Carrefour first trialled the service in 2019, with other retailers Système U and Auchan following suit after with their own versions.
The ‘slow checkouts’ are for shoppers who want a more personal experience and aim to help tackle loneliness and isolation.
There are around 150 shops in France that currently have this type of slow checkout, the news site stated.
“The concept is simple,” Gaelle Prampart, head of Carrefour’s customer experience, said.
“The checkout is signposted in the aisle and each customer can choose to go through it. The idea is to take the time to talk to people who want to.”
Patrick, a local customer, told Franceinfo he liked the idea of it. “I think it’s good. It humanizes things a bit more,” he said.
Corinne, who works behind the Blabla till in the shop in Épinal, confirms Patrick’s belief that it is more enjoyable for the staff.
