UK Supermarket Chain Booths Removes Self-Checkouts from Most Stores

In a first for the industry, Booths responds to customer feedback and prioritizes personal service over automation

UK supermarket chain Booths has decided to remove self-checkouts from most of its stores, responding to customer feedback that prioritizes personal service over automation.
Booths' managing director, Nigel Murray, stated that the company prides itself on great customer service, which cannot be delivered through a robot. He also noted that self-checkout technology can be unreliable and detract from the shopping experience.
The decision goes against a decades-long trend in the retail industry towards automation. However, other retailers like Walmart have also recently removed self-checkout options from some of their stores.
Booths' decision is based on feedback from customers who found self-checkout machines slow, unreliable, and impersonal. The company believes that staff serving customers delivers a better customer experience.
Despite the trend towards automation, a 2016 study found that retailers offering self-checkout options experienced a loss rate of approximately 4 percent, more than double the industry average, due to theft and misuse.