Gone by year’s end? Coles shopper shares self-service checkout warning, retail giant responds
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A recent visit to a Sydney Coles has one shopper sounding the alarm about the relentless push towards a cashless society.
Tom Budin, a DJ and music producer, was shocked to discover that seven out of nine self-service checkouts at his local store were now marked as 'card only', accepting no cash payments.
Tom shared a video on social media showing the card-only checkouts and zooming in on just two checkouts in the far corner that still accepted cash.
'Only two machines left that accept cash and, mark my words, these machines, in my opinion, will be gone by the end of the year,' he said.
'What a world we live in, ladies and gentlemen.'
This change at Coles has sparked heated debate on social media, with many commenters seeing no issue moving to a cashless model while others vowed to keep using cash.
But cash advocates have warned this is a dangerous path towards excluding those who rely on cash and eroding personal privacy.
'Cashless is great until there's a power outage or our phone dies,' one concerned shopper wrote. Another argued, 'Legally can't say no to cash. It remains a legal tender.'
It is reported that Coles simply said ‘there’s no truth’ to Tom’s claims in his video.
The retail giant has also yet to announce the complete removal of cash self-service options.
Cash advocates argue that Coles has made a 'big mistake' by favouring card payments over cash in their stores. That is why they've launched a petition and called on the federal government to take steps to preserve the use of cash.
Jason Bryce, the coordinator of the Cash Welcome campaign, highlighted that in many Coles stores, customers paying with cash often face longer wait times than those using cards.
'Coles is literally pushing us cashless against our will,' he said.
'Coles can't guarantee their EFTPOS system is reliable 24/7/365. As soon as an outage hits, bedlam ensues, and it's entirely of their own making.'
The petition, which aims to protect the right to use cash for purchasing food, groceries, and other necessities, has garnered over 130,000 signatures as of writing.
Cash Welcome also pointed out that other countries like the UK, France, and the USA are actively safeguarding the use of cash.
Advocates warned that phasing out cash could lead to increased profits for banks, as they receive a portion of every card transaction, and it could also allow banks and other entities to monitor individuals' spending history and locations.
This isn't the first time Coles customers have been frustrated by the supermarket's alleged preference for cashless transactions. The recent launch of a new store in Brisbane has also caused controversy.
The new store also features self-service checkout machines that have left many customers flabbergasted. Why, you might ask? Well, unlike the Sydney Coles Tom went to, they ALL strictly say 'card only'.
A video showcasing these cashless machines quickly found its way to social media, fanning the flames of debate about the rapid movement towards a cashless society.
Plenty of SDC members also have much to say about the subject matter.
Member @codac said, 'A cashless society has the potential for complete disaster. The government will have control of all your money.'
Member @ElCee agreed and added, 'It would be a disaster. [It might] work in major cities, but Australia is vast. Many small communities rely on cash. Not everywhere has reliable internet.'
Member @Pammyt joined the conversation and commented, 'I prefer cashless, however whilst cash is still legal tender—cash should still be an option at all supermarkets. Many elderly people in particular and some people who are just more comfortable with cash should be able to continue to use cash.'
Members, have you come across these 'card-only' self-checkouts in supermarkets lately? We're curious about your experiences with them. Are you all in for cashless transactions, or do you prefer paying with cash? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Tom Budin, a DJ and music producer, was shocked to discover that seven out of nine self-service checkouts at his local store were now marked as 'card only', accepting no cash payments.
Tom shared a video on social media showing the card-only checkouts and zooming in on just two checkouts in the far corner that still accepted cash.
'Only two machines left that accept cash and, mark my words, these machines, in my opinion, will be gone by the end of the year,' he said.
'What a world we live in, ladies and gentlemen.'
Many shoppers have already embraced the cashless move, but others are against completely phasing out cash. Credit: TikTok/tombusinmusic.
This change at Coles has sparked heated debate on social media, with many commenters seeing no issue moving to a cashless model while others vowed to keep using cash.
But cash advocates have warned this is a dangerous path towards excluding those who rely on cash and eroding personal privacy.
'Cashless is great until there's a power outage or our phone dies,' one concerned shopper wrote. Another argued, 'Legally can't say no to cash. It remains a legal tender.'
It is reported that Coles simply said ‘there’s no truth’ to Tom’s claims in his video.
The retail giant has also yet to announce the complete removal of cash self-service options.
Cash advocates argue that Coles has made a 'big mistake' by favouring card payments over cash in their stores. That is why they've launched a petition and called on the federal government to take steps to preserve the use of cash.
Jason Bryce, the coordinator of the Cash Welcome campaign, highlighted that in many Coles stores, customers paying with cash often face longer wait times than those using cards.
'Coles is literally pushing us cashless against our will,' he said.
'Coles can't guarantee their EFTPOS system is reliable 24/7/365. As soon as an outage hits, bedlam ensues, and it's entirely of their own making.'
The petition, which aims to protect the right to use cash for purchasing food, groceries, and other necessities, has garnered over 130,000 signatures as of writing.
Cash Welcome also pointed out that other countries like the UK, France, and the USA are actively safeguarding the use of cash.
Advocates warned that phasing out cash could lead to increased profits for banks, as they receive a portion of every card transaction, and it could also allow banks and other entities to monitor individuals' spending history and locations.
This isn't the first time Coles customers have been frustrated by the supermarket's alleged preference for cashless transactions. The recent launch of a new store in Brisbane has also caused controversy.
The new store also features self-service checkout machines that have left many customers flabbergasted. Why, you might ask? Well, unlike the Sydney Coles Tom went to, they ALL strictly say 'card only'.
A video showcasing these cashless machines quickly found its way to social media, fanning the flames of debate about the rapid movement towards a cashless society.
Plenty of SDC members also have much to say about the subject matter.
Member @codac said, 'A cashless society has the potential for complete disaster. The government will have control of all your money.'
Member @ElCee agreed and added, 'It would be a disaster. [It might] work in major cities, but Australia is vast. Many small communities rely on cash. Not everywhere has reliable internet.'
Member @Pammyt joined the conversation and commented, 'I prefer cashless, however whilst cash is still legal tender—cash should still be an option at all supermarkets. Many elderly people in particular and some people who are just more comfortable with cash should be able to continue to use cash.'
Members, have you come across these 'card-only' self-checkouts in supermarkets lately? We're curious about your experiences with them. Are you all in for cashless transactions, or do you prefer paying with cash? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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I’ll give it a go as I shop in Aldi regularly 
