In a world where technology is constantly developing, it’s sometimes quite scary to look ahead and wonder where we could be in a couple of decades. With talk of driverless cars set to come into play, it seems that, soon, even the simplest of tasks at home and at work could be delegated to robots. So, what effect could this have on the retail sector?

According to a report from the Cornerstone Capital Group, up to 7.5-million retail jobs will become non-existent over the coming years. Cashiers, of which 73% are women, are expected to take the biggest hit.

It’s a pressing issue that is facing retailers across the world. Should we be moving with the times and encouraging the growth of automation? Could customer experiences be spoiled by a lack of human interaction?

Businesses should be ready to change with the times. In some areas behind the scenes, automation could help to save time, reduce errors and increase profitability. For jobs such as inventory management, automation systems are already coming into play. 

On the other hand, consumer-facing roles are key to the shopping experience and removing this face-to-face interaction could have an adverse effect on the industry.