouts the answer to staff shortages in stores?

Stores often find it difficult to recruit cashiers. Introducing self-checkouts may be the solution. They are being used more and more widely in Polish stores, including smaller ones. Will cashiers soon no longer be needed?

The introduction of self-checkouts is certainly not the end of the cashier profession. 50% of society still wants to shop in the traditional way and interact with another person. Cashiers’ competences will change, as they will also operate self-checkouts – says Paweł Kot, Development Manager at MAGO.

Self-checkouts are currently used mainly in supermarkets and hypermarkets. However, as technology and production costs are optimised, these devices are becoming available to smaller outlets too, such as convenience stores.

Using self-checkouts brings benefits for both store owners and consumers. For the former, besides easing staffing problems, higher revenue is important. “All checkouts are open non-stop, we have a constant flow of goods, which automatically increases the company’s turnover and profits,” our interviewee notes.

The benefit for consumers is faster shopping thanks to shorter checkout queues (particularly important during busy periods, e.g. before non-trading Sundays or holidays). According to the Mastercard study “Are Poles ready for stores without checkouts?”, queuing is the most frustrating part of shopping for us. More than half of respondents believe that introducing self-checkouts could reduce the problem.