Fujitsu and StoreNext Bag New Self-Checkout Customers

FRISCO and PLANO, TX — Self-checkout technology continues to gain momentum among large national grocery chains and independent regional grocers, according to new customer announcements from Fujitsu Transaction Solutions and StoreNext Retail Technologies LLC, speaking from the annual Food Marketing Institute's (FMI) Marketechnics show in Washington, D.C.

Fujitsu has been awarded the self-checkout business of Publix Super Markets. Fujitsu expects to begin installing its U-Scan systems at Publix later this year.

In Japan, supermarket chain Okuwa Co., Ltd. has installed the first Fujitsu self-checkout system in Japan at supermarket Mesa Okuwa, at the Garden Park Wakayama shopping center in Wakayama City, Japan, near Osaka.

Ahold's Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, PA, is partnering with Fujitsu as the first U.S. supermarket to install the Fujitsu U-Scan Max self-checkout system in a live retail environment. The Giant chain currently uses U-Scan self-checkout systems at close to 90 stores in its chain.

StoreNext, a 50-50 joint venture of Fujitsu and Retalix Ltd. that focuses exclusively on serving the technology needs of independent grocers, will announce that Sherm's Thunderbird Markets, a four-store, family owned independent grocer based in Medford, OR has implemented the Fujitsu U-Scan self-checkout system. Sherm's inaugural installation at the Thunderbird Market in Roseburg, OR, went live in late October 2004 and has seen quick shopper acceptance and take-up, according to store manager Steve Rolston.

Hiller's Markets, a Metro Detroit area independent, will deploy Fujitsu U-Scan self-checkout systems across the six-store, family owned chain. StoreNext will install U-Scan systems to replace a competing first-generation self-checkout system in one store. U-Scan will also be deployed at the other five locations, for a total of 24 self-checkout lanes.

Fujitsu Transaction Solutions' offerings include multi-vendor infrastructure management services, point-of-sale hardware and software, mobile devices and self service systems including U-Scan.