Improving Labor-Hour Productivity Through Labor-Saving and Workforce-Reduction Measures

「We introduced smartphone checkout at 4 additional stores as part of ongoing efforts to shorten accounting times and reduce checkout waiting times, bringing the cumulative number of stores with the system to 18.」

「Although it increased from the previous fiscal year, efforts to improve productivity are beginning to have an effect, and labor productivity per person-hour at existing stores reached 103.8% of the previous fiscal year's level.」

「As part of its productivity improvement initiatives, the company continued to promote the introduction of electronic shelf labels, self-checkout and touch-screen monitors called “CI Boards,” which it had been implementing. These measures improved operating efficiency, bringing total labor hours at existing stores to 97.9% of the year-earlier level.」

「Regarding the transition to and establishment of new operations, we continued installing self-checkout and electronic shelf labels to improve productivity, and introduced the Mobile Assistant system at all stores, enabling store real-time information to be accessed easily and quickly via information devices.」

「Regarding the transition to and establishment of new operations, the company advanced the introduction of self-checkout and introduced a system enabling the automatic creation of work schedules using AI to improve productivity. These initiatives brought total labor hours per store to 98.8% of the year-earlier level. The company also introduced touch-screen monitors called “CI Boards” in back-store aisles, making it easier to communicate information and check numerical data.」

「Regarding the transition to and establishment of new operations, the company introduced electronic shelf labels at 6 stores during the cumulative first quarter period, bringing the cumulative number of stores with the system to 42. It also newly introduced or added self-checkout at 13 stores during the period, bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 120. As an initiative to improve work practices, the company introduced touch-screen monitors called “CI Boards” in back-store aisles, making it easier to communicate information and check numerical data; the system had been introduced at 55 stores as of the end of the first quarter. In addition, a system enabling the automatic creation of work schedules using AI was introduced in the food checkout departments of 127 stores.」

「Under the reform of the earnings structure, we installed electronic shelf labels at 20 stores during the cumulative third quarter to improve productivity, while installing self-checkout through new and additional installations at 32 stores, bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 118.」

「We also installed self-checkout through new and additional installations at 28 stores during the cumulative second quarter, bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 117.」

「We also installed self-checkout through new and additional installations at 12 stores during the cumulative first quarter, bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 116, while total labor hours fell to 98.6% of the year-earlier level through efforts to improve operating efficiency.」

「We also promoted the introduction of self-checkout, installing it at 27 stores through new and additional installations during the fiscal year and bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 107.」

「We also promoted the introduction of self-checkout lanes to ease checkout congestion, reduce the burden on customers and improve operating efficiency, installing them at 24 stores through new and additional installations during the cumulative third quarter and bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 102.」

「We also promoted the introduction of self-checkout lanes to ease checkout congestion, reduce the burden on customers and improve operating efficiency, installing them at 17 stores through new and additional installations during the cumulative second quarter and bringing the cumulative number of stores with self-checkout to 100.」

「We also promoted the introduction of self-checkout lanes to ease checkout congestion, reduce the burden on customers and improve operating efficiency, installing them at 45 stores in total through new and additional installations.」

「We also promoted the introduction of self-checkout lanes to ease checkout congestion, reduce the burden on customers and improve operating efficiency, installing them at 46 stores in total through new and additional installations.」

「The company promoted the introduction of self-checkout counters to improve operational efficiency and eliminate customer inconvenience caused by checkout congestion, installing them at a total of 35 stores through new and additional installations.」

「Selling, general and administrative expenses were ¥23,564 million (105.9% of the level in the same period of the previous year), as the company actively invested in operational reforms, including major store revitalization and the introduction of self-checkout counters.」

「The company will promote the use of digital technology in store operations and create convenient, stress-free stores through the introduction of self-checkout counters and digital signage, as well as the expansion of in-store pickup services for e-commerce orders.」

「The company newly introduced 60 self-checkout and semi-self-checkout counters. A total of 307 counters are now installed at 34 GMS stores, helping reduce customer waiting times.」

「The company introduced self-checkout counters at 4 stores, including AEON Yukawa, which simplify register operation and store operations, and advanced operational efficiency.」

「In addition to introducing new registers that are easy to operate and learn at all 40 GMS stores, the company newly introduced self-checkout counters at 9 GMS stores, helping reduce customer waiting times. Education and operating costs were reduced, and total labor hours declined by approximately 1%. The company also introduced smartphones at all stores to improve operational efficiency through faster internal information sharing and video access to work procedures.」

「As part of our labour-saving and workforce-reduction initiatives, we reduced in-store workload in the GMS business by promoting the introduction of self-checkouts and installing energy-efficient kitchen equipment. As a result, despite rising labour costs, we controlled labour costs at 100.5% of the previous fiscal year, while total selling, general and administrative expenses were 100.6% of the previous fiscal year, keeping the increase within the rise in gross operating profit.」

「The company is implementing initiatives to further improve operational efficiency by introducing fixtures and equipment that reduce labor requirements and the amount of manual work in in-store operations.」

「In the online supermarket business, we pursued system upgrades and improvements to work processes inside fulfilment centres. In the general merchandise store business, we advanced the introduction of in-store communication equipment capable of simultaneously broadcasting to multiple employees, labour-saving food preparation and cleaning equipment, and self-checkout registers, with the aim of improving labour productivity.」

「By introducing in-store communication devices at 4 stores in Sapporo that enable simultaneous communication with multiple in-store employees, the company made it possible to respond more quickly to sales-floor staffing and product checks. It also improved labor productivity by introducing food preparation equipment, cleaning equipment and other equipment that reduces labor requirements.」