M&S brings in new self-checkout rules at 45 stores across UK

Another major supermarket has made a big change to self-checkouts. M&S is the latest major supermarket to introduce a new self-checkout system and the retailer began rolling out ‘assisted belted checkouts’ to 45 of its Food Halls.

The self-checkouts are designed to accommodate larger trolley shops. M&S’s move follows a successful pilot of the technology in its London Colney store in 2022, and the decision to introduce the innovation at more locations comes after positive feedback from customers.

"We help our customers shop when, where, and how they want by providing a choice of manned checkouts and self-service tills," an M&S spokesperson said. "We always have a colleague on hand to help customers with their shopping."

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But the Sun newspaper reports shoppers are "divided" by the shake up. M&S shoppers will find them in 45 of the supermarket's Food Halls - and there are plans to install them in other locations in the future. An M&S spokesperson said shoppers will still be able to use manned tills if they wish.

Self-checkouts have proved controversially generally, with charities and campaigners warning that they can be problematic for vulnerable shoppers and people with disabilities. An M&S spokesperson told The Grocer: "We help our customers shop when, where, and how they want by providing a choice of manned checkouts and self-service tills. We always have a colleague on hand to help customers with their shopping."

The new "assisted belted checkouts" are now live in a number of M&S Food Halls, including the one in Shoreham, West Sussex, where six of the new tills were recently installed alongside four traditional staffed checkouts. This year, M&S has continued to invest in protecting prices and over 70% of it’s Gift Shop range is now priced at £10 or under. M&S has also reduced the average price of its decorate range by 20% compared to last year with the majority of single hanging decorations now priced at £5, along with a new opening price point on Christmas Trees, with a 6ft tree starting at £20 (vs £22 last year).