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Self checkout isn't that quicker and is often slower than a regular manned checkout given a few obvious conditions. It's not really the speed that self checkout solves.

It may feel quicker to the consumer, speed is probably more predictable and it could increase throughput and efficiently use space. Most benefits are for the shop.

Needless to say a shop is able to reduce the speed of regular checkout to black pattern people into using self checkout

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The stores I visit usually have 10+ self checkouts. It swallows a lot more people so you don't have to queue like in a regular store. It also allows people with fewer items to bypass the people with a full shopping cart because there are 9 other checkouts.

You also save time by putting the scanned items directly into your bag instead of putting them on a band for the cashier to scan, before you can put them into your bag.

So my experience is that it's faster most of the time.

I'm quite often waiting in line for self checkout. In theory people with only a few items go through, in practice people will sometimes go crazy with it. And of course some customers can be quite slow or get hung up so it isn't really predictable.

Drives me nuts to wait to take care of myself. I think they should give you a scanner gun you walk around the store with, then I can just leave.

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