Aldi introduces huge change to Melbourne checkouts
Aldi is rolling out self-serve checkouts in Victoria, with a store in Melbourne to be the first to trial the new feature this month, but it seems not everyone is impressed.
Aldi had been trialing the card-only technology in select supermarkets across the country, including in New South Wales, and it’s expected that the Victoria stores will utilise similar machines.
Mixed reactions
Opinion on the new feature on offer is divided, with some worried that the self-serve checkouts may cause workers to lose jobs, while others chimed that the registers would make shopping quicker and easier.
Self-serve checkouts are already being utilised by the German retailer’s competitors Woolworths and Coles, who offer both cash and card options on their registers.
“I don’t really see a problem with this as Coles and Woolworths have self service registers and more often than not, the self service registers are quicker and easier too!” one woman commented on a Facebook post about the issue.
“Great for customers who have less items, which will be faster,” another agreed.
Another Facebook user, on the other hand, expressed frustration about the growing number of self-serve checkouts at Australian supermarkets.
“Hate the fact Coles has more self-checkout than checkout staff... if you’re gonna impose self-checkout, then have the decency to reduce the $$$. After all none of us are employed as checkout staff when we go do our shopping,” one woman commented.
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“Yes seem to be more self-checkouts now, only two serving ones and big long queues, doing people out of a choice,” another commented.
“There were two people serving on the 12 items or less counter this morning trying to get the queue rolling along while everyone else had to use self-serve or wait in two lines with a person serving and packing with their trolleys for goodness knows how long. Seems to be getting worse for shoppers, not getting any easier. Maybe all trying to push us on to online shopping?” the woman added.
Aldi first launched the self-serve checkouts in NSW supermarkets last year.
At the time, Aldi told Yahoo News Australia that the business decision was made in line with their low-cost model so they can consistently provide high quality groceries at the lowest prices.
"Since self-serve checkouts entered the Australian grocery sector, we’ve been watching with keen interest the value and efficiencies they drive for business as well as the convenience they provide customers," an Aldi spokesperson said.
The self-serve checkouts are among a series of changes the retailer has introduced over the past year, which include shopping baskets and smaller trolleys.
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