Sainsbury’s shoppers divided as supermarket trials checkout change

Could this mean the end of cashiers?

In recent years, the self-checkout has been something that has divided opinion.

While many people find them a lifesaver when you've nipped to the shops in your scruffs and want to avoid human contact at all costs, others argue that real-life cashiers are important for social connection and keeping robots from taking our jobs.

However, Sainsbury's are trialling a move towards more self-checkouts in their stores.

Metro reports that the supermarket is introducing larger self-checkouts that feature conveyor belts.

This would allow shoppers to load up bigger shops to process themselves, rather than having to go to a cashier for their big weekly shops.

Currently, the changes are only in two stores, with the CEO Simon Roberts telling the Grocery Gazette the changes are 'popular' among customers.

He did stress, however, “taking out more manned checkouts doesn’t mean we won’t have them, it just means we’ll give you more choice for how you pay”.

Not everyone is pleased about the expansion of self-checkout options, though.

"We DO NOT WANT THESE IN OUR SHOPS," one person wrote online.

"I would always go to a till with a person, having a small chat with them and asking how they are doing – everyone has a bad day – can’t do that with a computer."

A second wrote: "I'm not a fan of self-checkout tills. Not only are they often finicky, but it's just another way to slash jobs and make customers do the work for free. What's next, stocking shelves?"

However, a third put: "I do go to Sainsbury and I have no problem with a few self checkouts for people with only a packet of Mars Bars."

"I don't mind them but it's not any quicker or efficient," a fourth penned. "Every time I do a smart shop I have to wait for an alcohol check or a check on my shop."