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Asda CEO David Potts Orders More Staffed Checkouts Across 1,100 Stores

Asda chief executive David Potts has told all 1,100 UK store managers to open more staffed checkouts, available from 8am at minimum. Self-service and Scan and Go tills will stay. The chain has about 3,400 staffed tills against 8,100 self-service kiosks.

By matthew jonathan

November 15, 20262 min read

Asda CEO David Potts Orders More Staffed Checkouts Across 1,100 Stores

Asda chief executive David Potts has told all 1,100 of the supermarket's UK store managers to open more staffed checkouts, with human-operated tills available from 8am at minimum. The new Asda boss announces major change at the till after being hired earlier this month.

Potts, formerly chief executive of Morrisons, made the announcement during a visit to a store in West Yorkshire on his first day in the job.

Fewer alerts, more people on the shop floor

He said Asda was making shopping harder than it should be. "We're making it harder than it should be for customers to get what they want, move around the store and pay for their shopping," Potts said.

"We need to change that, starting now," he added. He said he had instructed all general store managers to open more full-service checkouts, spend more time on the shop floor and get more product on shelves, well presented throughout the day.

Potts also said the aim was for shoppers to "find what they came for and get through the checkouts easily." He asked managers to treat staffed tills as a "fundamental" priority.

The change also targets the "unexpected item in bagging area" alerts that frustrate many self-checkout users.

Self-service stays

Asda is not scrapping the technology. The retailer said it will keep enough self-service and Scan and Go tills available for shoppers who prefer them.

The numbers show how far the balance has tilted. Asda's main stores currently have about 3,400 staffed checkouts. They are outnumbered by roughly 8,100 self-service kiosks and 2,200 handheld Scan and Go devices.

Shoppers react

Many customers welcomed the move on social media. Facebook user Linda Worth wrote: "Great news, lets hope other places follow this lead."

Sue Lee said a person on a till could be the only person you get to talk to if you live alone. Robert Jones pointed to a need for personal interaction over screens.

Some commenters said they avoid self-checkouts altogether. Sharon Rogers said she believes they put people out of jobs, while Teresa Brench said they create "bedlam" during busy periods.

Virginia Cripps complained on an unofficial Asda complaints page before Potts' announcement. "We lose the human touch," she wrote.

On the r/Asda forum, one user argued that fewer manned checkouts push customers to shop online. The user said shoppers get little engagement in store when they must scan and process everything themselves.