Strange new security gates at Coles are creeping out shoppers: ‘What’s going on here?’
- Replies 48
Going grocery shopping is one that many look forward to. However, gone are the days of leisurely meandering through aisle after aisle and building relationships with checkout staff.
Nowadays, the majority head straight for the self-serve checkout tills, and while they’re generally straightforward to use and a good time-saver, they come with their own set of hassles.
Recently, shoppers have noticed a strange new addition at the self-serve checkout areas of Coles supermarkets across Australia: electronic gate systems.
Scores of Aussies have seen the 'bizarre' new installations and talked about it on social media platforms, labelling them 'creepy' and 'intimidating'.
So why has Coles gone to the trouble of installing these ominous-looking security gates? Well, the supermarket chain has seen a 20 per cent rise in theft this year, and the roll-out of these gates is the final step in a system designed to help reduce this.
The gates feature cameras that track all items that are placed in bags. If discrepancies are detected between what’s on the screen and what’s in the bag, the gate will shut, and an alarm will sound—this is meant to deter any would-be thieves from leaving the store with unpaid goods.
Coles is also using the latest anti-theft technology to prevent people from getting away with items in their trolleys. Wheels on the new trolleys will completely lock up the moment they leave the store.
A spokesperson from Coles said: '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, including CCTV, electronic article surveillance (EAS) and in some stores, new smart gate technology that automatically opens as customers make payment for their products.'
The new technology also tracks customers while they’re in the store, recording how long they spend in each aisle before reaching the self-serve checkout.
Some shoppers who have been caught at the checkout or seen someone else get caught by the mysterious new gates were not too pleased about the situation.
One woman on social media said: 'Now you're locked into Coles. I couldn't get out of the self-serve checkout once I'd finished my shopping 'til they looked at my receipt and pressed a button for the new glass gates.'
Other customers voiced similar sentiments, with one saying: 'Maybe they should just create jobs and reopen checkouts and stop self-serve?'
The woman also noticed that the same gates had also been installed at the staffed checkouts after passing through.
'So it's not enough that they are price gouging and ripping us off, they now lock you into Coles, and you can't get out,' the Coles shopper added.
The woman also sought answers saying, 'I asked the lady "What's going on here? Are we locked in here now?" and she's like, "Oh no no no" and I go, "Well, it doesn't seem to open when anyone walks up to it".'
The Coles shopper added an explanation on her video that once the bags have been checked, the employee needs to push a button in order for the gates to open.
However, Coles is sure to have taken into account the rise in theft and ultimately done what they believe is best to protect their customers and inventory.
Furthermore, Woolworths has also started implementing similar anti-theft measures, so you can expect to find similar gates in-store at Woolies too.
You can watch the shopper’s full video below:
Have you seen these new security gates in your local Coles? What was your reaction? Let us know in the comments below!
Nowadays, the majority head straight for the self-serve checkout tills, and while they’re generally straightforward to use and a good time-saver, they come with their own set of hassles.
Recently, shoppers have noticed a strange new addition at the self-serve checkout areas of Coles supermarkets across Australia: electronic gate systems.
Scores of Aussies have seen the 'bizarre' new installations and talked about it on social media platforms, labelling them 'creepy' and 'intimidating'.
Coles Supermarkets have implemented an electronic gate system against theft. Image: Reddit
So why has Coles gone to the trouble of installing these ominous-looking security gates? Well, the supermarket chain has seen a 20 per cent rise in theft this year, and the roll-out of these gates is the final step in a system designed to help reduce this.
The gates feature cameras that track all items that are placed in bags. If discrepancies are detected between what’s on the screen and what’s in the bag, the gate will shut, and an alarm will sound—this is meant to deter any would-be thieves from leaving the store with unpaid goods.
Coles is also using the latest anti-theft technology to prevent people from getting away with items in their trolleys. Wheels on the new trolleys will completely lock up the moment they leave the store.
A spokesperson from Coles said: '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, including CCTV, electronic article surveillance (EAS) and in some stores, new smart gate technology that automatically opens as customers make payment for their products.'
The new technology also tracks customers while they’re in the store, recording how long they spend in each aisle before reaching the self-serve checkout.
Some shoppers who have been caught at the checkout or seen someone else get caught by the mysterious new gates were not too pleased about the situation.
One woman on social media said: 'Now you're locked into Coles. I couldn't get out of the self-serve checkout once I'd finished my shopping 'til they looked at my receipt and pressed a button for the new glass gates.'
Other customers voiced similar sentiments, with one saying: 'Maybe they should just create jobs and reopen checkouts and stop self-serve?'
A shopper was outraged by the newly implemented technology at Coles. Image: TikTok / @feefeegirl8
The woman also noticed that the same gates had also been installed at the staffed checkouts after passing through.
'So it's not enough that they are price gouging and ripping us off, they now lock you into Coles, and you can't get out,' the Coles shopper added.
The woman also sought answers saying, 'I asked the lady "What's going on here? Are we locked in here now?" and she's like, "Oh no no no" and I go, "Well, it doesn't seem to open when anyone walks up to it".'
The Coles shopper added an explanation on her video that once the bags have been checked, the employee needs to push a button in order for the gates to open.
However, Coles is sure to have taken into account the rise in theft and ultimately done what they believe is best to protect their customers and inventory.
Furthermore, Woolworths has also started implementing similar anti-theft measures, so you can expect to find similar gates in-store at Woolies too.
You can watch the shopper’s full video below:
Have you seen these new security gates in your local Coles? What was your reaction? Let us know in the comments below!
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. Sounds like she is claustrophobic. Perhaps it might ease her anxiety if she put some thought into planning ahead to avoid emergencies? 
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