Woolworths' new self-checkout rule triggers customer uproar—here's why!

Woolworths has stirred customers' rage in a recent incident, as shared by some shoppers, due to a controversial new measure.

An incident involving a particular produce has arisen due to the supermarket giant's most recent strategy to deter shoplifting at the self-service checkout.


It’s a scenario seemingly fit for the digital age: a customer slips a bag of mushrooms across a self-checkout scanner, only to be halted by an alert demanding a staff member’s inspection.

At Woolworths, it’s standard to offer brown paper bags for mushrooms to preserve their freshness. But now, these bags are the centre of customer grievances.

As reported by one shopper online, the self-checkout system paused their transaction and prompted a Woolworths staff member to verify the bag's contents.


woolworths.jpeg
There were heated debates on social media after a customer had a bad experience at a Woolworths self-checkout counter. Image credit: TikTok


The measure seeks to clamp down on customers, possibly hiding pricier goods or more expensive mushroom types, thereby circumventing the rightful price tag.

‘Woolworths is looking inside the mushroom bags at the self-checkout,’ the shopper shared, announcing it as a ‘public service announcement’.

‘Not sure if it’s random, or if it’s triggered by a certain weight. However, if you purchase loose mushrooms, the self-checkout will pause and prompt the attendant to come over and look inside the mushroom bag.’


Another shopper shared a similar experience.

‘Happened to me,’ a shopper recalled. ‘I was f****** p*****, because the day before, I had bought their pre-packed mushrooms and after opening the fine-looking packaging, the mushrooms were slimy and beyond use. Totally ripped off.’

‘But the next day, when I chose them myself, they’re acting like I was the one trying to rip them off, “Sorry we need to look in the bag.”’

‘I’m sorry too, but yesterday, if I’d have opened that package of mushrooms to make sure you weren’t ripping me off, you’d have had a total fit.’


Other disgruntled voices weighed in, ranging from exasperation over the invasion of privacy to sarcasm regarding the financial impact of mushroom price variance.

‘I just—oh, this enrages me. I HATE self-checkouts,’ one customer said.

Another shopper replied, ‘It’s so people don’t try and put through the fancy portobello mushrooms at the plain old white mushroom price. Because that extra $2/kg is going to send them bankrupt.’

‘Don’t you just love being made to feel like a thief?’ one more shopper shared.

‘With the amount of times the attendant gets called over these days there’s no time benefit of self-checkout.’

‘I’m seriously thinking about just using regular checkouts ‘cos they seem faster.’

Key Takeaways
  • A Woolworths customer has expressed frustration over a new security measure at the self-serve checkouts involving mandatory bag checks by staff.
  • The measure is designed to prevent customers from hiding more expensive items in brown paper mushroom bags.
  • The incident has led to other shoppers reporting similar experiences and voicing their dissatisfaction with the heightened security.
  • Many customers feel inconvenienced and distrusted due to the new measure, with some considering returning to regular checkouts for efficiency.

Dear members, what's been your experience at self-checkouts? Do you find it more efficient than regular checkouts? We'd love to hear your stories. Share them below!
 
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Wake up people. There is always people finding new ways to rip off supermarkets so the supermarkets have to adjust to protect themselves. Plus think about it even if you go to a service register the cashier will look inside the bag to check what’s inside so they know what to weigh the item as being cheap or expensive mushrooms. So really no difference. Once again if you have nothing to hide it’s not a problem.
 
Why all this sensationalism of a small thing..either people are just naive or just out for the pity votes...you cannot see the contents of the bag therefore they just check..if you really are that offended I suggest you you just buy the ones in the clear plastic tubs and get over yourself!!
 
I tend to avoid the self serve checkouts, I like to talk to people. They also check the brown paper bag for mushroom type. My bugbear is having someone wanting to see the docket after I have paid on the way out of the store. Bunnings & Kmart are the most painful for this BS.
 
The fact is, people do rip off the system at self checkouts and they BRAG about it. I have to call for assistance every time because the weight of something small doesn't register. It annoys the hell out of me but I still prefer it to having to listen to small talk from an assistant and finding my grapes are squashed when I get home. I have seen supermarkets that stopped stocking portobello's because they were getting ripped off - I love them and I don't care how many times they want to look, they're only looking at the people who say they're buying white mushrooms and they're actually taking portobello's. Sometimes there is $5 difference in price per kg, that's significant.
 
I have multiple pain issues that can be exacerbated by bending up and down. Self check outs make it worse and besides, you can't fit a trolley full of groceries on the other side after scanning, yet your trolley is not empty enough to replace them in. Difficulty all around for me and I expect many elderly people.
 
My incident happened at Coles.
I made my selection of 12 products & got to the self serve register & started scanning & discovered the check out chick standing right behind me looking over my shoulder.
I asked her if I could help her & is there a problem. Her reply was no, just making sure you’re scanning the items properly & you don’t miss scanning anything.
My response to her was, I do know how to scan on these machines, I’m an ex checkout chick, she then said to me, besides you dress funny (I’m dressed in jeans, tshirt, mussed up hair & sandals with a shoulder bag, plus bought my own shopping bag).
This same girl does the “looking over my shoulder” everyone I go through self serve. I often now go through the regular checkouts.
 
If some teenager bimbo straight out of school tried that stunt with me, the floor would be covered in mushrooms promptly squished into the floor and the rest of my shopping left there at the checkout.

And for the "you dress funny", my reply would be "I can get changed when I get home....in your case, you can't change f**king ugliness".
 
I have multiple pain issues that can be exacerbated by bending up and down. Self check outs make it worse and besides, you can't fit a trolley full of groceries on the other side after scanning, yet your trolley is not empty enough to replace them in. Difficulty all around for me and I expect many elderly people.
so you put the bags on the floor
 
If some teenager bimbo straight out of school tried that stunt with me, the floor would be covered in mushrooms promptly squished into the floor and the rest of my shopping left there at the checkout.

And for the "you dress funny", my reply would be "I can get changed when I get home....in your case, you can't change f**king ugliness".
geez, take a chill pill
 
My incident happened at Coles.
I made my selection of 12 products & got to the self serve register & started scanning & discovered the check out chick standing right behind me looking over my shoulder.
I asked her if I could help her & is there a problem. Her reply was no, just making sure you’re scanning the items properly & you don’t miss scanning anything.
My response to her was, I do know how to scan on these machines, I’m an ex checkout chick, she then said to me, besides you dress funny (I’m dressed in jeans, tshirt, mussed up hair & sandals with a shoulder bag, plus bought my own shopping bag).
This same girl does the “looking over my shoulder” everyone I go through self serve. I often now go through the regular checkouts.
What is how you were dresses got to do with anything & what’s funny about jeans & tshirt? That’s my standard “outfit” for this time of year.
 
What is how you were dresses got to do with anything & what’s funny about jeans & tshirt? That’s my standard “outfit” for this time of year.
It could be the size of your handbag. I was once told by a checkout chick that she had to check my bag every time because of it's size. If it's bigger than a loaf of bread it's considered large and suspicious.
 

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