Labor Economics: Why are supermarkets replacing human checkout clerks with automated self-service scanning checkout systems?

First of all, not all chains are. For example, Albertsons LLC removed self-checkout lanes from over 200 of its stores (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015552793_selfcheck09.html) and Big Y Foods made a similar announcement about its 61 stores (http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/big-y-eliminates-self-checkout). The appeal of self checkout is related to the difficulty of the industry: being a cashier is both difficult and tedious and the pay is not particularly good. Most chains have a hard time retaining their best performers and the ones who do stay are typically promoted quickly. Who wouldn't want a robot doing the work? Well, according to one study, not consumers. They ranked Self Checkout as the most important retail technology (http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/consumer-insights/id33365/shoppers-love-self-checkouts/). Of course, that was in comparison to a chain's website, or kiosks, or in-store wifi. If they were asked to rank self checkout against low prices, great selection, or a clean store I'm sure it would place fourth or lower. So, it's definitely a mixed bag. Some chains even are hoping to replace (or supplement) self checkout with mobile checkout. In the US, Ahold (Stop & Shop, Giant) is perhaps the the most aggressive chain in this area (http://www.retailleader.net/top-story-stop___shop_switches_to_smart_phone_apps_to_save_money-557.html).

In all fields, there's a consistent trend to replace service workers with automation that requires the customer or consumer to do the work.Basically, they see a way to have the customer do the labor (for free) that they previously had to hire and pay employees to do.Have you noticed how many technology product companies don't bother to hire good tech writers or put together comprehensive support web sites?  They's much rather let the users do the writing, the tutorials, the customer support... for free!  So now the public all has no-pay service "jobs".