Aisle Eight at 301 Moore Ave (Loblaws) is desolate and stripped of its cash register tonight. The Bulldog sniffed out the changing scene at the South Bayview grocery store last week. No one knew what the company was going to do with that space. But now further whispers suggest (without confirmation) it is another attempt to wean the public off human cashiers and onto self checkout. It’s been tried by Loblaws before in Quebec. At that time it met resistance. But for those who like it, there would seem to be no doubt it can move you through the checkout process faster. Self-checkout machines (SCOs) are said to have been in use for about 20 years in some places. They bring the promise of reduced costs and efficiency. However the human interaction is gone. What about asking customers if they want to donate to a charity. A U.S. grocer took out some units to ensure that its stores have “an opportunity for that last interaction” with customers. But it seems human-less transactions are ominously appealing to businesses. The banks are teetering on the brink. We shall see.
