European supermarkets embracing “chit-chat” checkout lanes

With the rise of online shopping and self-service kiosks, the social aspect of shopping has diminished; but some European supermarkets are resisting.

For some, the lack of human interaction and a faster checkout experience is a welcome change. However, for others, particularly older shoppers and those at risk of social exclusion, the social experience is a valuable part of the shopping process.

European Retailers Embrace Slow Retail

Several European retailers have recognized this need and are implementing slow retail initiatives and are moving away from the self-checkout till. Jumbo, a Dutch supermarket chain, has introduced “chat checkouts” where customers can engage in conversation with cashiers. Carrefour, a French supermarket chain, has also launched similar “chat lanes.” These initiatives aim to create a more welcoming and personalised shopping experience.

The Slow Food Movement in Supermarkets

So much of the shopping experience these days is dominated by technology. From human-less self-service checkouts to online shopping, the important social interactions that used to be associated with shopping are rapidly getting lost. 

The supermarket used to be a place for throwaway quips or a quick exchange of banter. Now, the supermarket has become sterile, soulless, and impersonal; a simple transaction of goods and services.

While some supermarket managers may be salivating at a quicker, more efficient checkout experience, others are taking stock of this recent and unwelcome customer experience and are actively trying to reverse it. Jumbo has cleared the path for a more social, banter-friendly supermarket environment in which socialisation is positively encouraged.

European Retail Grocery Execs Smelled an Opportunity

Jumbo- with over 700 stores across the Netherlands and Belgium- has introduced “chat checkouts” to cater to customers seeking a more personalised shopping experience. These checkout lanes are designed to encourage conversations between shoppers and cashiers. The target market for these tills include the elderly, stay at home parents, and others with enough time on their hands to enjoy a little chat with the cashier as they pack and pay for their goods.

Customers can share stories, show photos, or simply chat with the cashier while paying for their groceries. Cashiers are trained to engage in friendly conversations and foster a sense of community. The idea is to address a major societal concern: loneliness and the lack of socialisation that is driving people to despair.

The initiative has been so successful that Jumbo plans to expand chat checkouts to hundreds of its stores in the coming years. Other retailers, such as Carrefour in France, are also adopting similar concepts, introducing “Blablabla Caisses” for people who want to socialise. 150 stores have already adopted the concept.

These checkouts are slow-moving and affable atmospheres. While chit-chat is encouraged, the cashiers are trained to keep conversations to a reasonable length as those waiting in line probably still have places to go and people to see.

What Do You Think?

Would you welcome a “chit-chat” line in your local supermarket? What else can communities or businesses do to help address issues with loneliness? Leave us a comment!