The self-checkout market - Italy (2023)

1.1 Definition and presentation

Self check-out is a service, available in many stores, that allows customers to be able to scan a product independently and be able to pay for it without the intervention of an employee. Generally, this term refers to the automated checkouts found in many supermarkets or stores. The use of automated checkouts has the advantage of speeding up the shopping experience, keeping customers from standing in line for a long time, and there are fewer labor costs.

The global market size of self-checkout systems was $2.8 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% from 2020 to 2027. This growth is due to several factors such as the increase in the number of global consumers, lower consumer wait availability, and the preference for personalized shopping experience. This growth also leads to higher productivity in the retail sector and a sharp reduction in costs.

Regarding the Italian market, many supermarkets such as Esselunga, Carrefour and Pam have been using automated checkouts as a payment method for several years. This type of payment is not only continuously expanding in large-scale retailers but also in different sectors such as clothing and furniture. Although this market trend is positive there are some issues to consider such as the increased number of thefts and the inability to use checkouts by several people especially the older ones.

The market trend is the continued experimentation by many retailers with innovative technologies with the goal of permanently reducing checkout crowding and slow payments. The long-term goal is "just walk" that is, technology that allows customers to shop within a physical location without the need to stop at a checkout counter to pay.