Woolworths announces hybrid stores with mix of self-serve and manned registers

Woolworths has announced it is launching new hybrid stores to create a “quicker and easier self-serve checkout experience”.

The hybrid stores will mix self-serve and manned registers after buying data showed a “shift” in customer habits.

“As customer buying habits have shifted, we are seeing more frequent, smaller basket sizes, and a strong customer preference for a quicker and easier self-serve checkout experience,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.

The grocery giant said that about 83 per cent of customers with a basket of 20 items or less would choose self-service checkout.

However, the majority of customers would select a staffed checkout if they had a basket with more than 20 items.

“We know there are some customers who prefer to be served by a team member, and we’re gradually rolling out a new front-of-store experience where we are using data to ensure we have the right choices of checkouts for customers in each local community,” they said.

Pictures of the recently opened Spotswood store in Melbourne’s southwest show what the mix of manned checkouts and self-service would look like.

“This new format provides a great customer experience for customers to continue to be served by one of our friendly team members if they choose.”

The company said that express lanes were already found in around 800 stores.