40-year-old photo detail sparks outrage among Coles shoppers
- Replies 16
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Last edited:
.png){kind=icon}
