Foodstuffs launches first self-checkout at supermarket

Foodstuffs is giving Auckland shoppers the option of serving themselves, with the launch of the city’s first self-checkout facilities at New World Victoria Park today (18th September).

New World Victoria Park’s four new self-checkout lanes utilise NCR Corporation’s FastLane self-checkout technology, which allows shoppers to scan, bag and pay for their purchases, using EFTPOS, cash or credit cards, and at the same time bypass queues at the conventional counters.

Mark Baker, general manager retail sales and performance, says, “We’re always looking for new ways to make supermarket shopping as convenient as possible for our customers.

“This means people buying only a few items will be able to quickly scan and pay for them themselves, without having to queue behind someone who’s doing a larger weekly shop.”

He says the FastLane self-checkout technology is very easy to use, as an interactive touch-screen guides shoppers through every stage of the process.

“We’ll be looking to introducing more self-service checkouts at suitable stores in the region over the coming months.”

Customers using the FastLane technology swipe items across a scanner and place them in a bag on a weight-sensitive area which detects any inconsistencies between what is scanned and what is packed.

The self-checkout will alert a staff member via a pager if any products with sales restrictions, such as wine or beer, are being purchased and a staff member will verify the purchase before it proceeds.

New World Victoria Park owner-operator Rob McGregor says there has already been a large amount of interest from shoppers, as the checkouts were being installed.

“It’s fast and convenient – it’s providing another element of choice for our customers,” he says.

Foodstuffs (South Island) conducted a trial of the NCR FastLane self-checkout system at Moorhouse PAK’nSAVE (Christchurch) in 2006, and based on its success, have introduced the technology into several of its South Island stores