Anger as Marlborough Waitrose reduce number of manned checkouts

A number of Waitrose shoppers in Marlborough were horrified when they entered the High Street branch and found that several manned checkouts had been taken away and replaced with self-service checkouts.

The number of self-service checkouts in the store has now been upped from 12 to 16, while the number of 'traditional' manned checkouts has gone from nine to five.

According to Waitrose, this change has been made to create speedier checkout times and meet demand.

It comes as the Marlborough store is undergoing significant investments including moving products in the same of similar categories closer together and adding new signage.

But the shift has been met with outrage from some regular shoppers, who have suggested they will now take their business elsewhere.

Speaking with the Gazette and Herald, regular shopper Alan Gould said: "I don't like to use self-service checkouts and I much prefer the staffed checkout tills because it is a more personal way to shop.

"I certainly will not entertain using card-only self-service checkouts, it feels like just another way of trying to force us to be a cashless society.

A number of elderly residents shop at Waitrose in Marlborough (Image: Google Maps)

"The sooner more staffed tills are reinstated the better. Self-service checkouts are definitely not wanted in Marlborough."

Taking to social media, one resident described the scene as: “Even more chaos than usual at Waitrose on Saturday morning.

"All but a few manned checkouts have been removed and replaced with a sea of self-service ones, half of which were closed.

"It'll be Tesco for me now."

The situation in Marlborough mirrors what happened at Waitrose's Malmesbury branch in January when shoppers threatened to boycott the store due to the rising number of self-service checkouts.

Waitrose insists the alterations to the store are reflective of how customers like to pay for their shopping, with demand for self-service machines on the rise.

The retailer added that shoppers will still have the choice to use a face-to-face checkout if they prefer.

Supermarkets in the UK are increasingly adding in more self-service options. (Image: Getty)

A spokesperson said: "We're confident that the new layout will give our customers a far better shopping experience - from speedier checkouts to better structured aisles.

"Our self-serve checkouts were being used more than our conventional ones, which is why we've added more to our shop, but we’ll always have traditional checkouts open too, for those who prefer a personal service." 

But Marlborough resident David Whitehead insists that the change is just not right for Marlborough, a town which is known for having a large elderly community.

"A lot of people in town rely on that in-person interaction," he said.

"When I'm in each week the old self-service tills never seemed to be full, so adding more seems to be pointless.

"It's going to be bedlam when Christmas comes as well - we already queue down the food lanes."