Automated Checkouts!

Something we are seeing more and more of in ourshops is automated checkout machines (or tills). I can accept a big supermarket using them, thats fine. But I was surprised to see them at a home furnishings store Ikea and more surprised of late to see them in B&Q.

My question is, is there really that much of a saving in the purchase, running & maintenance of one of these machines when compared to a manual till and an employee on near min wage?

When jobs are hard to come by why are hundreds being lost up and down the country to these machines?