Companies don’t like self-checkout anymore – EASY

Shops put in self-checkout machines to save money and make shopping quick for customers. But the machines aren’t working well. Customers need help at the self-checkout machines. So, shops still need workers.

Self-checkout machines were very expensive for shops. But, some shops are changing. In the US, the shop Target only lets people with a few items use self-checkout. Walmart uses less self-checkout machines because people steal. In the UK, Booths uses less machines because they are slow.

In 2022, Dollar General in the US added many self-checkout machines. But now, they want to get more workers.

Also, more people steal from shops with self-checkout.

Shops hoped to save money with self-checkout machines, but they don’t. But some shops will keep the machines because they were very expensive.

Vocabulary

• Put in – To place or install something; to put something somewhere
• Self-checkout – A machine in a shop where you scan and pay for your own items without shop staff
• Save – To keep or preserve something; to collect and hold for a long time; to keep something, especially money, for use in the future; to prevent time, money, or effort being wasted or spent
• Customer – A person who buys things from a store
• Worker – A person who does a job; employee; staff
• Let – allow; give permission to; say OK
• Item – a single object or thing; one piece; a product
• Steal – to take something without permission; to take something that’s not yours; rob
• Add – To include or put more of something; + plus;
• Hope – something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future; wish
• Keep – To continue doing something; to continue to hold

Discussion Questions

• Do you like using self-checkout machines when you go shopping? Why or why not?
• What do you think about shops changing their rules for self-checkout, like Target only letting people with a few items to use it?
• Do you think self-checkout machines are a good idea for shops to save money? Why or why not?
• Have you ever needed help at a self-checkout machine? What happened? Why do some people need help?

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• English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.

Original Story

www.bbc.com

‘It hasn’t delivered’: The spectacular failure of self-checkout technology

Unstaffed tills were supposed to revolutionise shopping. Now, both retailers and customers are bagging many self-checkout kiosks.

Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice

Shops put in self-checkout _____ to save money and make shopping quick for customers. _____ the machines aren’t working well. Customers _____ help at the self-checkout machines. So, shops still need _____.

Self-checkout machines were _____ expensive for shops. But, some shops are changing. In the US, the shop Target _____ lets people with a few items use self-checkout. Walmart uses _____ self-checkout machines because people steal. In the UK, Booths _____ less machines because they are slow.

In 2022, Dollar General in the US _____ many self-checkout machines. But now, they want to get more _____.

Also, more people steal from _____ with self-checkout.

Shops hoped to save money with self-checkout machines, but they _____. But some shops will keep the machines because they _____ very expensive.