Self-serve check-out’s worst feature axed by Coles after customer unrest

ONE of the most irritating features of the self-serve check-out is being axed by supermarket giant Coles after customers said they just couldn’t stand it.

Grace Ursini (83), uses the self-serve checkout at the Coles supermarket in Burnside, South Australia. She finds it quicker than queueing for a staffed checkout.

THE irritating “unexpected item in the bagging area” alert is disappearing from supermarket self-serve check-outs.

Grocery giant Coles has disabled the function at stores, apparently due to customer unrest.

Previously, weight detected in the bag packing area that did not match scanned items prompted a warning and stalled transactions until a staff member attended.

The unexpected item feature is one of the most annoying for self-serve users worldwide, catching out those struggling to fit groceries on the cramped bagging area or failing to place them on fast enough.

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“We are trialling new technologies at our self-check-outs that reduce customer frustration and enable our customers to get through quicker,” Coles spokeswoman Julia Balderstone said.

“This has freed up more time for our team members to provide a better service experience.”

But the change has raised concerns about potential overcharging if items are accidentally scanned more than once.

Coles is axing the annoying feature. Picture: Aaron Francis

Heidelberg man Shane Simmonds uncovered the new system last month when his five-year-old daughter mistakenly scanned a toy twice at a local supermarket.

“Previously the check-out would register a baggage weight error and suspend your transaction until it was corrected,” Mr Simmonds said.

“It wasn’t until she had fed all her pocket money in and the machine asked for a further $10 that I became aware something was wrong.

“I raised a complaint with the store manager, and with their national customer care line. They claim this was brought about as customers were irritated.”

Mr Simmonds was upset the chain did not advertise the change, and suggested consumers carefully check receipts.

It was last year revealed that Woolworths had switched off “unexpected item” messages at some stores. The chain says it remains turned on “in a proportion” of stores.

UK supermarket chain Tesco last year substituted several unpopular messages including “unexpected item in the bagging area” with “softer phrases”. It also replaced its female automated voice with a “friendlier, more helpful and less talkative” male version.

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@KarenCollierHS