Albertsons Adds More Self-Checkouts Across Grocery Banners

Albertsons Cos. is introducing new Toshiba self-checkout units to its more than 2,200 stores, including additional units in stores that already have the technology and adding the technology to other banners.

This move comes eight years after the grocer decided to remove all self-checkout units.

"We're expanding our partnership with Toshiba to aggressively add quite a few self-checkouts across the banners," Rucha Nanavati, GVP of information technology for Albertsons, told Progressive Grocer. "Right now we're aggressively rolling out their System 6 and then 7 is right around the corner, and we're testing that out for our environment and when they are ready, we'll switch to 7."

Current self-service checkouts can be found across the Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Safeway, Carrs, Tom Thumb, Randalls and Vons banners.

Albertsons is also utilizing mobile operations managers, attendants who can use Android devices to clear any sort of intervention needed at the self-checkouts. Rucha says these attendants can be helping a customer a few rows over, but see someone needs help and remedy the situation remotely. 

The grocer is currently piloting mobile point-of-sale solutions as well. 

Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal-kit company Plated. The company is No. 3 on Progressive Grocer's 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.