Budget chains and self-service checkouts

[northwichcat]

From my observations self-service checkouts have made their way in to a lot of supermarkets and larger convenience stores. I've come across them in both Booths and Waitrose stores but haven't seen them in budget chains like Aldi, Wilko, B&M etc. Have any of the budget chains gone for self-service checkouts?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't believe so. They require quite a lot of space because they are slower in operation than manned ones, so don't suit the smaller buildings they use.

 

[DaleCooper]

Poundland have them.

 

[northwichcat]

I don't believe so. They require quite a lot of space because they are slower in operation than manned ones, so don't suit the smaller buildings they use.

I do think the German approach of super fast scanning and customers packing away from the tills which the German discount chains have introduced over here is the most cost effective method. In Germany it seems some of the non-discount chains use that approach as well. However, I do find it a bit strange that self-service tills are supposed to be seen as a cheaper option than manned tills and some of the more pricey chains have them, yet the budget ones don't seem to. In a Sainsbury's Local in my town they squeezed in a few between the manned tills and the doors without really losing more usable space.

 

[DarloRich]

Lets not forget every self service till is another penny in the pocket of the owning PLC and a person (often on a zero hours contract) further away from making a decent living.

I try never to use them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think they are a cheaper option in the big "warehouse" stores where space is not at a premium, and where there are a significant number of basket-only shoppers. At Aldi/Lidl most people fill a large trolley, and the trolley versions take up the same amount of space as a traditional checkout, and are much slower in operation.

Yes, I like the "take it away and repack" approach, though I don't get why they don't let you do that with a basket.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Re Aldi and Lidl, though, the answer if you like their approach is to shop there - there are enough supermarkets about that there is mostly genuine choice unless you live in a very small town. If enough people do, the others will have to change their game to follow.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Poundland use the self-service tills.

But generally the budget supermarkets make their headcount savings in other ways: they have fewer staff, and the checkout staff are also the shelf-stackers and the warehouse staff. At quiet times you'll only have one staff member out on the tills in Aldi or Lidl, so there's no benefit to installing self-service machines that just encourage shoplifting.

 

[90019]

I live above a fairly new Lidl, and it has self service checkouts.
The few manned ones don't seem to get much use. I've never seen more than one open, and most of the time when I go, none of them are.

 

[DarloRich]

Poundland use the self-service tills.

But generally the budget supermarkets make their headcount savings in other ways: they have fewer staff, and the checkout staff are also the shelf-stackers and the warehouse staff. At quiet times you'll only have one staff member out on the tills in Aldi or Lidl, so there's no benefit to installing self-service machines that just encourage shoplifting.

exactly - they multi task their staff

I quite like Aldi/lidl btw

 

[northwichcat]

Aldi do pay their staff better than some other chains.

 

[Domh245]

The Morden Lidl has been redone with self checkouts, but rollout to other stores does seem to be rather slow

 

[Antman]

From my observations self-service checkouts have made their way in to a lot of supermarkets and larger convenience stores. I've come across them in both Booths and Waitrose stores but haven't seen them in budget chains like Aldi, Wilko, B&M etc. Have any of the budget chains gone for self-service checkouts?

The Waitrose ones all seem to be card only. Personally I try to avoid any supermarkets that don't have self service checkouts, so much quicker and easier if you're only buying a few items.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Poundland use the self-service tills.

But generally the budget supermarkets make their headcount savings in other ways: they have fewer staff, and the checkout staff are also the shelf-stackers and the warehouse staff. At quiet times you'll only have one staff member out on the tills in Aldi or Lidl, so there's no benefit to installing self-service machines that just encourage shoplifting.

I use self-service all the time and I haven't shoplifted anything yet! Should I encourage myself to do so? If I wanted to shop-lift, I would do it in the middle of an aisle where no-one but CCTV is watching, not at the tills where there are staff hovering.

On a trip to North Wales recently, I used several small Asda stores (ex Netto at the junction for example) where self-service seemed to be the preferred option, with only one member of staff on the tills who would be out of their chair and away at the slightest opportunity.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The Waitrose ones all seem to be card only. Personally I try to avoid any supermarkets that don't have self service checkouts, so much quicker and easier if you're only buying a few items.

Presumably it saves any arguments about change, and having to maintain the change counting equipment. More importantly, having paid by card, they know who you are if you are caught on CCTV slipping an item into your carrier bag without having scanned it. Clever!

 

[PaulLothian]

Many years ago, a local supermarket - possibly Tesco - had wide bagging areas after the scanner, with a hinged partition that allowed shopping to go to either side of the packing area, and which allowed you to finish packing without bringing the queue to a total halt, while the next customer's shopping went to the other side. It always seemed a sensible design, presumably why they did away with them!

 

[Antman]

Presumably it saves any arguments about change, and having to maintain the change counting equipment. More importantly, having paid by card, they know who you are if you are caught on CCTV slipping an item into your carrier bag without having scanned it. Clever!

Probably just saves the money counting equipment? I don't really see how self service tills make shoplifting any easier.

 

[GB]

Card payments are usually quicker than using cash, I imagine that is the main motivation for card only tills.

 

[AlterEgo]

Card payments are usually quicker than using cash, I imagine that is the main motivation for card only tills.

Bank cash handling fees for large businesses are usually greater than card payments too.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Probably just saves the money counting equipment? I don't really see how self service tills make shoplifting any easier.

Try weighing in a bag of mushrooms as potatoes instead and see how much you can save!

Scan a 'reduced label' item, then the packing area scales are turned off and you can load whatever you like onto the packing area.

De-code the 'reduced label' item and manually enter a different (lower) price (instead of scanning) to save even more!

1) comes from a friend who had just that problem in his grocery department - the stock said they had mushrooms by the pallet full, the shelf was empty. CCTV revealed all and the culprit was banned, my friend even having the banning letter available on-line in multiple languages.

2) comes from a local newspaper article where the lady was prosecuted for re-using the same 7p reduced label dozens of times on the same shopping trip then repeating the trick days later.

3) I am tempted to try by putting in a higher price than the label says, just to see what happens. Can I be prosecuted for deliberately over-paying for an item?

 

[northwichcat]

3) I am tempted to try by putting in a higher price than the label says, just to see what happens. Can I be prosecuted for deliberately over-paying for an item?

If Northern ran supermarkets you probably would be.

 

[Howardh]

Lets not forget every self service till is another penny in the pocket of the owning PLC and a person (often on a zero hours contract) further away from making a decent living.

I try never to use them.

Isn't there some irony then if you buy your rail ticket from an ATM?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

If Northern ran supermarkets you probably would be.

If Northern ran supermarkets...

Now there is a potential thread.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I don't really see how self service tills make shoplifting any easier.

Weigh something as a cheaper thing, or put an expensive light item through after a cheap heavy item, and the scales alarm won't trip. And the harried staff won't even notice, because they've got eight or ten tills to watch.

Self-service tills aren't so very different from an honesty box...

 

[Antman]

Weigh something as a cheaper thing, or put an expensive light item through after a cheap heavy item, and the scales alarm won't trip. And the harried staff won't even notice, because they've got eight or ten tills to watch.

Self-service tills aren't so very different from an honesty box...

Yes I'm sure there are ways but the self service tills are covered by CCTV so security staff can watch anybody who looks a bit dodgy.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Self service tills -- the devils hand in the supermarket. As DarloRitch said above taking jobs away.

The speedy scan self pack approach is good and I like it, quite apart from anything else you can then decide in your own time and away from the pressure of a cue what to put where and how best to orgonise it all, handy if yourself and your goods are about to undertake a journey home on foot/by bike bus or train. Plus someone find me a self scan that someone with a visual impairment can use?

 

[Howardh]

Self service tills -- the devils hand in the supermarket. As DarloRitch said above taking jobs away.

But note my post above, if you buy your rail ticket from an ATM, what's the difference?

 

[Antman]

Try weighing in a bag of mushrooms as potatoes instead and see how much you can save!

Scan a 'reduced label' item, then the packing area scales are turned off and you can load whatever you like onto the packing area.

De-code the 'reduced label' item and manually enter a different (lower) price (instead of scanning) to save even more!

1) comes from a friend who had just that problem in his grocery department - the stock said they had mushrooms by the pallet full, the shelf was empty. CCTV revealed all and the culprit was banned, my friend even having the banning letter available on-line in multiple languages.

2) comes from a local newspaper article where the lady was prosecuted for re-using the same 7p reduced label dozens of times on the same shopping trip then repeating the trick days later.

3) I am tempted to try by putting in a higher price than the label says, just to see what happens. Can I be prosecuted for deliberately over-paying for an item?

I did hear about someone putting a multipack of beer through as loose bananas but quite honestly the risk is about the same as just walking out of the store without paying at all.

 

[Tetchytyke]

security staff can watch anybody who looks a bit dodgy.

And those who don't get a free lunch

 

[341o2]

Poundland have them.

not in my local store - Lymington