Overview
- Coop365 manager Fie Sølverblad resigned from a Munkebo store near Odense after repeated scan-fraud at self-checkout, with checks of every second transaction failing to stop theft.
- Germany now has about 38,650 self-checkout units in 2025, making roughly one in 18 tills self-service, with two thirds located in food retail and more than 10,300 stores equipped.
- Retailers are increasing countermeasures at self-checkout with exit gates, camera surveillance and AI software designed to flag suspicious behavior.
- EHI expert Frank Horst says the expansion is driven primarily by staffing shortages rather than tech enthusiasm, noting the systems help manage limited personnel.
- A YouGov survey finds substantial but divided customer use, with 19% using self-checkout whenever possible, 43% occasionally, and refusers citing preference for human contact, cash payments or perceived complexity.