Woolworths customers divided over new feature

Customers of one major Australian supermarket have lashed out after the retailer announced it was trialling a new feature.

Customers of one major supermarket have lashed out at the retailer after it announced it was trialling a feature.

Woolworths launched Australia’s first digital supermarket trolley in a bid to allow customers to scan, bag and track their spend as they shop using an iPad.

Afterwards, customers can take the iPad to a self serve register and pay.

All Woolworths customers have to do is unlock a tablet from the front of the store using their Everyday rewards card and attach it to their trolley before starting their shop.

It removes the need for customers to use their personal mobile device.

It is currently being trialled at Woolworths Windsor, in Sydney’s North West.

There are plans to also bring it to Kellyville, Oran Park, Kellyville Grove, Kellyville North, Lane Cove, The Ponds, Warringah Mall, Schofields Town Centre and North Parramatta.

However, Woolworths shoppers have expressed frustration over the new feature.

Some have speculated that it means less manned check-outs will be opened, some have said it feels like they’re employed by the supermarket and others have wondered about payment methods.

“Please just open up registers! One register isn’t enough, some people still only shop with cash,” one user complained.

Another said: “What if you want to use cash?”

“What's next? We have to pack the shelves first before we pick our own orders, scan our own orders, bag our own orders and everything else,” another said.

One added: “Are the groceries gonna get cheaper now we’re doing it ourselves.”

People were particularly caught up in how you pay and whether the machine would accept cash but Woolworths has calmed everyone’s concerns.

Woolworths is trialling a new version of Scan & Go. Picture: TikTok

“Customers using the Scan & Go trolley can pay for their groceries using cash or card at our self service check-outs, just like customers do today,” a spokesperson told news.com.au.

“The TikTok video is one of the most watched and shared videos we have produced on the platform this year and we continue to receive positive feedback from customers using the new Scan & Go trolley.”

Woolworths said no jobs would be impacted by Scan and Go.

Some social media users were stoked about the new trial after using the original version of Scan & Go.

One social media user commented: “I’m keen. Anything to make shopping quicker with kids.”

“I already use scan and go on my phone and I love it,” another added.

“Scan and go is the best thing that has ever happened to grocery shopping. I go out of my way to travel to a store that has it. Pls roll it out everywhere,” another declared.

It comes after an checkout feature being trialled at a handful of Woolworths stores sparked a huge divide among shoppers – with some fearing it’s a huge push towards a cashless Australia.

People were divided over Scan and Go. Picture: TikTok

The supermarket giant installed “cash handling technology” in all its Metro stores in 2020, a device located at the front of check-outs which prevents employees from having to physically handle cash.

Woolworths later began trialling the cash-counting gadget in two of its main supermarket stores but hasn’t expanded the technology any further.

While the automatic device — a depository safe known as a “cash recycling machine” that counts and sorts money — isn’t new, the little-known checkout feature has recently gained attention following the supermarket’s announcement it was rolling out a “new front-of-store experience”.

And after learning of its existence, Australians have been left with mixed thoughts on the cash handling technology, with some claiming they will “boycott” their local store if the machines are fitted at check-outs nationwide.

People pay, using cash or card, at the self serve. Picture: TikTok

“I won’t be shopping at Woolworths any more that’s absolutely for sure,” one raged on Facebook.

“This is pure laziness,” someone else mused.

As another stated: “Is Woolies OK? It’s not hard for their staff to count a few coins.”

Others believed the move was a push towards becoming a cashless society, a claim Woolworths quickly refuted, as customers who want to pay with cash can still to do so using a manned checkout.

However many welcomed the additional checkout option, stating it was a good way to use up excessive coins.

“Why are people so mad? It doesn’t bother me at all,” said one.

“Such a good idea,” another agreed.

Originally published as Woolworths customers divided over new feature