Retail chain Carrefour has introduced a self-service checkout at its Westgate Mall allowing customers to shop and complete purchases without the assistance of cashiers.
The counters enabling the service feature digital screens and hand-held barcode readers for shoppers to scan items and pay using cashless options including M-Pesa.
Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, the exclusive holder of Carrefour’s franchise in Kenya said the service which is reserved for shoppers with less than 15 items, will be rolled out in other stores across the country in the coming months.
“We are proposing a new fast solution for payment when customers complete their shopping at Carrefour,” said Christophe Orcet, Majid Al Futtaim retail regional director for East Africa.
To access the service, customers will click ‘Start’ on the digital screen, scan their items using the barcode reader and complete the transaction by tapping ‘Finish & Pay’.
Mr Orcet noted the self-checkout service by Carrefour is the first of its kind in Kenya, offering customers quick transactions and ending inconveniences caused by long queues.
Carrefour has implemented the quick and convenient service in other markets where it operates including in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Qatar.
“Customer feedback in the markets where the service has been rolled out is extremely positive,” he said.
Carrefour operates 19 outlets in Kenya, 15 of which are located in Nairobi while Kisumu and Mombasa are home to two stores each.
In November last year, the retail chain opened a branch in Nairobi’s central business district (CBD), ending its absence from the city centre where its rivals have operations.
