Tesco answers customer concerns over tills plan for Express branch on High Street in Lymington

A MAJOR supermarket chain has dismissed concerns the tills at its Lymington town centre store will become fully automated.

Anger spread online amid suggestions all staff-operated tills at Tesco Express on High Street would soon be replaced by self-service machines with card-only payment.

This sparked fears customers would be excluded if they have disabilities or do not have bank accounts.

One resident posted: “This makes me so cross. For some people, chatting at the checkout is the only conversation they have!

“Think of your customers, not just the profit.”

Approached by the A&T, a Tesco spokesperson confirmed changes would be made to the store but stressed there would always be an option to pay at a staffed checkout.

Declining to confirm when this would be, or the ratio between manned and self-service tills, they also maintained staffing levels would not be affected.

“Our colleagues and the friendly service they provide are absolutely vital to our stores and will always be on hand to help our customers, whether they are checking out at one of our colleague-operated or self-service checkouts,” the spokesperson said.

“We first introduced self-service checkouts nearly 20 years ago to give our customers a choice and our stores have both types of checkout.

“We are proud to offer customers choice when it comes to checking out.”

They added: “There will always be an option to pay for your shop in this store with a colleague at the kiosk with no item limit.”