By ISN MagazineFor years, self-checkout represented the future of supermarket retailing. The move has generated widespread discussion throughout the retail industry because Walmart has been one of the strongest advocates of self-service technology. Many supermarket chains have faced similar challenges, including increased shrinkage, customer complaints and operational issues linked to extensive self-checkout deployment. Several retailers have already begun reviewing the balance between automated and staffed checkout options. Industry experts believe the future supermarket will not be defined by one checkout format.