Woolies shopper allegedly accused of theft due to frustrating self-checkout error

Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


compressed-shutterstock_2319565869.jpeg
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways
  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
 
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Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
I don’t like self checkout and would rather wait and be served by a person, not only do you get someone to talk to but you are also keeping someone employed. If enough people stopped being unpaid employees by using self checkout then the unemployment rate would be lower.
 
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Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
Yes, it is easier to comply. Especially in the context of rising theft. They would have you believe. How Woolworths ceo and board of directors justify a $1.6 billion dollar profit in 2023 is best answered by all undergoing a personality disorder test for Narcissism. People with this disorder find themselves in positions of authority because people gravitate to those with a grandiose sense of power and superiority. These people have zero moral compass and would sooner use 'these inflationary times' to line their pockets instead of your food cart. There should be a word for these soulless dickheads who inflate inflation for monetary gain and sense of fiduciary accomplishment. They use to call it white collar crime but even that concept got swept under the carpet over time. Woolies should be run by ethical, business savvy people who actually give a shit about their customer base.
 
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The modern, "digital" world is inimical to good service and pleasant behaviour. The supermarket chains are now simply "smash and grab" outfits wanting to process the customer as fast as possible to grab more cash and to emply less people doing so.
 
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When I was a child we went to the corner shop, the butcher, the grocer and waited patiently for our turn and were served by an assistant who knew your name. Fast forward to now when no one wants to wait for anything including getting out of the supermarket. All the hassles we now have are apparently "progress". And my Mum had home delivery for groceries, milk and coal and it was all part of the service - which does seem to be lacking these days.
 
Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
I haven't been accused of theft from the self checkouts but I stopped using them as I like the personal touch of saying hi to the checkout ladies or gents. Though I think the younger checkout people aren't taught to pack bags anymore. But I still like the personal touch. 🙂
 
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Do you receive a discount at the servo for filling your own car?
I'm old enough to remember when self service at a servo began, the oil companies promised a 4cent discount from attended servos... this lasted until the majority converted to self serve, discounts then vanished!
 
Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
I never use self checkout , only at Target as they have no people to help. I don't get paid to check my groceries through. I always use checkout people, they are friendly and no nonsense with machines. Have tried before and always have to wait for someone to assist, supposed to be for quick in and out, what a joke.
 
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When will you people listen to me DONT SHOP AT COLES OR WOOLIES, be like me and not shop at either for over 20 years......
I love my Woolies and Coles. People can make up their own minds where to shop. They do not need to be constantly lectured!
 
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I love my Woolies and Coles. People can make up their own minds where to shop. They do not need to be constantly lectured!
Yes, love the good things about them, the history, the people and communities they are in.
 
Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
It's not rocket science. If you scan something, the pad where your bag sits looks for the weight of the item. If you can't put it there ask for assistance from the store person, or press the 'not bagged' button.
 
It's not rocket science. If you scan something, the pad where your bag sits looks for the weight of the item. If you can't put it there ask for assistance from the store person, or press the 'not bagged' button.

It's not rocket science. If you scan something, the pad where your bag sits looks for the weight of the item. If you can't put it there ask for assistance from the store person, or press the 'not bagged' button.
If only it was that simple. Sadly it is not.
 
I love my Woolies and Coles. People can make up their own minds where to shop. They do not need to be constantly lectured!
There is a Sucker born every day. Don't take any notice of my posts if they aggravate you.
 
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I had an instance at Wws self-checkout AI/camera when it asked the staff member to check the bags in my trolley. Being sure I scanned all shopped items, I waited till the staff confirmed all ok.
We do recall when staff used to ask to check our personal big handbags, just to confirm all ok.
The only point I worry about is reducing staff everywhere after introducing these - and other -technologies!
 
Where’s the cashier?

That’s a question you may have asked yourself in the last few months as more supermarkets embrace self-checkouts. To their credit, these new shopping introductions do work generally well, but–as any tech enthusiast will tell you–you can't always rely on them to work as expected.

Take the story of one 68-year-old Woolworths customer from Vincentia, New South Wales, who experienced a particularly frustrating snag with the checkout machine.


Noni Lyall was bagging groceries at the self-service checkout when a red light started flashing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology informed staff that she had not scanned a bottle of juice.


View attachment 29054
A Woolworths shopper was left frustrated after self-checkout falsely accused her of theft. Credit: wisely/Shutterstock


And as much of the technology relies on surveillance and facial recognition software, it made the shopper feel like she was stealing.

'To put it bluntly, I was p***ed off, I just couldn't believe it,' she expressed.

'I'm a 68-year-old lady, I don't steal.'


She hurriedly explained to the staff that she had scanned the item, but it didn't fit into the bags, so she just placed it back in her trolley.

Thankfully, the staff quickly realised the error, and the situation was quickly resolved. Still, the false accusation made the shopper understandably angry and embarrassed.

‘I just thought, wow, you want us to do all our own work now by scanning our own groceries, not having the staff to service, and yet you're going to start accusing us of not paying?' Ms Lyall said.

She also shared that the experience gave her the ‘irk’, and she is determined to no longer shop at her city’s only Woolworths.


The new self-serve checkouts were implemented in Western Sydney’s Seven Hills last year, with much scrutiny over the AI-run software.

Samantha Floreani of the Digital Rights Watch group claimed the technology could make customers feel 'like they are constantly being watched and recorded'.

'This kind of normalisation of surveillance makes space for the growing use of invasive technologies in everyday life to access everyday essential services,' she said.

It’s notable that supermarket giants implement technology like this partly to combat shoplifters.

A spokesperson stated, ‘While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we're all busy, and mistakes can easily happen.’


Unfortunately, our members have experienced a similar issue with Woolies’ self-serve checkouts.

Member @Suzanne rose wrote: ‘We had taken a trolley into Woolworths from Kmart, so it wasn't even grocery items in the trolley, but it picked up that we had a trolley with items in it.’

‘The annoying thing was the lady was helping 2 other people, and then a third went up to ask for something else. I told her this was not fair I had to wait when I was using self-serve to get in and out, and then it picked up Kmart items in my trolley then wouldn't let me proceed,’ she added.

Member @Earth child shared: ‘After scanning and packing all items, the sensor reported two unused homemade bags in my trolley at the point of payment. The screen prompt asked for all items to be rescanned! I was kept waiting while the assistant helped others with issues at their self-serve bays, and wanted to resolve the unnecessary issue. Fortunately, I didn’t have to rescan, but if I was requested to do so, I would have emptied the contents of the bags, left them and walked out. ALDI staff are friendly, Woolies staff (are) dour. No wonder when they have to deal with customer frustration.’

‘I always used the self-checkout, not any more. You can not have your personal handbag in the trolley, as it will tell you that you have something in the trolley and not let you proceed. Where else can you place your personal bag, as you need two hands to use the personal checkout? You are made to feel like a thief,’ member @Sharson stated.



On the other hand, there are members who had no issues with the AI technology.

Member @Observer said: ‘I don't have any issues with it. I scan my items until l hit a $30 spend putting them to the side, scan the rewards card for benefits, and then pay. I place the trolley behind me so the camera doesn't see anything but me. Then all is good. Bagged items go back into my trolley with the receipt. Then I start again. When using my card to make the payment, I hold it in the palm of my hand so that my card details will not be recorded.’

‘Another way of having a go at self-checkouts. I couldn't care less if they want to look in my bags and don't care how many cameras are filming me. If people didn't steal so much, nobody would have to worry about it,’ member @freedy50 claimed.

Key Takeaways

  • A Woolworths customer has voiced frustration over a self-serve checkout glitch that falsely accused her of theft.
  • Artificially intelligent (AI) cameras at the checkout flagged that the customer had not scanned a bottle of juice, causing a public misunderstanding.
  • The incident has contributed to an ongoing debate about the increased use of surveillance technologies in everyday life.


If you’re one of the customers who don’t like self-serve checkouts, we have an ongoing petition to stop its full transition in major retailers. You may sign the petition here.

What do you think of this story, members? Share your self-checkout experiences in the comments below!
I rarely use the self-checkout and always have problems, needing help from the poor employee in the area who is usually rushed off their feet with customer issues. BUT at our local Coles there are usually only 1 or 2 manned checkouts available, with a) Long queues, and b) usually located at the far end of the store, requiring a long walk to get there followed by a long walk back to the entrance once I have been served. At 76, and with a walking stick , that is a big ask for me. I complained about this last week and was told I could always use the express lane, but how long till that gets phased out, and with only 1 staff who also serves customers wanting smoking products and those returning goods or with other issues to discuss that is even more frustrating. Woolies is a little better, but the same issues arise.
 
Don't get me started on Kmart. About 95% of the time, the self serve checkout locks up on me, requiring an assistant to sort it out. Mind you, five minutes later.
And Kmart now have these stupid payment hubs half way down the store, and a poor staff member scanning your receipt before you can leave the store! How bizarre is that?
 
I'm not sure but I think I was told that some of the self-serve checkouts add a sir charge. I don't know whether that is true or not. Without me officially asking and before I do, does anyone have any information on this?
That is incorrect
 
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