Automation has hit the manufacturing industry hard, costing the industry millions of factory jobs — yet it has the potential to hit retail even harder.
According to a new study by financial services firm Cornerstone Capital Group, robots are poised to capture between 6 million and 7.5 million jobs over the next 10 years across retail and other sectors. That breaks down to 38 percent of the current 16 million-strong retail workforce.
The change will likely start with cashiers — “one of the most easily automatable jobs in the economy,” the study said. That means anyone who hasn’t learned to use the self-checkout line at the grocery store had better get used to it soon.
