Job destruction
A couple of days ago I ventured into my nearest German supermarket: you know the kind I mean: own label foodstuffs, full range of fruit and vegetables, and some household items, randomly arranged, famous for employing the minimum staff to allow them to operate.
Once I enjoyed shopping there. The quality was decent and value for money, and most of all the till procedure suited me; pile everything back into the trolley, pay for it and pack it at my own pace.
It was fine, until they installed self-operated check-out machines, and stopped calling everyone’Dear customers.’ We ain’t, not any more.
The point of these auto things is not customer convenience. They are a means of reducing payroll costs, allowing Aldidl to employ even fewer people. They are also a pain in the fundament, in that they throw too much information at the customer at once.
I find them exasperating, and I said as much to the person overseeing the operation. The response staggered me: ‘I don’t care. I have a job here and I’m not going to get into an argument about it.’
Fine. You won’t get an argument from me, not least because I don’t plan to repeat the experience any time soon.
Quintin Jardine's blog 
My sentiments exactly !!!
I will happily join a long queue to be served by a human rather than be forced to do my own totting up on a machine. I can remember the days when I first learned to drive in 1963 when you drove onto a forecourt and a bevy of young men rushed out, filled the vehicle with fuel, topped up your battery or radiator, checked your tyres as required, took the money (cash or course) and brought back your change – all the while you sat in the driver’s seat. No tip expected, just a smile from the pretty young woman. Those days are long gone (as has the pretty young lady) . Now it’s do it yourself, and pay much more for it.