The rise of self-checkout machines has led to a steep decline in vacancies for supermarket jobs, new figures show.
Supermarkets typically take on extra workers in the run-up to December to cope with an influx of festive shoppers.
But figures from job search engine Adzuna show the number of vacancies involving checkout staff has fallen sharply as the machines have been rolled out, accounting for under 15pc of supermarket jobs in October 2023 compared to 58pc in October 2016.
The overall number of checkout-related vacancies fell from 2,748 last October to 2,020 this month, typically the busiest month of the year for hiring, Adzuna said – a fall of 26pc.
Meanwhile, the number of self-checkout machines in supermarkets has soared from 53,000 to around 80,000 in the last five years, and increases by 10pc each year, according to analytics platform RBR Data Services.
Roughly eight in 10 sales in a typical supermarket now go through self-checkouts, according to industry publication The Grocer.
Less than 10pc of shoppers identify as non-self-checkout users. Of these, a third said using self-checkout felt like doing work for the retailer.
A decrease in customer satisfaction
A survey by the Institute of Customer Service found that customer service is at its lowest since 2015, although the retail sector still fares better than most. Jo Causon, CEO of the Institute, suggested the rise of self-service technology could be to blame.
She told The Telegraph: “The mass implementation of technology like self-checkouts could be a factor in the decrease in satisfaction, although for those customers that say they don’t like self-service there will be many more customers which are very happy with it.”
Ms Causon stressed the need for balance between technology and face-to-face staff to accommodate different customer needs.
“What is clear is that supermarkets need to ensure they are testing new technology, investing in their service offering and employees, and ensuring that staff are available if needed by a customer.”
Supermarkets maintain the shift to self-checkout machines has been driven by customer preference and the increased popularity of online shopping.
In June, Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy told shareholders: “We genuinely believe, at the end of the day, it provides a better customer experience.”
A change.org petition urging the supermarket giant to “stop replacing people with machines” gathered more than 200,000 signatures in 2022.
Morrisons said the switch to self-checkouts allowed its stores to use the space in other ways, such as to shelve more stock, adding that all but 10 of its 500 stores offered a mix of self-service and main bank tills.
The handful of stores without a manned till still have a kiosk for customers who do not want to use self-checkout, the supermarket added.
A spokesman for Morrisons said: “Over recent years more and more customers have chosen to use self-checkout options, therefore we are ensuring we offer a mix of payment points to serve customers the way they want.
“Self-scan means we are able to have more pay points open more of the time, improving service speed, but we will always have colleagues around to support our customers and to operate serviced tills for those who wish to be served this way.”
Waitrose said that “unlike some retailers” all its branches would continue to have manned checkouts alongside self-service machines. A spokesman said manned checkouts were “really important to our customers”.
Lidl said it had self-checkouts in around a third of its stores, but that these were always supervised by colleagues and none of its stores were exclusively self-checkout.
Andrew Hunter, of Adzuna, said supermarkets are now more likely to hire sales assistants who are expected to replenish stock on shelves, date check and rotate stock, prepare click and collect orders, work on counters, and generally help support shoppers with queries.
He added: “Shifts for such workers often start from early mornings to late at night as the supermarkets prepare for busy shopping days, particularly around Christmas.”
However, sales assistant roles as a proportion of overall supermarket hiring increased by just 5.6pp compared to October last year and were down 10.6pp compared to 2016.
A 2019 study by the Royal Society For the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce found roughly 75,000 jobs as sales assistants or checkout operators previously taken by women had gone in the last seven years as British shoppers opted for online deliveries.
It comes as supermarkets battle a shoplifting crisis that has seen retail theft soar to £1bn per year, according to the trade association British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Graham Wynn, the BRC’s assistant director of Business and Regulation, said this was due to organised crime gangs, and not self-checkout machines.
He said: “Retailers are working incredibly hard to tackle retail crime, spending over £700m on security staff, CCTV, security tags, and other anti-crime measures.
“Unfortunately, the lack of effective police response has left many criminals, including organised crime gangs, feeling like they can shoplift with impunity.”
Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Iceland, and Co-op were approached for comment.
Refuse to use them.
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Meanwhile, theft will be on the rise because there will not be enough employees to monitor and apprehend the shoplifters and/or customers as they are checking out, especially during Black Friday.
Dumbasses!