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Checkout checkpoint shows why new exit gates leave shoppers divided

Gian T
By Gian T
  • Replies 22
Food and Lifestyle

Checkout checkpoint shows why new exit gates leave shoppers divided

1755668020497.png Checkout checkpoint shows why new exit gates leave shoppers divided
New exit gates raise bigger questions about trust, security, and how Australians want their shopping experience to feel. Credit: @@azzanschuster / TikTok

When a routine shopping trip becomes a talking point across social media, you know something significant has shifted in the retail world. That's exactly what happened when shoppers discovered Kmart's Broadmeadows store had installed entrance and exit gates that wouldn't look out of place at a supermarket - and the reaction has been anything but uniform.



The gates, spotted by TikTok user @assanschuster, represent more than just a store redesign. They're a window into Australian retailers' unprecedented challenges as shoplifting reaches levels not seen in decades.



In this Article



What exactly are we looking at?



These aren't the typical swing-door arrangements you might remember from older Kmart stores. The Broadmeadows location now features controlled entry and exit points similar to those trialled at Woolworths' Fairfield store and other major retailers. The technology allows retailers greater control over how customers can exit stores, with automatic and manual options available depending on the setup.









The system works by monitoring customer movement and purchases. Similar to supermarket trials, shoppers may be assigned a digital ID when they enter, which allows the gates to open automatically when they approach after paying at checkout.




'Kmart redesigned their store into the most untrustworthy set up ever'

TikTok user comment



The numbers behind the gates



The installation isn't happening in a vacuum. Australia is experiencing a retail theft crisis that would make any business owner's head spin. Victoria alone has seen shoplifting offences increase by 27.9 per cent in just 12 months, reaching 26,229 incidents - an all-time high.









The scale becomes even more sobering when you look across states:





  • New South Wales: 36.1 per cent surge with 27,015 total offences
  • Western Australia: Over 40 per cent increase compared to last year
  • South Australia: 31 per cent increase with 17,572 cases recorded



Nationally, retail crime including shoplifting, robbery and vandalism costs Australian businesses $9 billion annually - money that ultimately affects pricing for all of us.




Why Broadmeadows?


Broadmeadows is in the 4th percentile for safety, meaning 96 per cent of Victoria suburbs are safer. The odds of becoming a victim of property crime in Broadmeadows are 1 in 9, with a rate of 9944 incidents per 100,000 residents compared to the Victoria average of 3580 per 100,000. In 2024, there were 988 reported cases of theft in Broadmeadows.




Following the supermarket playbook



Kmart isn't pioneering this approach - they're following a trail blazed by major supermarkets. Both Woolworths and Coles have been rolling out security gates at checkouts, with Woolworths' gates already stationed at their Fairfield store in Sydney and trialled at five other locations.









More than 100 Coles stores nationwide now have security gates installed, with the company reporting these have corresponded with a reduction in theft at those locations. As a Coles spokesperson explained: 'We know that retail crime is on the increase across all retailers, and we have a range of security measures in place to reduce theft from our stores'.



The great divide: customer reactions



The response from shoppers has been predictably mixed, reflecting deeper frustrations about the retail experience in 2025.



The critics argue:








Many customers feel the gates create an atmosphere of mistrust. As one TikTok commenter sarcastically noted: 'The fun bit is lining up to scan my items then lining up again for the worker to check my receipt to let me out.'



Others worry about practical inconveniences: 'The problem I see is if you are not buying anything you have to line up to get out?'



The supporters counter:









'The idea that we are not being trusted as consumers is jarring to us because most of us do the right thing anyway,' acknowledged UNSW Business School professor Nitika Garg. However, many shoppers understand the business reality.



'This is great! I've seen first hand the stealing that happens! There has to be a deterrent as security do nothing,' commented one supporter, while another added: 'Can't say I blame them. Feel for the staff; they don't get paid enough.'




Your legal rights with security measures



  • You don't have to show receipts or open bags - walking away is perfectly fine

  • Citizens' arrest can only be used if the person witnessed the crime - security guards have no extra powers beyond ordinary citizens

  • Security guards cannot stop and search you without reasonable suspicion of an offence

  • Retail security gates are designed to open easily in case of emergency




What this means for your shopping routine



For most shoppers, the impact will be minimal. The gates operate automatically for paying customers, similar to train station barriers. The main difference you'll notice is a more controlled flow through the store and potentially longer waits if the system experiences glitches.









The heightened security will make most shoppers 'hyper-vigilant' about avoiding any behaviour that might be misinterpreted, as people naturally want to avoid embarrassing situations.



However, there are some practical considerations. If you change your mind about purchasing something, you may need to exit through a different route as the checkout gate won't open without a purchase. Staff should be available to assist in these situations.



The bigger picture: retail's new reality



This trend reflects broader changes in retail that go beyond just preventing theft. Major retailers are implementing technologies that treat the supermarket as a 'problem space' where customers are tracked and controlled, often in response to purported spikes in shoplifting.









Police estimate that up to 40 per cent of retail theft offenders are first-time thieves - suggesting this isn't just about career criminals but reflects broader economic pressures affecting ordinary families.



The human cost extends beyond just financial losses. When confronted, shame and embarrassment often lead to aggressive responses from shoplifters, endangering retail workers who are often casual employees earning modest wages.





What This Means For You


The conversation around Kmart's Broadmeadows gates reflects larger questions about trust, security, and the kind of shopping experience we want in Australia. While nobody enjoys feeling treated like a potential criminal, the stark reality of rising theft means retailers are having to make difficult choices.



As this technology becomes more widespread, the most successful retailers will be those who can implement necessary security while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere that makes shopping enjoyable rather than a checkpoint experience.



What's your take on retail security gates - necessary protection or a step too far? Have you noticed similar changes at your local stores, and how has it affected your shopping experience?




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Heartbreaking that Up to 40% of people find themselves in a position of having to steal because of economic pressure !
I wonder about these types of gates in the event of a fire in store, it could be disastrous if a lot of people were tying to get out.
 
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Reactions: Benny's Light, etphhome, Mummanew and 4 others
Does not give the people the right to steal from business because of economic pressure. We ran a small business and it was hurting financially because of theft.
 
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Reactions: Benny's Light, relljube, SandyM and 9 others
There has been a lot of shoplifting in my local Kmart, it wouldn't worry me about the gates because Coles already does it. If you are going to thieve, there has to be some deterrent. Just makes the people who are honest more aware of how serious the problem has become.
 
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Reactions: Josephine B, Benny's Light, relljube and 8 others
The wrong spoil for the honest people, and business's has to take measures.
 
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Reactions: Benny's Light, SandyM, Isis and 2 others
The article says that customers feel as though they aren’t trusted and don’t like it. News Flash !!!! They don’t trust you, these days no store does. If we were all trustworthy then there would be no security guards, no instore or outside cameras filming you everywhere you go, none of those metal arch-type detectors that go off if you walk through with an unpaid (maybe) item in your bag, no undercover store detectives wandering around and following those who look a bit suss and so the list goes on with things I don’t even know about. So these things are all just daily occurrences that half the time we just accept and don’t even think about and that’s how it should be. The thing about the gates is that 1) the other policies are working efficiently and 2) the gates are so in your face that you can’t forget about them. You can certainly get used to them like you have every thing else but it’ll just take time to do so.
BUT, many, many moons ago, at school, I was a reasonable high jumper so with a bit (read as massive) amount of practice I can take up a new profession as personalised shop-lifter and get my daily dose of exercise in at the same time.
 
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If you are an honest person then any measures they take to stop thieves shouldn’t matter. I just go about my business, there can be endless cameras and bag checks and I will go along with it. I have nothing to hide so I will never complain about not being trusted. The stores don’t know me and they don’t know they can trust me and that’s fine. I know I can be trusted and I’m happy to show my receipt to anybody and as many times as they want
 
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Reactions: Josephine B, Benny's Light, Loubeauxarts and 11 others
They are absolutely in their rights to do this and it will actually stop prices rising because of theft so it will be a good thing for all once rolled out across the board and theft is down or stamped out. I certainly don't have a problem with it. The majority of people I would hazzard a guess who are thieving are doing it because they want to, for the thrill not because of cost of living pressures. There will be a small percentage that come under that but there are other avenues they can pursue. Theft is not it as ultimately it affects everybody.
 
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My Cole’s has it, if you go through the gate it beeps and the trolly locks. Only yesterday at 85 I did my shop up the front of the k mart store and had to traipse all the way back to the middle to pay.
Maybe less stealing will stop price rises due to the problem
 
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What happens if there were an emergency such as a fire? What a panic it would cause to exit.
 
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If you can't afford it you don't get it.
 
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Reactions: Josephine B, Jo Piper3 and Jest
I have seen a lady well dressed putting things into her handbag after looking around to see if anyone was looking. I reported this but do not know if she was caught. Many years ago now the major stores at least had a security person who would wander the store as if browsing and as I worked on the telephone in the store we would get advice to call this person and advise of someone to lookout for as they had been seen stealing. I think maybe the bigger stores need to use this method more these days.
 
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June E said:
Heartbreaking that Up to 40% of people find themselves in a position of having to steal because of economic pressure !
I wonder about these types of gates in the event of a fire in store, it could be disastrous if a lot of people were tying to get out.
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A store manager said they would be automatically disabled and there is always an area free.
 
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I don’t mind as long as they bring the checkouts back to the front of store centre ones are ridiculous and encourages shoplifting with only one person to monitor
 
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Isis said:
A store manager said they would be automatically disabled and there is always an area free.
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Only if the power doesn't go out. Did they ever think of that?
 
June E said:
Heartbreaking that Up to 40% of people find themselves in a position of having to steal because of economic pressure !
I wonder about these types of gates in the event of a fire in store, it could be disastrous if a lot of people were tying to get out.
Click to expand...
heartbreaking, you have to be joking. we would not have these circumstances if these mongrels did not steal. HONESTLY.
 
The winner is said:
What happens if there were an emergency such as a fire? What a panic it would cause to exit.
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you run like hell. what the hell do you think happens. they do not have water pistols.
 
maggiej said:
I have seen a lady well dressed putting things into her handbag after looking around to see if anyone was looking. I reported this but do not know if she was caught. Many years ago now the major stores at least had a security person who would wander the store as if browsing and as I worked on the telephone in the store we would get advice to call this person and advise of someone to lookout for as they had been seen stealing. I think maybe the bigger stores need to use this method more these days.
Click to expand...
I think the bigger stores employ people to look like ordinary shoppers to watch out for thieves.
 
June E said:
Heartbreaking that Up to 40% of people find themselves in a position of having to steal because of economic pressure !
I wonder about these types of gates in the event of a fire in store, it could be disastrous if a lot of people were tying to get out.
Click to expand...
Very good point.
 
The winner is said:
What happens if there were an emergency such as a fire? What a panic it would cause to exit.
Click to expand...
I UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONING, BUT HOW OFTEN HAVE WE HEARD OF A FIRE IN ANY STORE. SO I'M ALL FOR THE GATES BECAUSE "HOPEFULLY" IT "WILL" DETER THE THEIVING SODS. AT LEAST I KNOW I WILL NEVER GET CAUGHT AS I HAVE A CLEAN CONSCIENCE.
 
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