Self-checkout survey highlights key opportunities to increase fresh produce sales

Fusion uncovers solutions and opportunities for manufacturers and retailers alike

LOS ANGELES – As self-checkout continues to shape the retail landscape, a recent consumer survey conducted by Fusion found, a leading business-to-business fresh food marketing agencyprovides valuable insights into the behavior and preferences of today's buyers.

With more than three-quarters of consumers surveyed regularly using self-checkout and 90% expressing satisfaction with the experience, the results point to successes, opportunities and challenges that manufacturing companies and retailers must address in a self-service driven to remain competitive in the market.

Data protection and speed drive acceptance of self-checkouts

Fusion's research found that privacy and speed are the two main factors driving the use of self-checkout systems. A significant number of survey respondents cited self-confidence as the main reason for choosing the self-checkout system. This highlights consumers' preference for discretion in transactions and highlights the importance of providing customers with private, seamless purchasing options.

Additionally, many respondents said they wanted a quick grab-and-go experience. One in five respondents described self-checkout as a time saver and found it quicker than going to the checkout. This highlights the demand for self-service solutions that offer convenience and efficiency.

Points of friction: Scanning problems arise that lead to lost sales

Although self-checkout is widespread, the Fusion survey highlighted specific pain points that grocery companies and retailers need to address. Nearly 60% of respondents reported difficulty scanning packaged products, and more than two-thirds had problems with bulk products. These challenges, primarily due to difficulties with the barcode, manually entering codes or searching for items in the POS system, lead to frustration and lost sales.

Notably, 57% of shoppers admitted to leaving food behind at the checkout because the system was confusing or lacked user-friendly instructions. This points to an urgent need to address product labeling and that retailers need to improve the user interface of self-checkout systems, particularly when it comes to scanning products.

Improving the self-checkout experience: Solutions and opportunities

Despite its popularity, the survey highlights some actionable improvements that businesses and retailers can implement to streamline the self-checkout process. Respondents said more explicit on-screen instructions and audio prompts would help reduce confusion, with 14% specifically recommending these features to improve the checkout process. Additionally, allowing customers to continue scanning even if a problem occurs could reduce interruptions and give employees time to help without interrupting the transaction.

Key insights

The results of this survey provide insights for grocery companies and retailers looking to increase fresh produce sales and improve the consumer shopping experience. By dealing with common frustrations – such as: By addressing issues such as product scanning issues – and implementing solutions that prioritize speed, privacy and ease of use, retailers can better meet the evolving needs of today's shoppers. As shoppers continue to use self-checkout, those who invest in improving these systems can achieve greater customer satisfaction, greater efficiency and increased sales.

Retailers or manufacturers interested in learning more about the survey results should contact Matt Schraut at Fusion or visit the website at gowithfusion.com.

About merger

Fusion provides clear business direction through research, analysis, market insights and communications, giving clients more time to focus on their business. Fusion works with fresh produce and grocery retail customers to discover growth opportunities and solutions for each customer's unique business needs. The experienced team of marketing and analytics experts offer dedicated customer support, deep thinking and innovation to provide the highest level of expertise for every analytical and creative business venture. GoWithFusion.com