In the United States, self-checkout counters are disappearing, while they continue to expand in Hungary. Major retail chains like Walmart and Costco are reevaluating their previous strategies, while Amazon is completely ending cashierless payment.

Despite Western press signaling negative changes, the spread of self-checkout counters in Hungary remains dynamic. But why are the United States returning to traditional checkouts while they succeed in Hungary? According to American experience, self-checkout counters cause more problems than they solve.

For instance, the number of thefts is significantly higher, and technical issues are not uncommon. However, in Hungary, such problems are less prevalent, and companies are appropriately optimizing the ratio of self-checkout counters to traditional checkouts. Ultimately, the business decision is based on store turnover and customer needs.

In Hungarian food retail chains, self-checkout counters often predominate, and although there are technical challenges, the overall experience is positive. However, it might be wise to turn to alternative checkout and payment methods in the future.