Self-checkouts are coming to Yellowknife’s two Independent Grocers.
Three new machines were being installed at the downtown Franklin Avenue location on Tuesday afternoon. A representative of the retailer said the self-checkouts would be ready for use within “a couple of days.” The decision to introduce the machines, which was made by corporate headquarters, was motivated in part by a chronic lack of staff, and a need to supplement the roughly 30 cashiers who currently work at the store.
The Old Airport Road location will also be getting self-checkout machines, although it was not immediately clear when, or how many.
Yellowknife’s Walmart caused a furor among some shoppers in April when that store installed seven of its own checkout machines, with some residents complaining of technical issues or worrying the machines would lead to jobs being cut. A Walmart spokesperson said at the time no jobs would be lost as a result of the new machines.