Two supermarkets in Kempten have introduced so-called chat funds. Customers can pay for their purchases in peace and quiet while having a conversation with the cashier.
The concept is a response to a growing social challenge: “fighting loneliness” A 2010 meta-analysis that evaluated 148 studies with over 300,000 people surveyed found that loneliness can be just as harmful as smoking. It can be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and twice as harmful than obesity. The chat checkouts are intended not only to provide an opportunity for social interaction, but also to offer a “positive and relaxed shopping experience”