Asda rolls out new checkout services to make things 'simpler' for shoppers

Asda has rolled out a new a checkout software, touchscreens and scanners across its UK stores

Asda has rolled out thousands of new checkout screens and scanners across its UK stores.

The supermarket chain is currently transitioning away from its legacy Walmart IT systems to its own purpose built reports the Grocer Magazine. The move comes three years after the Issa brothers bought the chain from Walmart. The IT transition project was dubbed "Project Future" and has seen around 17,000 checkouts renovated, over 6,000 hardware installations, as well as 30,000 scan and go devices updated. Asda noted that it had also retrained around 30,000 staff across its UK stores.

Kevin Besford, Asda senior director of retail transformation said the new IT systems and touchscreen checkout services would improve the shopping experience for both shoppers and Asda staff. Asda worked with checkout technology provider NCR on the update.

Kevin said: "Asda’s Future Programme is part of the biggest transformation in our history, converting over 24 years of Walmart systems and processes to a new and independent way of operating. As part of our separation from Walmart, we needed to remove our current manned checkouts and change the software across all our other checkouts in 612 of our stores."

“This has given us the opportunity to build our own Asda front end from scratch, so we’ve added brand new touchscreens and scanners. This change has made things much quicker and simpler for our colleagues and customers, and we now have the potential to unlock much more functionality and innovation than before.

Back in January, it was reported that the supermarket chain was still paying Walmart for it's IT system. While the amount Asda was paying Walmart is not known, the extra costs were thought to add additional pressure to the supermarket, which is facing billions of pounds worth of debt.