40-year-old photo detail sparks outrage among Coles shoppers

In this era of self-service and digitisation, it seems many supermarket shoppers are yearning for the 'good old days' of manned checkouts.

A photograph taken in the 1980s in a Coles supermarket has sparked a whirlwind of online debate over the increase in self-service checkouts and a perceived decrease in customer service.



The image, taken inside a Coles New World supermarket in Belmont, NSW, shows a scene that is a far cry from today's shopping experience.

The detail that has sparked outrage among shoppers? A row of fully staffed checkouts.


Screenshot 2023-12-04 at 11.11.05 AM.png
An old photo of Coles in the 1980s circulated on social media. Credit: State Library of Victoria



In the photo, about a dozen checkouts can be seen, each manned by a Coles employee.

This sight is in stark contrast to the current landscape of major supermarkets, where self-service machines have become the norm.

The image has sparked a wave of nostalgia among shoppers, with many lamenting the loss of 'old-fashioned customer service'.

'Shock. Every one of these checkouts is open,' one shopper wrote online.

Another commented, 'Yeah, they need to bring back old-fashioned customer service again.'

Many others echoed these sentiments, claiming that the photo depicts 'how it should be' and arguing that self-service checkouts are taking jobs away.

'All those people being employed, adding to the economy,' one shopper commented.

Another responded, 'The good days, jobs for humans, not scanners and robots.'



In response to these concerns, a spokesperson for Coles said that the retailer has ‘never been more committed to supporting Australians with employment opportunities’. Over the past five years, they have recruited an additional 22,000 team members.

The Coles spokesperson also expanded on the rollout of self-service checkouts, explaining that most customers prefer them over staffed registers due to their convenience and efficiency.

'Self-service checkouts are a great option for customers because they offer convenience and efficiency when shopping in our stores to help customers check out more quickly and pack their bags the way they like,' the spokesperson explained.

‘Because of this, they are the checkout of choice for more than two in three customers, and we continue to see these numbers increase. Of course, if customers prefer to be served by a team member, someone will always be available in the service area to serve them.’



Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci also addressed the issue in an email to customers, denying that staff are on the short end of the technological stick.

‘Self-service checkouts and the perception that this results in a reduction in team members in-store is a passionate dinner table topic in our house,’ he said.

‘The fact is, we employ more people than ever before and, with the popularity of online ordering, this year we've hired 5,500 personal shoppers, so there's more jobs at Woolies, not less.’

However, not all customers are against the shift towards self-service.

Some social media users backed Coles' decision to install self-service checkouts, with one commenting on the viral photo from the '80s, 'What a waste of resources. Today's systems are much more efficient.'



While Woolworths and Coles denied claims that they were cutting jobs, they also addressed customers' violent behaviour towards staff.

‘During the pandemic, our team members were often considered frontline heroes,’ Banducci said in his email to shoppers.

‘Sadly, that goodwill has fallen away, and while the vast majority of customers do the right thing, we're seeing an unacceptable rise in team abuse.’

Coles, on the other hand, has their staff at several ‘high-risk’ stores, including South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, fitted with new body cameras to combat levels of abuse.

‘Body-worn cameras only record once activated,’ a Coles spokesperson said.

‘If a team member feels unsafe in a situation, they can turn on their body camera and will inform the customer that they are turning it on for safety.’

It is understood that these body cameras can send live footage to the management and notify police directly when dangerous situations arise—a measure that has already been taken a couple of times.

Key Takeaways

  • Customers were outraged by a photo from the 1980s showing a Coles store in NSW with manned checkouts, arguing that it highlighted the job losses resulting from a shift to self-service checkouts.
  • Coles and Woolworths deny the introduction of technological advances such as self-service checkouts are costing jobs, citing employment figures and the creation of jobs in new spheres such as personal shopping for online orders.
  • Some social media users argued in defence of self-service checkouts, citing enhanced efficiency in modern supermarkets.
  • To combat rising staff abuse in Coles, staff in high-risk stores across four states are equipped with body cameras capable of sending live footage to management and notifying police directly in dangerous situations.
Do you prefer the convenience of scanning and bagging your groceries, or do you miss the personal service of a staffed checkout? Let us know in the comments below!
 
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In my late teens I worked at coles variety store and all the male staff on stacking the groceries in a paper bag, canned items on the bottom, etc,etc. You had to be able to keep up with girl on the register or else you heard about it. You the had to help the lady put the bags into her boot, not breaking any of the bags. Very hard but some of the most memorable time of any young man's life. I still look back on those days and think of all the many and varied uses thaat those bags were used for, but then again what would we know we never recycled anything in those days
 
In this era of self-service and digitisation, it seems many supermarket shoppers are yearning for the 'good old days' of manned checkouts.

A photograph taken in the 1980s in a Coles supermarket has sparked a whirlwind of online debate over the increase in self-service checkouts and a perceived decrease in customer service.



The image, taken inside a Coles New World supermarket in Belmont, NSW, shows a scene that is a far cry from today's shopping experience.

The detail that has sparked outrage among shoppers? A row of fully staffed checkouts.


View attachment 36555
An old photo of Coles in the 1980s circulated on social media. Credit: State Library of Victoria




View attachment 36555
An old photo of Coles in the 1980s circulated on social media. Credit: State Library of Victoria



In the photo, about a dozen checkouts can be seen, each manned by a Coles employee.

This sight is in stark contrast to the current landscape of major supermarkets, where self-service machines have become the norm.

The image has sparked a wave of nostalgia among shoppers, with many lamenting the loss of 'old-fashioned customer service'.

'Shock. Every one of these checkouts is open,' one shopper wrote online.

Another commented, 'Yeah, they need to bring back old-fashioned customer service again.'

Many others echoed these sentiments, claiming that the photo depicts 'how it should be' and arguing that self-service checkouts are taking jobs away.

'All those people being employed, adding to the economy,' one shopper commented.

Another responded, 'The good days, jobs for humans, not scanners and robots.'



In response to these concerns, a spokesperson for Coles said that the retailer has ‘never been more committed to supporting Australians with employment opportunities’. Over the past five years, they have recruited an additional 22,000 team members.

The Coles spokesperson also expanded on the rollout of self-service checkouts, explaining that most customers prefer them over staffed registers due to their convenience and efficiency.

'Self-service checkouts are a great option for customers because they offer convenience and efficiency when shopping in our stores to help customers check out more quickly and pack their bags the way they like,' the spokesperson explained.

‘Because of this, they are the checkout of choice for more than two in three customers, and we continue to see these numbers increase. Of course, if customers prefer to be served by a team member, someone will always be available in the service area to serve them.’



Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci also addressed the issue in an email to customers, denying that staff are on the short end of the technological stick.

‘Self-service checkouts and the perception that this results in a reduction in team members in-store is a passionate dinner table topic in our house,’ he said.

‘The fact is, we employ more people than ever before and, with the popularity of online ordering, this year we've hired 5,500 personal shoppers, so there's more jobs at Woolies, not less.’

However, not all customers are against the shift towards self-service.

Some social media users backed Coles' decision to install self-service checkouts, with one commenting on the viral photo from the '80s, 'What a waste of resources. Today's systems are much more efficient.'



While Woolworths and Coles denied claims that they were cutting jobs, they also addressed customers' violent behaviour towards staff.

‘During the pandemic, our team members were often considered frontline heroes,’ Banducci said in his email to shoppers.

‘Sadly, that goodwill has fallen away, and while the vast majority of customers do the right thing, we're seeing an unacceptable rise in team abuse.’

Coles, on the other hand, has their staff at several ‘high-risk’ stores, including South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, fitted with new body cameras to combat levels of abuse.

‘Body-worn cameras only record once activated,’ a Coles spokesperson said.

‘If a team member feels unsafe in a situation, they can turn on their body camera and will inform the customer that they are turning it on for safety.’

It is understood that these body cameras can send live footage to the management and notify police directly when dangerous situations arise—a measure that has already been taken a couple of times.

Key Takeaways

  • Customers were outraged by a photo from the 1980s showing a Coles store in NSW with manned checkouts, arguing that it highlighted the job losses resulting from a shift to self-service checkouts.
  • Coles and Woolworths deny the introduction of technological advances such as self-service checkouts are costing jobs, citing employment figures and the creation of jobs in new spheres such as personal shopping for online orders.
  • Some social media users argued in defence of self-service checkouts, citing enhanced efficiency in modern supermarkets.
  • To combat rising staff abuse in Coles, staff in high-risk stores across four states are equipped with body cameras capable of sending live footage to management and notifying police directly in dangerous situations.
Do you prefer the convenience of scanning and bagging your groceries, or do you miss the personal service of a staffed checkout? Let us know in the comments below!
I do’nt like self service checkouts.I prefer the interaction with staff members. How do you buy a gift card for x amount of dollars at a self service checkout
 
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Sure I use self serve checkouts only if I have to wait for customers, with half the shop, in a que. People are forced to use the self serve checkouts out of sheer frustration
 
Sure I use self serve checkouts only if I have to wait for customers, with half the shop, in a que. People are forced to use the self serve checkouts out of sheer frustration
I use them because I like them not out of frustration! each to his own!
 
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Sure I use self serve checkouts only if I have to wait for customers, with half the shop, in a que. People are forced to use the self serve checkouts out of sheer frustration
I will never be so frustrated that I will use a self-serve checkout. The supermarket doesn't pay me to work there so I will always wait for service by a staff member.
 
Thank goodness some clever people invented barcodes and self serve checkouts. Makes shopping much quicker these days. :)
Obviously you'll get all the miserable oldies who don't like progress.:rolleyes:
(y)
How are you plastic bags going at keeping the moisture in around your prized plants and shrubs yes we do prefer the old way except when you of the younger generation do not know that 7 items or less does mean 107.
 
all they are worried about is PROFIT at the end of the day.....they want more people to use self service because they can see greater profit by way of speed in getting customers out of the store with their money in the till and no staff wages attached to the sales. The same applies to home deliveries, they can dispose of greater volumes of product much quicker with money already in the till and paying packers a low wage to accomplish the sale. They want to streamline all of their sales, disposing of greater volumes quicker and cheaper and to hell with Customer Service. Supermarket Shopping in the 21st Century. 🤔😱😞
 
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In this era of self-service and digitisation, it seems many supermarket shoppers are yearning for the 'good old days' of manned checkouts.

A photograph taken in the 1980s in a Coles supermarket has sparked a whirlwind of online debate over the increase in self-service checkouts and a perceived decrease in customer service.



The image, taken inside a Coles New World supermarket in Belmont, NSW, shows a scene that is a far cry from today's shopping experience.

The detail that has sparked outrage among shoppers? A row of fully staffed checkouts.


View attachment 36555
An old photo of Coles in the 1980s circulated on social media. Credit: State Library of Victoria




View attachment 36555
An old photo of Coles in the 1980s circulated on social media. Credit: State Library of Victoria



In the photo, about a dozen checkouts can be seen, each manned by a Coles employee.

This sight is in stark contrast to the current landscape of major supermarkets, where self-service machines have become the norm.

The image has sparked a wave of nostalgia among shoppers, with many lamenting the loss of 'old-fashioned customer service'.

'Shock. Every one of these checkouts is open,' one shopper wrote online.

Another commented, 'Yeah, they need to bring back old-fashioned customer service again.'

Many others echoed these sentiments, claiming that the photo depicts 'how it should be' and arguing that self-service checkouts are taking jobs away.

'All those people being employed, adding to the economy,' one shopper commented.

Another responded, 'The good days, jobs for humans, not scanners and robots.'



In response to these concerns, a spokesperson for Coles said that the retailer has ‘never been more committed to supporting Australians with employment opportunities’. Over the past five years, they have recruited an additional 22,000 team members.

The Coles spokesperson also expanded on the rollout of self-service checkouts, explaining that most customers prefer them over staffed registers due to their convenience and efficiency.

'Self-service checkouts are a great option for customers because they offer convenience and efficiency when shopping in our stores to help customers check out more quickly and pack their bags the way they like,' the spokesperson explained.

‘Because of this, they are the checkout of choice for more than two in three customers, and we continue to see these numbers increase. Of course, if customers prefer to be served by a team member, someone will always be available in the service area to serve them.’



Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci also addressed the issue in an email to customers, denying that staff are on the short end of the technological stick.

‘Self-service checkouts and the perception that this results in a reduction in team members in-store is a passionate dinner table topic in our house,’ he said.

‘The fact is, we employ more people than ever before and, with the popularity of online ordering, this year we've hired 5,500 personal shoppers, so there's more jobs at Woolies, not less.’

However, not all customers are against the shift towards self-service.

Some social media users backed Coles' decision to install self-service checkouts, with one commenting on the viral photo from the '80s, 'What a waste of resources. Today's systems are much more efficient.'



While Woolworths and Coles denied claims that they were cutting jobs, they also addressed customers' violent behaviour towards staff.

‘During the pandemic, our team members were often considered frontline heroes,’ Banducci said in his email to shoppers.

‘Sadly, that goodwill has fallen away, and while the vast majority of customers do the right thing, we're seeing an unacceptable rise in team abuse.’

Coles, on the other hand, has their staff at several ‘high-risk’ stores, including South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, fitted with new body cameras to combat levels of abuse.

‘Body-worn cameras only record once activated,’ a Coles spokesperson said.

‘If a team member feels unsafe in a situation, they can turn on their body camera and will inform the customer that they are turning it on for safety.’

It is understood that these body cameras can send live footage to the management and notify police directly when dangerous situations arise—a measure that has already been taken a couple of times.

Key Takeaways

  • Customers were outraged by a photo from the 1980s showing a Coles store in NSW with manned checkouts, arguing that it highlighted the job losses resulting from a shift to self-service checkouts.
  • Coles and Woolworths deny the introduction of technological advances such as self-service checkouts are costing jobs, citing employment figures and the creation of jobs in new spheres such as personal shopping for online orders.
  • Some social media users argued in defence of self-service checkouts, citing enhanced efficiency in modern supermarkets.
  • To combat rising staff abuse in Coles, staff in high-risk stores across four states are equipped with body cameras capable of sending live footage to management and notifying police directly in dangerous situations.
Do you prefer the convenience of scanning and bagging your groceries, or do you miss the personal service of a staffed checkout? Let us know in the comments below!
Personal service please!!!
 
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Reactions: Marj53

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