Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda shoppers share supermarket feature they avoid

Daemon's survey found 60 per cent of Britons prefer to use a traditional cashier as opposed to a self-checkout terminal - with the figure climbing to 71 per cent among Baby Boomers

New research shows that a regular staple of most supermarkets - but not Aldi - is one many seek to avoid. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda shoppers have the choice between self checkouts or cashiers - and new research shows that they prefer.

A recent poll has revealed that 60 per cent of Brits favour a traditional cashiers over machine-led alternatives. This preference rises to 71 per cent among Baby Boomers, compared to just 59 per cent of Millennials and 46 per cent of Gen-Z.

New shopping innovations such as Click and Collect and Just Walk Out, used by Amazon Fresh supermarkets which allow the shopper to leave without using a till, are also not popular.

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The survey, conducted by UK consultancy Daemon, found that only 14 per cent claimed the former was their favourite method of shopping. Daemon stated this emphasised "the lasting appeal of personal touch-points in the evolving customer shopping experience".

Jimmy Headdon, head of delivery excellence at Daemon, commented: "Cashiers will always have a place, offering a human touch and familiarity, which may be why they are the preference of older generations. Generally, people who feel confused or unsure about using self-service checkouts may avoid them, opting for the reassurance of personal interaction when something goes wrong, like an error with scanning or payment."

Headdon further added that for a smoother checkout experience, supermarkets need to ensure staff are well-trained in customer service and that their technology is user friendly and sufficient enough to meet shoppers' needs. UK firms have begun to reduce the much-criticised self-checkouts following feedback from consumers who expressed a preference for manned tills, reports the Mirror.

Last year, the northern supermarket chain Booths decided to remove self-checkouts from all but two of its 28 stores following customer feedback. Meanwhile, in August, Morrisons, one of the "big four", announced it was reducing the number of self-service checkouts after acknowledging an over-installation in some locations.

The company carried out a review of self-checkout facilities across its stores and identified approximately 20 that required a reduction in terminals. In contrast, Asda's chief financial officer Michael Gleeson revealed the retailer is investing £30 million to increase the number of staffed checkouts.

Self-service tills have come under fire for frequently malfunctioning, causing delays for customers during checkout. They have also been implicated in contributing to a rise in shoplifting incidents, with a previous Mirror investigation finding that 38 per cent of people admitted to stealing a pricier item by scanning it as a cheaper product at these tills.