Morrisons is to roll out self-service checkouts to 95 per cent of its stores by the end of the year as it attempts to improve efficiencies.

The grocer’s group store operations director Mark Gunter said: “We’ve successfully rebranded, got our range and store environment in order and now we want to make everything more efficient.”

Alongside the self-service checkouts, Morrisons is also installing new queue management technology at its checkouts and trying a “pay at the pump” initiative at its petrol stations.

“We are making everything work harder in stores,” said Gunter. “Investing in the front end was the final piece of the jigsaw in terms of our offer. We are maximising the potential in our stores and this will enable us to offer better customer service.”
Gunter was insistent that, while Morrisons is considering opening more smaller supermarkets, depending upon location, it is not about to launch into the convenience sector.

“What we need is space where we can get in the element of fresh food that makes us different and, while smaller supermarkets will get us into more locations, we need to make sure we’re able to get our ranging right,” he said.

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