Tesco is planning to replace a majority of staffed tills at its large format stores with self-service checkouts, according to media reports.
The move has left many shoppers unhappy and an online petition on change.org, urging Tesco to stop the planned reduction, is gathering momentum, with more than 235,000 signatures as of today (19 August).
The petition highlighted that the new tills are not suitable for cash transactions, as well as for those with mobility issues and fewer staffed tills would mean an increase in waiting time in the queues.
‘Lack Of Customer Demand’
The UK retailer noted that its decision is based on ‘lack of customer demand,’and the success of its trial of larger self-checkout areas, designed for trolleys, the Retail Gazette reported.
The new self-service checkouts feature a bagging area that is three times longer than standard sizes, allowing shoppers to pack six bags at once, the report said.
A Tesco spokesperson told The Grocer that the retailer is "introducing new trolley-accessible self-service checkouts" in some of its stores, which have "more room and are easier to use for larger shops.”
“Our colleagues and the friendly service they provide are absolutely vital to our stores – they will always be on hand to help our customers, and will continue to operate attended checkouts so that customers can choose the option they prefer,” the spokesperson added.
Read More: Trends to Watch In the Self-Checkout Market Through To 2027: Analysis
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
