The Kroger on Whitlock has been doing this for some time, while I have noticed that Publix hasn’t been as quick to jump on the bandwagon - I wonder why? After reading this, I see what they mean - I am less likely to buy stuff if I have to scan my groceries myself.

What do you think?

The Associated Press

ATLANTA - The magazines, candy bars and lighters stocked beside traditional checkout counters linger on shelves a little longer these days as the popularity of scan-it-yourself registers grows.

According to new research from retail technology advisory firm IHL Consulting Group, sales of the last-minute items have plummeted.

From 2004 to 2005, sales scanned at the self-checkout registers rose 35 percent to $111 billion. But in that time, impulse purchases by women decreased 50 percent when they used the self-checkout, and men made last-minute grabs 28 percent less.

Some retailers are responding to the drop in sales by stocking impulse items in the self-checkout areas, too. The Atlanta-based Home Depot started selling candy at all checkout stations, including the do-it-yourself ones.

Kroger also has begun putting up product displays at self-checkouts.

But even placing candy bars and magazines next to the self-checkouts might not turn the trend around.

“Folks have more on their minds at the self-checkout,” said Jerry Sheldon, vice president of technology at Tennessee-based IHL.

“The machine is barking orders at them, and people take it personally. They don’t want to make a mistake, especially in front of the other shoppers waiting in line.”

IHL surveyed 533 consumers for the report.