Automated checkouts have transformed supermarket shopping over the past 10 years. The days of exchanging pleasantries while packing up your groceries are becoming a thing of the past, replaced by lasers and beeps brought in to streamline the payment process.

Despite being designed to trim workforces, cut queuing times and improve the customer experience, I seem to spend more time re-scanning items and pressing the ‘Seek Assistance’ button than I do marvelling at this efficient use of technology.