A decision in Australia to move Kmart's self-service checkouts closer to the stores' exits will likely see a reduction in shoplifting, according to Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young.
By Eva Perese-Wood
Kmart Group managing director Aleksandra Spaseska announced last week that 16 of the roughly 300 Kmarts in Australia had already been transformed to the updated "Plan C+" format. That features entry and exit gates and the relocation of checkouts from the middle of the store to the exit.
Young told 1News the new layout would allow Kmart to better serve customers.
"They can move customers through more efficiently, manage the flow of goods and people out of the store so that people are only leaving the store with what they've paid for."
The Kmart Group expects to see 40 Australian stores trading in the new format by the end of 2026/27.
Young said that if trials in Australia are successful, New Zealand Kmart stores may also receive similar updates.
"They're [Kmart] doing a trial to see how that will play out. If it goes as they think it will, they'll be rolling out those updated layouts and stores in New Zealand as well."
She said recent technological advances meant the number of people stealing through self-service checkouts had likely decreased in some settings.
"There's technology improving all the time around the alerts and the ability to stop the customer continuing to process goods if they think that an error has been made."
Kmart originally moved cash registers to the middle of its stores from 2012 to 2015.
Mixed reaction to self-service checkouts
Young said Kiwis' attitudes towards self-service checkouts were largely mixed.
"There are lots of people that like to be able to go in and control their own experience, they don't necessarily want to have a long conversation at the checkout.
"For other people and for some products too, it's more appropriate to be having a conversation at the checkout with someone."
1News has approached Kmart and its owners Wesfarmers for comment.
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