From mid-October 2020, new cash registers were implemented in Rossmann stores in Warsaw, Lublin or Białystok and many more. Those devices combine the functions of traditional and self-service cash registers and are adapted to the needs of disabled people - this is the first such solution on the market. The project was carried out in cooperation with SelfMaker - one of the most technologically innovative Polish companies. Rossmann - a leading chain of cosmetic drugstores, has invested in the market and dictated the trends in the development of self-checkout technology.

It is estimated that the Deaf community in Poland has a population of 500,000 people, and severe hearing loss is the problem for another 900 thousand Poles. According to the data from the Central Statistical Office of Poland, about 1 million Poles are visually impaired and have serious reading difficulties (data for 2016).

Shopping should be a good and positive experience for everyone. New self-service checkouts increase the availability of stores for everyone, regardless of their physical condition. Thanks to the increased contrast and the appropriate font, they are user-friendly for the visually impaired.

In addition to the intuitive system, the new cash registers have been designed in such a way as to combine the functions of traditional and self-service cash registers - they are the first cash registers of this type on the market. SelfMaker is responsible for this solution.

A movable, 15-inch screen that can be rotated 180 degrees allows the cash register to be operated by a store employee or a customer, when there’s no cashier around. It is enough for the customer to turn the screen towards himself and start scanning the products himself. In addition, the screen can move up and down, which allows to adjust its height to the client. Thanks to this solution, people on a wheelchair can lower the screen to the appropriate level and make a purchase more comfortable, also taller people can adjust the screen to their own needs.

“When implementing the self-service checkout project for Rossmann, we were guided by the idea of ​​accessibility for each client, regardless of the presence of an employee at the checkout, as well as the removal of barriers for people with disabilities. The solution that we worked on with a team of designers for many weeks allows us to lock the advanced technology into a device with size of a PC. This is a big step in the self-service device industry. Until now, the cash registers that operated on the market took up a lot of store space and did not have an interesting appearance. The cash register designed for Rossmann combines technology, functionality and design that is consistent with the arrangement and aesthetics of the store” - says Marek Wieteska, CEO of SelfMaker.

"Self-service checkouts are not only about efficient shopping, mobility of screens and hybridity that connects people and technology. It is also a response to the needs of the Deaf community, for whom visiting a store is stressful. For many people, having to use a traditional cash register is a way out of their comfort zone" – as explained by Kamil Chomski, one of the Deaf people employed at SelfMaker

"Modern technology is developing very quickly, for me it is a power that not only changes the world globally, but also contributes to improving the quality of life of Deaf people. In the course of everyday activities - such as shopping or dinning in the city, we encounter a communication barrier related to the inability to efficiently transfer information. That is why self-service checkouts are a great convenience, they improve our quality of life and reduce the stress of communicating".