Will NZ supermarkets follow the trend and ditch self-checkouts?

Are we checking out?

The phrase "unexpected item in the bagging area" has to be up there in the list of things that raise blood pressure. And just when it seems like we're getting the hang of self-checkouts... are they being benched?

Walmart and Costco are having a rethink, and UK supermarket chain Booths has just announced it's ditching them and going back to people.

"We believe colleagues serving customers deliver a better customer experience and therefore we have taken the decision to remove self-checkouts in the majority of our stores.

"We have based this not only on what we feel is the right thing to do but also having received feedback from our customers," Booths said.

It's putting back people in all but two of its 28 stores in Northern England.

New Zealanders are early adopters when it comes to tech. And self-checkouts started here in 2006 with a trial at Pak'n'Save Moorhouse in Christchurch.

Seventeen years later we're in full swing.

Foodstuffs (New World and Pak'n'Save) said more than half of the transactions in its central Christchurch New World store use self-service. Ross Martin, Head of Retail Operations for Foodstuffs South Island, said they've listened to feedback and there are no plans to ditch them.

"We know customers love self-scan checkouts — it's the ease and convenience of being able to quickly grab dinner for tonight."

Martin said 25% of all its store purchases are done through self-service.

"There's the odd time that I just don't want to interact with a person today. or I've got the kids today and I want to quickly move through the supermarket and avoid distractions."

But you won't find self-service at the fancy supermarket chain Farro. CEO Craig Williams said the personal touch is important to its brand.

"Our customers are really interested in food and want to talk to people about it. Our team are trained to have those conversations and enjoy those conversations."

And he says they get valuable feedback from a chat over the till.

Professor of Management at Massey University, Jarrod Haar has been watching the overseas trend with interest. He said theft, or "shrink", could be behind it. This is where customers put a product through the self-checkout under a cheaper name or barcode.

Haar said, ironically, more high-tech is on the horizon.

"We'll have supermarkets that'll have no staff at all. We'll interact with AI, and we'll say into the app 'Isn't this on special for 9.99?'"

In the future, consumers will have the choice of going to a supermarket with people or opt for a completely automated experience, said Haar.

Foodstuffs North Island said a trial of facial recognition in a number of their stores is not far away

But in the meantime, shop around. Whether you do your groceries online or in-store, you can do it yourself or check out and get someone to do it for you.