At Schnuck Markets, self-checkout machines are getting additional features that bring them more on par with traditional checkout lanes. 

The Midwestern grocer announced Wednesday it is adding the ability for customers using self-checkout to redeem Schnucks Rewards points and purchase gift cards for Schnucks as well as other retailer gift cards. For gift card purchases, customers will be limited to $200 per gift card and a total of $1,000 per customer, per day, according to the announcement. 

The two additions to that checkout method are currently available at the grocery chain’s traditional checkout lanes. While it did not specify the exact number of stores that have self-checkout, Schnucks said the checkout option is available at the “vast majority” of its locations. 

Recent research has shown growing usage of self-checkout among grocery consumers. Self-checkout terminals accounted for 55% of grocery transactions in 2022 and made up nearly half of all checkout registers at the end of that year, according to a VideoMining study released earlier this year. 

An analysis of 4.5 billion transactions in 2021 by shopper intelligence firm Catalina found that consumers who use both self-checkout stations and staffed checkout lanes consistently have the highest retention rates and best customer value. 

“We continue to listen to our customers’ feedback and work to bring them more efficient shopping experiences in our stores,” Schnucks IT Director Michael Wait said in the announcement. “Shoppers who prefer the convenience of self checkout can now enjoy the same perks and products as those who use our traditional check lanes.”