Supermarkets in Spain loose €4bn at tills

SUPERMARKETS in Spain lose 4billion every year due to customers tired of waiting at till queues... and others who use the time to add up and have second thoughts about some or all their purchases.

Experts have carried out in-depth studies of consumer habits throughout the country to reach their conclusions that include supermarkets, hypermarkets and large stores with numerous tills .

his is aTrelatively new field. Until recently, stores handled endless reports on display techniques, pricing and product placement, but very little on the final payment process.

Supermarket chains that have very small profit margins rely on a large number of customers who also buy many products. However, queues at tills are costing them dearly.

Waiting customers have time to calculate how much they have put in a trolley and, frequently, remove some products to reduce the amount spent. Others carrying few items or are in a hurry simply run out of time or patience and leave the store without purchasing. All these factors cost stores the aforementioned €4bn per year.

Single queue solution

According to consultants Nielsen, the most effective way to reduce losses is the single queue (Carrefour, Media Markt, Decathlon, Primark), because the customer is always moving. 'Shoppers do not despair, continue active and have no time to 'reconsider purchases'.

However, the actual conveyor belt process should not be too fast for the store's sake. Establishments place so called 'impulse purchase items' (not on their shopping list but something the consumer 'fancies') around the conveyor belt and till - and even along the side of single queues. These products have higher profit margins for the store and represent considerable income.