IN THE FAST LANE 2002

PETER PERROTTA

SAN DIEGO -- Supermarket retailers are focusing on investing in more customer-tangible technologies this year, like updating front-end checkouts, as opposed to initiatives that improve back-end logistics.

That was the sentiment of several retailers and industry observers interviewed by SN during and after Food Marketing Institute's Marketechnics 2002 technology show here last week.

Updating self-checkout lanes with the latest-generation equipment or installing stationary scanners that are faster and easier to use were tops on tech "buy" lists.

Brian Abair, director of retail information systems, Minyard Food Stores, Coppell, Texas, said Minyard is about to start testing a "next generation" 3-D scanner, the Magellan 8500, from PSC, Eugene, Ore.

This scanner, unveiled at Marketechnics, is able to read UPC codes in three dimensions. When using the Magellan scanner, checkers don't need to locate the UPC codes on items and turn it facing the scanner before it can be checked.

Instead, the Magellan's three-dimensional "surround scan" enables checkers to scan items simply by waving them over the scanning platform regardless of where the UPC code is positioned.

Industry observers said this new scanner should start making its way into more supermarkets in the near future because it is a great time- and labor-saver.

Abair said Minyard would test the new scanner in a yet-to-be-determined store beginning next week.

"This is going to allow us to get a higher level of production from our employees," Abair said.

Moreover, Abair said the new scanner will save money because its scanning platter is designed to provide more accurate weights on produce.

Minyard has plans to do a larger-scale pilot for the Magellan 8500, he said.

While Minyard is evaluating investing in faster scanning equipment for store checkers, the 86-store K-VA-T chain, Abingdon, Va., is looking to get in the "fast lane" with its self-check program.

Tom Hembree, K-VA-T spokesman, said K-VA-T will test the very latest self-checkout unit from NCR Corp., Dayton, Ohio, called the FastLane.

"If this works out -- and I suspect it will -- we will have a grow-out from there," Hembree said.

Currently, K-VA-T has NCR self-check units in 15 of its stores.

However, the FastLane -- also unveiled at Marketechnics -- is the latest-generation self-check unit NCR makes.

The unit is compact, modular and designed to adapt to express and large-order checkout lanes.

Hembree said he could not project how many additional store installations there would be this year, since the chain was still working on its capital expenditure budget.

While K-VA-T officials are still evaluating how much to spend, officials at Food Lion, Jacksonville, Fla., will be investing in self-check in a big way this year.

Doug Miller, director of store systems, Food Lion, said the chain has plans to outfit 50 additional stores with self-checkout units from Productivity Solutions Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.

Food Lion currently has self-checkout units in 11 stores.

Miller said Food Lion will be installing PSI's ACM (automated checkout machine), the latest generation self-check model available from that manufacturer.

Industry observers said the ACM, like others in its field, is also more modular and more compact, and can be converted from a large checkout lane to express.

The system features a full-color touch screen that is capable of providing multimedia instructions.

"Based on the ACM's proven technology to handle both large and small orders easily, regardless of store volume or format, we are expanding our installations," Miller said.

Self-check and scanners weren't the only items, however, that retailers were evaluating at Marketechnics this year.

Epson, Long Beach, Calif., introduced a new, digital check-imaging printer at the show, called the TM-H6000II, that is state of the art in electronic-check conversion at the point of sale.

The printer can be integrated into the POS system, making check conversions a faster and paperless process. Once the printer images a customer's check, the paper check is handed back to the customer and the funds transfer is completed electronically.

Sources told SN that two high-profile retailers are about to implement a rollout of this system.