Self-checkouts, also called self-service, were born in France, exactly twenty years ago, with Diebold Nixdorf for his client Auchan in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. For two decades, this technology has been perfected, becoming an important milestone for the banking sectors, transport and mass distribution.
Self-checkouts, also called self-service, were born in France, exactly twenty years ago, with Diebold Nixdorf for his client Auchan in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. For two decades, this technology has been perfected, becoming an important milestone for the banking sectors, transport and mass distribution.Present in more than 100 countries, the European leader in self-service checkouts equips large food companies and major retail brands, whether in textiles, cosmetics or even gas stations. From 2004, self-checkouts were quickly adopted in France by food brands and gradually by non-food brands. The number of self-service points in France has increased from a few hundred to more than 35,000 in 2024. In 2023, Diebold Nixdorf experienced growth in deliveries in France of +51% (+48% in EMEA*). According to the latest data from research and consultancy group RBR Data Services (Datos Insights), Diebold Nixdorf is the undisputed leader on the French market. It is the leading supplier in terms of sales of self-service checkouts, with 68% market share at the end of 2023, covering all segments (grande distribution, restoration, cosmetics…). Selon Diebold Nixdorf, self-checkouts have allowed brands to increase the productivity of their teams by 10 to 15%, freeing up employees to perform higher value-added tasks. They also appealed to consumers. So, more than 75% of French people use them regularly, with an increase of 20% over the last five years.
Continuous innovation thanks to AI
“Twenty years ago, Diebold Nixdorf has brought new technology to streamline checkout procedures. The main objective of self-checkouts was to make the customer experience in-store more pleasant and to offer consumers a choice between self-checkouts and traditional checkouts.. With time, they responded to new challenges for retailers such as the difficulties of hiring cashiers in rural areas, as well as inflation, who pushed them to adapt”, remarks Hervé Grelet, vice-president France and EMEA West & Iberia de Diebold Nixdorf. The position that Diebold Nixdorf holds on the French and European markets is also linked to innovations, in particular its projects integrating artificial intelligence to anticipate the future needs of retailers and stay at the forefront of technology. So Diebold Nixdorf has developed a new solution for checkouts ; the new generation DN Series Easy One, designed for points of sale that require great flexibility. The Easy One series can be configured like a traditional crate, semi-automatic or automatic. It also offers several modular and security options. " Today, we aim to reduce fraud, observe suspicious behavior, recognize items without barcodes, to prevent breakdowns. There are a billion cameras in the world that see everything, but don't understand anything. Imagine that with our technologies we could solve this problem”, adds Hervé Grelet.
Development of offers for retailers
Other novelty, Diebold Nixdorf has developed a new differentiating offer : « Store Evolution & Advisiory Services. » It allows data from points of sale to be collected. With the help of analysis tools, the company recommends the ideal checkout line so that the customer's goals are met. “Customers regularly ask us to advise them on the operational definition of the right mix between traditional checkouts and automatic checkouts.. They both have strengths. Self-service must continue to improve the customer experience, by making the checkout process even more fluid while reinforcing the added value for the brand, employees and consumers”, concludes Hervé Grelet.
* EMEA : Europe Middle East & Africa.
