Independent retail society OurCoop has won a national award for transforming the checkout experience across its food stores.
The society was named winner of the Operational Excellence in Customer Experience category at the 2026 Operational Excellence Awards, “recognising its work to combine investment in self-checkout technology with practical improvements to store layouts and colleague training”.
Backed by a £500,000 investment in 2025, the programme introduced self-checkouts into stores where they were not previously available and redesigned checkout areas in larger Food Market stores to create a more convenient and accessible shopping experience.
Changes included improving access for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, introducing larger bagging areas to accommodate bigger shops and, in some stores, replacing traditional belted checkouts with more flexible self-service options.
The improvements have already made a meaningful difference to customers, says OurCoop, with one mobility scooter user telling the society it was the first time he had been able to complete his shopping independently.
Self-checkout usage has also increased across OurCoop’s Food Market and convenience stores following the changes, which the society says gives colleagues more opportunities to support customers elsewhere in store.
OurCoop adds that customer experience “remained at the heart of this project”, with colleagues receiving in-store coaching in stores, “helping them build confidence in supporting customers and making the most of the new checkout environments”.
Cheryl Tree, continuous improvement manager at OurCoop, said: “This project has always been about much more than introducing new technology. It’s about listening to our colleagues and making adjustments that genuinely improve the shopping experience for our members and customers.
“”Some of the biggest improvements came from spending time with colleagues in stores, hearing their ideas and understanding the challenges customers face. Their feedback helped us make practical updates that have made a real difference.
“Knowing that one customer was able to shop independently for the first time shows just how important these changes can be. We’re incredibly proud to have won this award, and it’s a real credit to everyone who helped bring the project to life.”
