Alimentation Couche Tard : Circle K Ireland installs automated machines to limit staff cash handling

Pictured above: Alan Condron (left), a director of PCS, and Paul Dixon, Regional director of operations at Circle K Ireland)

Circle K Ireland has now installed closed payment systems at 74 locations on its network of 410 service stations to eliminate the need for staff to handle cash from customers.

Customers paying in cash, insert their bills and coins into the machine, which counts it and automatically returns change, cutting down till work for cashiers. The purpose of the new cash machines is to enhance security at stores, reduce theft, while also cutting down on back-office administration and cash handling. They also help in eliminating cash shrinkage, discrepancies, and reconciliations from the daily cash process.

Closed cash handling establishes a single, secure, controlled routine for the whole store and automates counting and checking, requiring minimal administration, and ultimately makes it easier for our people and customers by offering a safe and contactless experience.

Paul Dixon, Circle K Ireland's Regional director of operations

When ACT acquired Topaz Ireland in FY16, the level of robberies was at an all-time high with 35 robberies per year and have decreased to a current level of 8 robberies in FY21. This was mainly due to implementing closed payment systems, based on a store risk assessment.

In our global sustainability journey, our 2030 ambition is zero harm for people, customers, employees and suppliers. The deployment of closed payment systems is part of our many robbery prevention programs and pilots around our network that contribute to this goal. They are currently operated in over 450 company-owned sites in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

With the health and safety of our people, customers and suppliers being our top priority, we continue our focus on deploying best-in-class robbery prevention policies and practices. Based on the learnings from Europe, risk assessments are being conducted on high-risk sites in the US and Canada, and closed payment solution is one of the tools that will be piloted moving forward to drive positive results.

To learn more about our commitment to sustainability and workplace safety, you can read about it here or in our 2021 sustainability report.