M&S is testing a huge change to checkouts and items won’t need scanning
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MARKS & Spencer is trialling new smart checkouts that will tot up shoppers' baskets with no need for scanning. In a huge change for shoppers, the checkouts will allow them to simply place their purchases on a till and receive their bill. The trial has been launched in the clothing and home departments of M&S' branch in Woking, Surrey, and, if successful, it could be rolled out to other branches.
![[Shoppers outside a Marks & Spencer store.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/67cb5842-6671-484a-b0a7-dda2c68f6d97.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The tills use chips embedded in price tags to automatically identify items with no need for scanning. Prices are then totted up and shoppers are presented with their bill. The tills are already used by a limited number of retailers including Uniqlo, to speed up checkout times and free-up staff time.
M&S said it has seen a 40% reduction in transaction times at the new tills, compared to standard self-checkout tills. An M&S Spokesperson said: "We help our customers to shop when, where and how they want by providing a choice of manned checkouts and self-service tills and we always offer customers the option to shop and pay with a colleague’s help.”.
Consumers can expect to see an increase in technology in stores in the coming months. However, it is understood there will still be staff available to help at checkouts. Companies are looking for efficiency savings to offset the upcoming hike in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) and minimum wage.
Marks and Spencer is not alone in trialling these new checkouts. Next chief executive Lord Simon Wolfson has said that the retail giant was going to start trialling the tills in February or March as part of its efforts to cut costs and reduce the need to raise prices.
