Woolworths, one of Australia's leading supermarket chains, is known for its attempts to improve customer convenience.

In a recent move to enhance the shopping experience, the company has introduced a new system at self-serve checkouts.

In this system, Woolworths has marked Card-Only checkouts in a sleek grey colour, while Cash and Card tills are highlighted in bright green.

This simple yet effective change allows customers to quickly identify their preferred checkout option, saving them time and potential frustration.

Woolworths unveiled its new colour-coding system for customers to identify their checkout options easily. Credit: Shutterstock

The colour-coded checkouts have been introduced in a ‘handful’ of stores across Australia as part of a trial.

Woolworths is keen to gather customer feedback before rolling out the system nationwide.

Cash users were delighted with these changes, as only a few self-serve checkouts accept cash.

However, other shoppers said they still refused to use the customer-operated registers.

A Woolworths spokesperson shared that the new colour-coding system is part of the company's ongoing efforts to make shopping 'easier and more convenient' for customers.

'We've implemented colour-coordinated self-serve checkouts so customers can easily find their preferred checkout, whether it be “Cash & Card” or “Card Only,”’ they said.

'All the self-serve checkouts have improved signage as a complement (to the colours). We look forward to continuing to receive feedback from customers on the change.'

Last year, Woolworths installed automatic gates and high-tech surveillance in their self-service checkout areas as a test run in select stores across Australia.

Other stores have also been trying new features to improve their self-serve checkout systems nationwide.

For one, Kmart trialled a new security camera system in December, which uses camera vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect when items have not been scanned properly.

Coles also rolled out its electronic gate systems as a final step to reduce theft in the supermarket chain.

Key Takeaways

• Woolworths is trialling a new colour-coded system at self-serve checkouts to distinguish between machines that accept cash and those that are card-only.
• The machines that accept cash and cards will be easily identifiable with a neon lime colour, while card-only machines will be wrapped in dark grey.
• The supermarket hopes this change will make the shopping experience 'easier and more convenient' for customers.
• While some customers are excited about the change, others remain sceptical and say they will 'refuse' to use self-serve checkouts regardless of the updates.

Have you used the colour-coded checkouts at Woolworths? Do you find them helpful? Share your experiences in the comments below.

 

[Eliza-Beth]

But remember there are a lot of people out there who honestly find it very hard to use all this new digital tech.

Not only that they are simply too tiny for disabled people, and they never have the disabled aisle on anymore. It's impossible in a wheelchair, and getting some items in the trolley once hurts enough, without unloading scanning and putting it back in the trolley. And you can never get it to work, sometimes half the items require waiting until the lone operator can come and wave a card to tell the machine it's wrong. There needs to be at least a 10% discount if they expect me to work for them. But I'm boycotting Woolies for hating Australia so it doesn't matter, but the others will follow.

 

[Eliza-Beth]

What point am I missing. I wasn't replying to you, I was commenting on the person who wanted 10% discount for scanning their own groceries.
Just pointing out how ridiculous that would be.
You are an extremely rude person.

Do you really think those comments were necessary. I think you need to go back to bed and take a Bex
When you wake up try getting out the other side of the bed.
By the way I have read the WEF agenda. You are entitled to your opinion as is everyone else without having people like you trying To shove their agenda down their throats.

The WEF website, and the Klaus Schwab "Davos Manifesto" should be essential reading, and is in the bookcase of every government of the world. Every country pays millions a year (since the 70s) for this garbage, and in Europe billboards stating their commands are popping up everywhere especially the "you will have nothing and you will be happy". Nothing means not your own home too.

Sorry, completely off-topic, but in a way relevant because this is just another step into taking away what tiny amount of freedom we have left. All just cattle being moved, and prodded when needed, along the path to.....

 

[Catherines]

If there is no one to put my purchases through, I just put them all back on the shelves & leave. I then go to Aldi.

And I hope, as you say, you will "put them all back on the shelves and leave" because if you do not put them back on the shelves then we, the other customers, will be paying the price for the cold products you leave in your trolley which are possibly starting to go warm and potentially (and unbeknown to other customers) going off. Do you think that is fair to those of us that inadvertently pick up something that has been lying in your trolley for about half and hour? In the end you too will pay higher prices for the waste you are creating.

Make your choice, but the supermarkets will not be bringing their prices down for people like you who do not accept technology and self-serve for 'anything'. Technology is here to stay so get used to it or get left behind because there will soon be no store offering anything but self-serve. Think back to whether there was technology in the 60s and to what extent and how we shopped then. It has progressed for the advantage of customers (yes, also for stores' profit and benefit as well) but it is here to stay and will progress even more.

I shop at Aldi also but that is because some items I require are just that little cheaper but there is no way they can rush me to load my purchases into the trolley - I shop at my pace, not theirs and pack my trolley at my pace.

 

[Eliza-Beth]

If woolies, or any other supermarket, actually wants to do something helpful. Create a 100% only Australian product - made, produced and manufactured here. So, we can choose what to avoid. I've already been poisoned once by Chinese berries that were NOT labelled Chinese because they were packaged in New Zealand or someplace that I thought was safe.

If woolies wants to cut down on stealing then having a few more staff around (especially ones that know what they are doing) would be the best result, but heaven forbid NO, that would mean more cost and less money for shareholders, which is what this is all really about

 

[Woody08]

And I hope, as you say, you will "put them all back on the shelves and leave" because if you do not put them back on the shelves then we, the other customers, will be paying the price for the cold products you leave in your trolley which are possibly starting to go warm and potentially (and unbeknown to other customers) going off. Do you think that is fair to those of us that inadvertently pick up something that has been lying in your trolley for about half and hour? In the end you too will pay higher prices for the waste you are creating.

Make your choice, but the supermarkets will not be bringing their prices down for people like you who do not accept technology and self-serve for 'anything'. Technology is here to stay so get used to it or get left behind because there will soon be no store offering anything but self-serve. Think back to whether there was technology in the 60s and to what extent and how we shopped then. It has progressed for the advantage of customers (yes, also for stores' profit and benefit as well) but it is here to stay and will progress even more.

I shop at Aldi also but that is because some items I require are just that little cheaper but there is no way they can rush me to load my purchases into the trolley - I shop at my pace, not theirs and pack my trolley at my pace.

The only items I buy at Woolworths or Coles are bread, chips , coffee when on special & water. They are not going to get warm because I am only in there for 5 minutes. Everything else, I buy at Aldi or IGA. The Aldi shop that I use have staff who are helpful & do not pressure their customers to pack their goods at the same rate as they are processed through the scanner. I am 78 years old & fairly fit for my age.
But I have seen one or two people just walk out leaving their trolleys with their purchases in it at Coles & Woolworths. I have seen elderly people completely confused & stressed at the automatic checkouts. Whilst there is normally a staff member present to help, sometimes, if that person is busy or having a chat to a friend , some elderly people are just lost, especially when it comes to fruit & vegetables. I live in a country town & a number of my elderly friends try to no longer shop at Coles or Woolworths. Our town also has IGA as well as Aldi so most of my elderly friends shop at one of those stores. They have friendly & helpful staff.