Major checkout change quietly rolls out across supermarkets
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Remember the days when you’d leave the supermarket with a crumpled paper receipt in your hand, ready to check your change or file away for tax time?
Well, those days might soon be behind us. In a quiet but steady shift, supermarkets across Australia are phasing out one of the most familiar checkout features: the humble paper receipt.
And while some shoppers are embracing the digital switch, others are questioning what might be lost along the way.
It’s not just cash payments that are vanishing from our shopping routines—paper receipts are also on the chopping block.
Once considered an essential part of every transaction, these little slips of paper are now becoming optional, with many shoppers choosing to go without.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), businesses must still provide a receipt for purchases over $75, but this can be either paper or digital.
While supermarkets and retailers often tout environmental sustainability as the main reason for this shift, there’s more to the story.
Retail experts, like Marieke van Bruggen from Rethink, point out that digital receipts allow retailers to collect valuable customer data.
By linking your email or mobile number to your purchases, supermarkets can track your shopping habits—whether you’re part of their loyalty program or not.
This helps them tailor offers and understand your preferences, but it also means your shopping is being watched more closely than ever.
For many of us, especially those who shop at multiple stores in one trip, a paper receipt is still handy.
It’s a quick way to prove you’ve paid, especially if you’re juggling bags from different supermarkets.
While Coles and Woolworths loyalty members can access digital receipts through their apps, ALDI shoppers don’t have that option—paper is still the only proof of purchase there.
If you forget to print a receipt at the self-checkout, don’t panic! Supervisors can usually print a duplicate for you.
But as more people get used to skipping the paper, it’s becoming a new normal that takes some getting used to.
Consumer expert Adam Ferrier from Thinkerbell warns that making transactions more 'seamless' can have a sneaky downside: we become less aware of how much we’re spending. Just as cashless payments make it easier to lose track of your budget, paperless receipts can make it harder to keep tabs on your grocery bill.
On the flip side, digital receipts are undeniably convenient, better for the environment, and can help you track your spending—if you remember to check them!
With the rise of self-checkouts and increased security measures, you might wonder if not having a paper receipt could cause problems.
Supermarkets now have sophisticated systems in place: if there’s any suspicion at the checkout, staff can review video footage of your transaction.
So, while you might feel odd walking out without a receipt, the store has other ways to verify your purchase.
Each supermarket has its own way of asking if you want a receipt. At Coles, it’s a simple 'Print receipt?' with a yes or no option.
Woolworths asks, 'Is a receipt required?' ALDI takes a more personal approach: 'Would you like to have your receipt?'
Meanwhile, Costco still requires a paper receipt for every purchase, which is checked at the exit, complete with a dramatic red circle from the supervisor to confirm you’re good to go.
Coles says over 90 per cent of customers now choose not to print a receipt when given the option.
You can set your receipt preferences in your Coles app or online profile, and digital copies are always available in your payment history.
Woolworths is expected to follow a similar path, while ALDI has no plans to ditch paper receipts just yet, keeping records for 12 months in case you need to look something up.
IGA stores, being independently owned, have their own policies—so you might still get a paper receipt, depending on where you shop.
As cash checkouts become rarer, it’s likely that paper receipts for small purchases will also fade away. For now, you can still ask for one if you need it, but the writing is on the wall (or should we say, the screen).
How do you feel about the move away from paper receipts? Do you prefer digital, or do you still like having that slip of paper in your hand? Have you run into any issues with proof of purchase? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Read more: Privacy concerns grow among consumer as retailers shift to electronic receipts
Well, those days might soon be behind us. In a quiet but steady shift, supermarkets across Australia are phasing out one of the most familiar checkout features: the humble paper receipt.
And while some shoppers are embracing the digital switch, others are questioning what might be lost along the way.
It’s not just cash payments that are vanishing from our shopping routines—paper receipts are also on the chopping block.
Once considered an essential part of every transaction, these little slips of paper are now becoming optional, with many shoppers choosing to go without.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), businesses must still provide a receipt for purchases over $75, but this can be either paper or digital.
Supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths are quietly phasing out paper receipts, with most customers now opting for digital receipts or no receipt at all at self-checkout. Credit: Pexels
While supermarkets and retailers often tout environmental sustainability as the main reason for this shift, there’s more to the story.
Retail experts, like Marieke van Bruggen from Rethink, point out that digital receipts allow retailers to collect valuable customer data.
By linking your email or mobile number to your purchases, supermarkets can track your shopping habits—whether you’re part of their loyalty program or not.
This helps them tailor offers and understand your preferences, but it also means your shopping is being watched more closely than ever.
For many of us, especially those who shop at multiple stores in one trip, a paper receipt is still handy.
It’s a quick way to prove you’ve paid, especially if you’re juggling bags from different supermarkets.
While Coles and Woolworths loyalty members can access digital receipts through their apps, ALDI shoppers don’t have that option—paper is still the only proof of purchase there.
If you forget to print a receipt at the self-checkout, don’t panic! Supervisors can usually print a duplicate for you.
But as more people get used to skipping the paper, it’s becoming a new normal that takes some getting used to.
On the flip side, digital receipts are undeniably convenient, better for the environment, and can help you track your spending—if you remember to check them!
With the rise of self-checkouts and increased security measures, you might wonder if not having a paper receipt could cause problems.
Supermarkets now have sophisticated systems in place: if there’s any suspicion at the checkout, staff can review video footage of your transaction.
So, while you might feel odd walking out without a receipt, the store has other ways to verify your purchase.
Each supermarket has its own way of asking if you want a receipt. At Coles, it’s a simple 'Print receipt?' with a yes or no option.
Meanwhile, Costco still requires a paper receipt for every purchase, which is checked at the exit, complete with a dramatic red circle from the supervisor to confirm you’re good to go.
Coles says over 90 per cent of customers now choose not to print a receipt when given the option.
You can set your receipt preferences in your Coles app or online profile, and digital copies are always available in your payment history.
Woolworths is expected to follow a similar path, while ALDI has no plans to ditch paper receipts just yet, keeping records for 12 months in case you need to look something up.
As cash checkouts become rarer, it’s likely that paper receipts for small purchases will also fade away. For now, you can still ask for one if you need it, but the writing is on the wall (or should we say, the screen).
Read more: Privacy concerns grow among consumer as retailers shift to electronic receipts
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