People Have Stopped Using Grocery Self-Checkout Machines Because They Say They’re Killing Jobs

Nov 05, 2019 by apost team

It's no secret that we're facing a massive job shortage. More and more people are struggling to find the entry-level jobs that used to be commonplace in our country. While some blame outsourcing for the problem, others are suggesting that automation might in fact be the real culprit.

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We don't think about automation a lot, but it's all around us. One of the biggest examples of automation is the rise of self-checkout machines at drugstores and supermarkets. Self-checkout machines allow customers to check themselves out as opposed to being checked out by a cashier.

While an employee will usually stand guard over the self-checkout area to guard against shoplifting and dishonesty, the proliferation of self-checkout machines means that stores don't need to hire as many workers, which in turn leads to fewer job opportunities.

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However, some people are fighting back against automation by refusing to use self-checkout machines and kiosks. A study by the Canadian Dalhousie University has revealed that most shoppers prefer to pay for their goods the old-fashioned way.

While two-thirds of survey respondents said that they'd used self-checkout machines in the past, only 11% cited these machines as their preferred way to pay. Experts speculate that there might be myriad reasons behind this growing backlash to self-checkout kiosks

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Besides the fact that they eliminate jobs, many people prefer the face-to-face interaction that comes with the traditional method of paying for one's purchases.

As automation continues to grow and expand, this debate is only going to get more heated

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Show your friends this story to see what they think and give us your thoughts in the comments. Do you think it's time to boycott self-serve kiosks in order to save jobs or do you think automation is a positive sign of progress?