Following Sainsbury's boss Simon Roberts' claim that Britons like self-checkouts...
...we asked Money blog readers, and followers of our LinkedIn page, for their views.
While our inbox was filled with a lot of hate for self-checkouts, our poll of 2,613 people on LinkedIn shows that, overall, Mr Roberts was right...
We have rounded up some of your views here...
Self-checkout is the worst thing to ever happen. Standing like a child with your hand up, one person running up and down to deal with this, underpaid and understaffed.
Janice Karaaziz, Money reader
I'll go out of my way to find a cashier, largely because my five-year-old will make a beeline for pressing the scales. I've noticed my local store having fewer and fewer cashiers on - and on many occasions there have been none. We need to think about inclusivity here. There will be some customers who will need a cashier for various reasons, so would expect there to always be at least one on, so stores are accessible for everyone.
KaraS, LinkedIn
I try and limit my social interactions as much as possible, out of choice, so most of the time self-checkouts are convenient.
Alasdair Corton, LinkedIn
They induce a level of irritation. Sometimes I can be heard answering them back. In general I choose to have my items flung at me by Lidl checkout staff.
Siobhan W, LinkedIn
Self-checkout provides a great alternative to customers, especially those with smaller quantity purchases, but personally I think it's sad to see them dominate the front of Sainsbury's stores. In my opinion, it's the removal of one of the greatest ways to provide good customer service.
Tom Tregay, LinkedIn
Self-checkouts are great, I will always choose to use one instead of a normal checkout. Some are easier to use than others, the Co-op and Tesco have easy-to-use interfaces whereas Morrisons is a bit more complicated. They'll evolve over time and there's always staff to help out.
CG, LinkedIn
They're useful, but when they trigger a 'basket check' on nearly every single shop, they begin to lose attractiveness
Nicola Bradley, LinkedIn
I tend to argue with them lol. Especially when I can't get it to scan a particular item or you need approval for something so you have to wait for assistance anyway! Plus as a disabled customer I have to juggle my crutch, shopping, scanning and packing. With reduced staff in shops you can't always get the help you actually need.
Elizabeth Graney, LinkedIn
Definitely not. So when I go to Sainsbury's I see a lot of older people and no way do they want to use self-checkouts. My mother lives in assisted living and all of them say they hate them. Get a grip, Simon - they are not faster, they are saving you employing more staff. I know my aunt has stood at an Asda til until they put a staff member on there
Andrea Robinson, LinkedIn
Robots should never replace humans. Interaction is essential... if machines replace people no one will work it's a crazy dangerous road
Nicola van Eerten, LinkedIn
The self-checkout is a money-saving exercise. They cut back everywhere. No staff on the shop floor to help. Paper bags in the veg section now cost 30p - for absolutely no reason.
Mark, Money reader