Amid labor shortage Japan’s Lawson to install unmanned counters, robots
Japanese convenience store operator Lawson is planning to roll out unattended late-night checkout counters at some its stores by February 2019 to mitigate manpower shortage in the country, reports The Japan Times.
The technology, on test run next spring, will be put into service from midnight to 5 a.m. along with more CCTV cameras.
Customers may enter and leave the store and pay using a smartphone app. The app will also track shoplifters.
In addition, Lawson will test robots capable of receiving payments and bagging purchased goods.
However, stores will not be totally unstaffed as the company plans to employ at least one worker during the late-night service.
