SUPERMARKET SHOPPING

In 1994, to buy your food, people went to supermarkets and the high streets.  When you shopped, you would interact with other people and speak to the cashier at the checkout.

However, in the early 2000’s, self service check outs were introduced which allowed customers to scan and pay for their supermarket shop without needing a traditional staffed checkout.

In 2009, Tesco opened its first UK branch in Kingsley, Northampton where self service checkouts were the only option, allowing no opportunities for connection with another human at the tills. 

Then, things became even more atomised. In 2000 Ocado developed a supermarket delivery service and by 2002, their delivery area increased to cover 2.2 million households. This meant that people no longer even needed to go to a supermarket with other humans.  Instead they could click and their groceries would arrive at their door with very minimal human interaction.  Supermarkets such as Sainsburies and Tesco quickly followed with delivery services.

In 2011, Tesco launched its Click & Collect service where customers park at a collection point and groceries put into their car boot without the need for human contact.  In 2024, Click-and-collect transactions will be worth £42.4bn. 

In February 2020, Amazon launched Amazon Go. This is known as ‘Just Walk Out’ shopping. There is no traditional checkout. Instead, anything you pick up and walk out of the store with is automatically charged to your account.  They use computer vision and deep learning to track customers and products.  They are completely cashierless. In August 2023, there were 20 Amazon Fresh stores in the UK.

Similarly, in 2024, there are food lockers such as Lola’s Cupcakes where you order online and collect your food from a locker with no human interaction.

Therefore, in 1994, to purchase groceries at the supermarket, there were lots of opportunities for interaction.  However, now with self scan check outs, Amazon Go walkouts, food locker services, grocery deliveries and click and collect, people can get their groceries with minimal or no human contact which increases solitude and atomisation.