Tesco adds self-checkout to 50 percent of lanes

BIRMINGHAM, England — NCR Corp. announced that Tesco, the largest deployer of self-checkout terminals in Europe, has signed an agreement to install NCR FastLane Mini self-checkouts in more than 50 percent of the front-end lanes at the Bishopsgate Metro store in London.

The deal represents the largest single-store self-checkout installation in the United Kingdom, adding 11 new checkout positions to the redesigned front-end area.

"We have already deployed smaller installments of the NCR FastLane Mini self-checkout in six other busy city stores in London and the customer acceptance has exceeded our expectations," said Attila Winstanley, productivity director for Tesco. "The compact size of this unit means we can maximize the number of self-checkout positions available for our customers. In these locations, our customers are often business people who appreciate being able to buy their lunch quickly or select a few items on the way home from work."

The NCR FastLane Mini is the smallest full-function self-checkout system on the market. It features a touchscreen user interface, multimedia graphics, voice and visual prompts,and a signature capture pad for completing credit card transactions. It can also be equipped to accept coupons, deactivate electronic surveillance tags and provide ATM-like functionality by dispensing cash back.

"One-third smaller than our Express model, the NCR FastLane Mini fits virtually any store layout, allowing even retailers with space restrictions to offer their customers the convenience of self-checkout," said Alberto Camuri, NCR's vice president for retail solutions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. "It can also be deployed as a self-checkout alternative in other retail environments such as convenience stores, drug stores, office supply stores, boutiques and department stores."