News

Poll: Most consumers expect self-checkout from grocery retailers

April 8, 2019

When it comes to the retail grocery experience, consumers want a fast checkout and many believe grocers haven't moved into the modern age and need to do more to stay relevant. Checkout convenience is top-of-mind for consumers, and 79% of consumers feel the majority of supermarkets will be primarily self-checkout in five years.

Those are top findings from Phononic's 2019 Store of the Future Report which polled more than 1,100 U.S. consumers on shopping habits and services consumers expect to see from food retailers in the next five years, according to a press release.

"In just the past year, we have witnessed a huge amount of disruption in the food retail landscape as Amazon continues to put pressure on traditional grocers to differentiate the customer experience and offer increased in-store efficiency," said Dana Krug, vice president and general manager, food and beverage for Phononic, in the release. "Consumers' feedback demonstrates the need for grocers to embrace technology options that make the shopping experience easier and more enjoyable. And as we look towards the future, it's clear that consumers have some high demands for the technology applications they expect grocers to invest in — from cashierless checkout to self-driving car delivery."
 
Additional key findings include:

The modern shopping experience
•    The majority of consumers consider grocery shopping a chore, with half of Americans (50%) saying grocery shopping is something they have to do but don't necessarily want to. Another 12% went further, saying they'd be happy to never step foot inside a grocery store again.
•    For those who do like shopping, it's the communal aspect and product discovery that draws them in, with 28% saying they "love" the experience of shopping at their local store where they know people and people know them.
•    Consumers feel strongly about buying from brands that care about sustainability and giving back. In fact, 73% gravitate to companies that prove they care about the environment and two thirds (67% say it's important that they buy from a company that uses more sustainable cooling technology.
Food delivery options
•    Meal delivery options are still struggling to attract shoppers, with 58% of consumers responding they have yet to try them.
•    Self-driving cars could pave the way for food delivery's future, with 56% of Americans predicting that it's likely groceries will be delivered by self-driving cars in the next five years.