As of August 2025, Shoprite’s Checkers announced a planned rolled out of South
Africa’s first “smart trolley”—the Xpress Trolley—in a pilot program across two Western
Cape stores. Shoppers can now scan items, track live spending, navigate the store, and pay directly on the trolley. No need to stand in checkout queues!

However, such digital innovation comes with a shadow. Some unions have raised concerns over the potential displacement of cashiers. The fear is that innovations like smart trolleys could eventually reduce the need for human cashiers, further tightening an already strained job market. Shoprite–Checkers is one of the largest employers in the retail sector, in fact they are a certified top employer in Africa, providing opportunities for almost 169 000 employees nationwide.

According to the QLFS Q1: 2025 results, there was a decrease of 291 000 in the number of employed people to 16,8 million from 17,1 million in Q4: 2024, thus bringing the official unemployment rate in SA to a high of 32,9%.

South Africa’s economy relies heavily on entry-level and frontline workers, many of whom fill essential, hands-on roles in retail, services, and logistics. In a country where formal unemployment remains staggeringly high, the threat of automation is understandably alarming. Critics warn that technologies like the Xpress Trolley could widen the gap between innovation and inclusion, especially if implemented without plans to reskill or redeploy affected workers.

That said, proponents of innovation argue that technological disruption doesn’t have to be a threat to jobs. They view tools like the smart trolley as a springboard for upskilling: transitioning employees from manual roles to new opportunities in customer engagement, tech support, logistics, and analytics. This could be a path toward long-term career growth, provided the right support systems are in place.

But therein lies the challenge. South Africa’s education and training infrastructure often struggles to deliver timely, relevant skills development at scale. Without coordinated efforts from the private sector, government, and organised labour, the transition from frontline work to future-focused roles may remain out of reach for many.

Still, there’s cautious optimism. If Shoprite were to collaborate with unions, invest meaningfully in skills development, and phase in automation in a people-first way, digital tools like the Xpress Trolley could complement, rather than replace, the workforce. The real opportunity lies in turning retail innovation into a platform for human development—not just efficiency.

Shoprite said the trial was part of its strategy “to become South Africa’s most profitable and seamless omnichannel retailer”. The scale of the plans seems big, and given the Group’s commitment to people, there is hope that frontline and entry-level workers have a place in the rapidly growing modernising retail market and ecosystem.

The Xpress Trolley pilot captures a broader national tension: the opportunity cost of digital innovation versus the security of meaningful work. In South Africa, innovation must be inclusive. Otherwise, convenience may come at a cost we can’t afford.