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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I just hate the need to have an attendent to come over for a check each time being warned that I still have items left in my trolley. I really dont know where to place my already scanned items if there shouldnt be anything left in my trolley... lol
 
Won't be long now before we all get frisked on the way out and ban ladies from bringing their hand bags into the store.
New slogan:
Woolworths the rip off people, we'll make everyone feel like a thief. Shop in our stores and we'll humiliate you regardless of who you are.
 
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.
Don't blame you one little bit
 
If you can find a Attended check out. Especially the express checkout. Unless you are prepared to stand behind a person with a full trolley when you only have half a dozen items. I often put a couple of items in the paper bags if I have forgotten my recycled produce bags. I hate using the plastic bags It is plastic and takes an age to break down.
 
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Reactions: June E
so you put the bags on the floor
Put anything anywhere other than that tiny space they provide and everything stops working ! I know I’ve done it when I’ve had more items that fit that tiny space! And putting anything on the floor would be worse for most elderly peoples backs. If you were trying to be a smart **** it wasn’t funny. By the way don’t bother telling me to take a chill pill !
 
As someone that worked at coles it is so much quicker having staff than trying to put through yourself where it wants to check every second item bring back the checkout chick I recon
 
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Reactions: Littleboy8
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".
😮😮😮😮
 
Have no problem with that. Everything stolen puts the prices up a bit more. They can check your hand bag so why can't they check your mushroom bag for peaches or grapes or similar?
 
Put anything anywhere other than that tiny space they provide and everything stops working ! I know I’ve done it when I’ve had more items that fit that tiny space! And putting anything on the floor would be worse for most elderly peoples backs. If you were trying to be a smart **** it wasn’t funny. By the way don’t bother telling me to take a chill pill !
Surely you use bags? So when you fill one you remove it and put on the floor or anywhere else that takes your fancy! Common sense. You sound like you need a chill pill!
 
Never used self checkout and never will. In saying that, if I’m paid to do it…50% off seems reasonable, to me
 
Self serve checkouts are a pain because something always goes wrong. You have to remember to take any pre purchases out of the trolley or they bleet! I have to call a staff member over nearly every time!
I won’t use them as every time something goes wrong and you have to wait for a staff member
 
I loathe self check outs and refuse to use them . Ever since they were introduced it’s simply meant to give the giant food chains more $ and reduce employment. Don’t care if I only have 2 items in my basket, I still queue in the service lanes!!!
 
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.
I can not understand why any one uses these devices that save these companys milions by not have to pay real check out people As you do not get a discount for the money you save these evil companys too
 
I always use assisted checkout even if there's a long queue and I don't have many items. Keeps someone in a job.
 

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