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Coles launches new AI-powered shopping trolley

Coles is set to become the "first Australian retailer" to introduce AI shopping trolleys, letting shoppers pick, weigh and pay for their groceries without having to visit a checkout. The supermarket giant said its smart trolley uses advanced AI technology, sensors and an in-built scale to scan groceries, including fresh produce, directly into shopping bags. Shoppers can also use an interactive digital screen to identify and locate in-store specials as well as keep track the running total of their shop to help manage their budget and ensure “there are no surprises” when they go to pay. The trolleys are also designed to "streamline the checkout process" as each smart trolley comes with an EFTPOS machine attached. Coles Chief Digital Officer, Ben Hassing, said the introduction of its Smart Trolley showcases Coles’ commitment to delivering value and convenience to customers through innovative digital solutions. “As the first retailer in Australia to introduce AI-powered trolleys, we’re excited to offer our customers a convenient and engaging way to shop in-store, helping them save time, manage their budget and checkout faster – or at their own pace,” Ben said. “The Coles Smart Trolley illustrates our omnichannel approach, leveraging digital capabilities to enrich the in-store experience. “We are committed to testing and learning through innovative solutions to make sure we are delivering on customer needs, increasing convenience, and helping customers discover more value through their shop at Coles.” Coles’ smart trolley was created by New York-based software developers Instacart, which rolled out its AI-powered grocery carts in several supermarkets overseas earlier this year. However, not everyone is onboard with the smart trolleys, as many shoppers said they would "refuse" to use the AI-powered carts, blasting them as “lazy” and expressing fears supermarkets would also store personal data. “I don’t work for them, scan my products and pack my bags, as per your job description,” one raged on Facebook after Instacart launched in US supermarket ShopRite. “Not a chance I will use an AI trolley, I want a human to scan my groceries,” another added. Coles will trial the “all-in-one” shopping device at its Coles Richmond Traders store in Melbourne from January next year. The announcement comes after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/woolies-trial-bold-new-scan-as-you-go-trolleys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Woolworths</a> also announced the launch of "scan as you go" trolleys, although the Woolies carts don't use AI technology to read what is being placed into the trolley, instead enabling shoppers to manually scan each item as they go. Image credits: Coles

Technology

Olympian's life "a living nightmare" after simple self-check out mistake

A former Olympian has spoken about how her life was ruined after she accidentally failed to scan to items at a self-checkout machine in Walmart. Canadian athlete Meaggan Pettipiece, 48, was arrested on March 28 in Indiana for theft, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. The charges have since been dropped, but Pettipiece lost her prestigious job as the head coach of the Valparaiso University softball team as a result and says her career and reputation have been ruined. The ordeal began when the self-checkout machine at Walmart reportedly failed to scan the asparagus and ham that Pettipiece intended to purchase. Walmart security saw that she failed to scan the items — worth a total of $67 — prompting them to call the police despite her having paid $167 for her other groceries. Pettipiece was arrested and when police searched her they found three disposable vapes in her purse, along with two unopened blister packs containing anti-nausea medication Zofran. The former athlete said the vapes did not contain any nicotine or THC, and the anti-nausea pills belonged to an assistant coach who had asked her to keep them in her purse during a softball game, days before her arrest. “We both forgot about them,” Pettipiece told the National Post. The outlet reported that earlier this month, her lawyer submitted an application for dismissal that included her account of the incident, proof of her assistant’s prescription, and character reference letters. After reading the application, her charges were dropped by justice officials on September 19, but the damage caused by the incident "changed everything". “It is bittersweet,” she told National Post. “I’m happy, obviously, the charges were dismissed. The sad part is the damage it did to my career. It has changed everything in my life.” Pettipiece resigned as head coach of the softball team shortly after the Walmart incident. "It's been five months, a living nightmare. I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building and it's been really difficult." Along with the damage to her career, Pettipiece said the effect on her reputation has been equally heartbreaking. “The softball community is a tight-knit group and it (the news) went through like wildfire,” she said. “You really do learn who the people are that really believe in you and trust you and are truly a friend for you." The former athlete is now living in Ohio with her family, and though the charges against her have been dismissed she is worried the damage "can't be reversed". “The tough thing is, how do you get out to people that you are innocent? And this damage was done for something so ridiculous,” Pettipiece told the outlet. “I’m not sure of the future. For now, I’m going to stay at home and focus on my kids. I’d like to figure out which direction I’m going to go in.” Image: Valparaiso University Athletics/ ZikG / Shutterstock.com

Legal

Woolies trial bold new "scan as you go" trolleys

Woolworths shoppers will be able to scan their groceries when they go into their trolleys in an Australian-first trial of the tech carts. The Scan and Go carts are being trialled at a Woolworths in Windsor in western Sydney, with customers now able to scan items as they add them to their cart, eliminating time at busy checkouts. The technology, which has long been used in supermarkets overseas, utilises the already existing EverydayRewards cards, which allows access to a touchscreen that clips onto the trolley. As you peruse the aisles, shoppers then scan their items on the touchscreen as they go into the trolley, with the screen adding up the total of your groceries. Customers still have to pay at the checkout, but the supermarket says as the smart carts roll out, customers could eventually swipe their cards and pay directly at their trolley, cutting out the need for any time in line for tills. "The technology is co-created with one of our international partners [and is] home-grown in Australia, [we've] really been able to make sure it meets the Australian consumers needs," Woolies Managing Director Faye Ihan said. The high-tech system is meant to save shoppers time and money while doing their weekly grocery shop. "I actually have only been in here for half an hour I'd normally be here for over an hour," one customer who tried the smart cart told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/woolies-trials-new-scan-as-you-go-trolleys/4e7e5c2d-04e9-4997-8a0e-0bb4bba8948d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. The company says the rollout won't impact employment, as Woolworths employees will conduct random checks of people shopping to make sure people don't exploit the system to steal. If the trial is successful, Woolworths says it will one day expand the smart carts to all Australian stories. Image credits: 9News

Food & Wine

Huge change coming to Coles nationwide

Coles will soon have customers download an app and store their credit card details to use a trolley while shopping. The supermarket giant is currently trialling the initiative at the Middle Camberwell store in Melbourne’s inner east. Shoppers will be required to download the Coles sMart Shop app, purchase a $2 digital coin, and then scan a QR code on the trolley. Once customers have returned their shopping trolley, the $2 is also returned - which helps with keeping track of trolleys. Coles confirmed that the trolleys would not have a GPS installed and won’t be tracking the shopper’s movements. “It’s hoped the technology will help minimise abandoned shopping trolleys in the community,” a Coles spokeswoman said. “[We] are actively working to make this better across the nation, including regular collections of abandoned trolleys with vehicles on the road daily and installing wheel lock systems where suitable.” Customers who do not wish to use the new technology will be able to speak to a team member who will organise another trolley for them. Image: Coles

Money & Banking

ALDI shoppers left fuming

An alert on ALDI’s self-serve checkouts prompting shoppers to only pay by card has left customers fuming. A photo shared to popular Facebook page, Aldi Fans Australia, shows the supermarket’s self-serve screen with the words “Card payment only” on it. The self-serve checkouts were installed in nine stores across New South Wales in June 2021 - but that’s not what’s got customers annoyed. Customers said they would not be shopping at ALDI if they did not accept cash options. “No cash, no buy - so bye bye. Cash only here,” one customer said. “I pay for everything with cash. Cash is king,” another wrote. “I'd rather use a human being, thanks, and keep someone in a job,'' one woman said. “I used to get paid to do that job, now they want me to do it for free,” someone else commented. “I would prefer cash any day, at least I know where it is,” another added. On the other hand, shoppers commended the introduction of the self-serve checkouts which will help them complete their trip quicker. “Now we can go at our own pace,” one commented. “This makes me super happy. Love self-serve,” another added. “'I never have cash, I have almost forgotten it's a thing, doesn't everyone just use their phone to pay for stuff now?” someone else wrote. Images: Facebook/Shutterstock

Food & Wine

Quick thinking man uses ALDI trolley to rescue trapped koala

The man filmed pushing a koala in an ALDI trolley has explained how he came to find himself in such an unusual situation. Peter Elmore, from Hastings, Victoria, <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/trapped-and-scared-aldi-shopper-reveals-the-heartwarming-story-behind-his-koala-trolley-rescue--c-5355061" target="_blank">spoke to 7NEWS </a>about the TikTok video a stranger recorded that shows him pushing a koala in a trolley in an ALDI carpark, explaining that he and his wife Kelly were on holiday in Portland he visited the local ALDI. His grocery run quickly turned into an animal rescue attempt, however, when he noticed a koala that had become trapped in the parking lot. He told 7NEWS, “There was only one way in and out of the carpark, and the koala was cornered. She was trying to climb the high wooden fence and kept falling. And because koalas can’t put their arms out to protect themselves when they fall, she kept landing on her head and bashing her face. “Then I saw an elderly man nearly run over her and I knew I had to get her out of there.” <div class="embed"><iframe class="embedly-embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7053328668852014338&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40cherrymaeferrer%2Fvideo%2F7053328668852014338&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F6c50fd26b66d41b19531c433c8486680_1642231055%7Etplv-tiktok-play.jpeg%3Fx-expires%3D1643151600%26x-signature%3DbWEJBaYxRx%252F9rgRUpvsXwP%252FCbUk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" scrolling="no" title="tiktok embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div> Peter and his wife are wildlife volunteers and have experience with rescuing koalas, telling 7NEWS, “We have a few koalas around where we live, so I’ve done it before.” As for why he put the koala in the shopping trolley, he explained, “I would’ve put her in the back of my car, but I had my dog with me. And I would’ve carried her, but then I saw the ALDI trolley and thought that would be a bit easier! Fortunately, according to Elmore, “She was very happy to be picked up and rescued. Male koalas can be a little more feisty, but she was relaxed in the trolley and was happy for me to move her around. “I only had to push her about 100 metres until we got to a bit of bushland. Then she went into someone’s backyard and up a tree. “It was a happy ending.” As for the video, Elmore said, “I didn’t even know I’d been photographed until I saw the video! I can see that it would’ve looked a little unusual. “But the trolley was just there to help out the koala, it was very handy!” Image: TikTok/Peter Elmore

Family & Pets

Woolies employee reveals unknown self-serve checkout hack

One Woolworths employee has shown those who struggle with self-serve checkout one easy hack to get you sorted. A new clip shared to TikTok by the official Woolworths page, has shared with shoppers a simple way to stop calling for assistance at self-serve checkouts when scanning and bagging items. However, followers of the page were more excited to see the employee sharing the hack, rather than the hack itself. Woolworths' staffer Liam Kirley shot to fame on TikTok after his in-store videos went viral. In the video, Liam shows himself lining up the items to be packed in a single bag before scanning. "Press I've got a bag on the machine, then place the bag in the bagging area," he said. "Then place all the items you want in that bag on the parcel shelf. “Then do something called a power slide, you slide items across and the barcodes will scan easier." He shared that the green light will let you know when it's time to scan another item and when you can move your bag. Liam also revealed that pressing the new bag button on the bottom left-hand side of the screen will make it easier to start the process again with a new bag. The clip also shows shoppers how to scan heavy items without lugging them onto the bagging area or calling staff for help. "If you've got a bag item like the water, tap the heavy miscellaneous and then tap the item you want in," he shared. Liam rose to stardom on TikTok, by sharing simple secrets for the supermarket. <img id="__mcenew" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843801/woolies-checkout.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7cc9747b7b0d44038f29d4649ff80cc2" /> His viral videos have gained him more than 150,000 followers and seven million likes. Now, Liam says he will be running the new Woolworths account, as a content coordinator. Woolies launched their new account on TikTok during the week and delves to share recipe ideas, cooking hacks from food experts, shopping tips and sneak peeks into new stores. “We are pleased to be launching on TikTok and to give customers an even closer look at what it means to be Today’s Fresh Food People," Woolworths Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Hicks said. “TikTok is a great platform to share content and we hope can help make customers’ shopping easier through simple and fun tips and insights. “In planning the launch on TikTok, it was important we had an authentic voice of our team that would resonate with the channel's audience. "We’re excited to have Liam bring that same authenticity across a range of content to inspire our customers.”

Money & Banking

"Thank you Woolies": New trolley device causes sensation

A TikTok video has gone viral online for showing a new COVID-safe technology being trialled at Woolworths stores. TikTok user @shereenchadoud captioned the short clip: “Thank you Woolworths for looking after us”. In the video, a customer can be seen using a new sanitising machine for trolleys outside a Woolworths store by pushing her trolley into the large green unit and pressing a button. “You can now disinfect your trolley at Woolworths Bankstown,” a voiceover says during the clip. Many users from around the world have praised the technology and expressed their wish to try it for themselves. “What a good idea Woolworths,” one person commented. “I wanna go there and try it,” another said. “They should have this everywhere,” a third wrote. Some of the thousands of comments have questioned the effectiveness of the new device. “But you already touched the dirty trolley to push it in there,” one person said. “The trolley is safe but not the thousands of products for sale,” another noted. Others noticed that the light that appears in the disinfecting unit looks like it uses UV technology and were quick to scrutinise its use. But a Woolworths spokesperson has confirmed it is not the case. “Customers simply push their trolley into the unit at the front of the store, which sprays it with disinfectant spray in under two seconds,” the spokesperson said. The Bankstown store is the latest location to trial the tech, after the Oran Park store first implemented it in April and received widespread customer approval. A Woolworths spokesperson has confirmed that the new devices have been a hit with customers. “As a food retailer, we already have very high standards of cleaning and hygiene, including the thorough cleaning of high-touch surfaces, like trolleys and baskets,” the spokesperson said. “As part of our COVID Safe program, we’re trialling new trolley disinfectant units in six of our stores across Greater Sydney. “The units have been very popular with our customers, helping start their COVID-safe shop with extra confidence,” they said. “We’re always looking for ways to make the in-store customer experience more convenient, and will closely monitor customer feedback on the trial in the coming weeks.” Other stores trialling the unit in NSW include Wetherill Park, Glenrose, Bonnyrigg, and Carnes Hill. Image: Shereenchadoud / TikTok

Caring

“It warmed my cold heart”: Coles checkout worker praised for helping struggling senior

A young checkout worker’s kind act towards an elderly customer has almost brought an onlooking Coles shopper to tears. Shopper Lyn shared the story on Facebook, revealing how she was blown away after watching how the cashier reacted when the elderly woman became confused while paying for her shopping at Coles in Medowie, Port Stephens. “I really wanted to share a beautiful thing I witnessed today,” Lyn wrote. “While waiting in line at my local Coles supermarket, the elderly lady in front of me was having trouble paying with her debit card. It declined twice and she was confused at why it wasn’t working. “A beautiful young boy working on the checkout told her it’s OK, I’ll fix it for you, and proceeded to pay for it using his own phone to access his account. “The elderly lady just thought he had fixed the technology somehow, not realising he had just paid for her $73 groceries. He didn’t look for thanks or acknowledgement in any way. “I wanted to cry at witnessing the absolute care and generosity of a fabulous young man called Michael. Lyn concluded the story by assuring everyone that she had told the store supervisor of Michael’s kindness. “It warmed my cold heart,” she said. Hundreds responded to the story, sharing how touched they were by the cashier’s generous act. “Some people are just winners. Awesome work young bloke. You’re going places,” one said. “His parents would be super proud,” another added. “OMG there still is good in this cold, mixed-up world. Michael from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You have restored my faith in the younger generation,” a third wrote. A Coles worker from the Medowie store said: “Reading through this I was thinking it was Michael, then saw his name. He is a lovely young man and he is an asset to our store. I will be giving him a praise up!”

Food & Wine

"In your face, ALDI!": Shopper shares hack to slow down checkout

An ALDI customer has shared a hack for beating the fast pace of the store’s checkouts and has received a mixed response from others online. ALDI staff are known for their high speed scanning of groceries at the checkout, and a shopper has shared an image of the simple thing she does to slow them down. The photograph shows a series of grocery items spaced out along the conveyor belt, with around 30cm between each item. She claims this trick ensures she has enough time to pack items into her trolley or bag at the other end of the checkout. “In your face ALDI! Just so we got time to pack!” she captioned the photo. <img style="width: 351.4548238897397px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842759/56af82373d000fbf58e0cc7cf01a0e13364e9926-161x229-x0y67w459h653.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/53b9ae1571cb47468cd7c6896aa0f03f" /> Image: Facebook While many have praised the technique, others were angry and accused the shopper of being “selfish” and “annoying”. “Stop trying to pack your bags at the checkout. Put your groceries back into your trolley after they’ve been scanned and pack them at the packing area like you’re supposed to. You don’t need to do stupid things like this if you just follow the rules,” one person said. “People like you packing their bag at the register is so annoying and selfish. Try packing them at the bench like everyone else,” another added. “If you are selfish enough to do that I hope they really throw them at you,” a third wrote. “How childish,” another said. A former ALDI worker also contributed to the debate, saying she had come across this tactic in the past. “When I worked at ALDI and people did this, I would hold the first item back from the sensor with my arm until everything piled up,” she said. Meanwhile, others praised the idea and told people “to lighten up”. “Great idea. Might try it next time I don’t feel like taking on the ALDI ninja fast cashiers lol,” said one. Image: Facebook

Food & Wine

Why this self-serve checkout “hack” should never be tried in store

A self-serve checkout hack video has gone viral, amassing almost over a million views; but supermarket chains have warned customers against it. The video posted to TikTok was shared by a Woolworths customer who revealed that machines have a coin slot flap that can be lifted, which can allow shoppers to dump multiple coins at once instead of inserting them one-by-one. “Oi Aussies, did you know that at Woolworths you can pull this up to insert your coins when you have too many?” she said in the video. However, supermarket chains are asking customers not to try out the “hack” as it is not intended for customer use, and shoppers can risk jamming the machines. Woolies staff commented on the video, writing “Noooo don’t do this, the machine will jam then we gotta fix it.” Another said: “You’ll end up waiting longer … great way to jam the coin slot they have to individually go on a belt to be sorted so the machine knows what’s been put in,” another added. A Coles spokesperson told news.com.au it is not a simple hack shoppers should ever attempt. “The purpose of the coin flap is to prevent debris, food and other small objects from getting into the machine which could cause jams. “However, we do not encourage customers to put an excess amount of coins, i.e. piggy bank full of coins.”

Retirement Life

"I cried so much": Woolies shopper floored by stunning staff gesture

A Woolworths shopper has shared the unexpected act by a staff member while she was paying for groceries. Posting the story on Facebook, Victorian shopper Sammy said the kind Woolworths checkout worker left her in tears while she was going through the self-serve checkout. The customer said she was in a distressed state while out shopping at her local store following the death of her dog earlier that day. When the employee asked if she needed help at the checkout, Sammy shared what had happened and the worker went and picked up a box of Cadbury Favourites chocolates for the grieving customer to take home. “Today I lost my beautiful German shepherd, I had to duck into [Woolworths] for dinner,” she wrote. “We still need to wear masks in Ballarat, Victoria. I’m at the self-service checkout and I’m asked if I was OK, my eyes must’ve said it all. “I told her my dog passed this morning and she came back with these and gave her condolences. I cried so much in my car. “A beautiful act of kindness from your staff.” A Woolworths representative replied to Sammy’s post, saying the supermarket was proud of their worker’s kind actions. “We wish to extend our sincere condolences to you and your family during this difficult time,” they said. “We’re glad to hear that one of our team members at our Ballarat store could see that you weren’t OK and give you a box of Cadbury Favourites. “We’ve already provided your feedback to the Ballarat Store Management team so the team member in question receives the recognition she deserves.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

ALDI shopper shares genius checkout hack

An ALDI shopper has shared a grocery hack he says will save time at the checkout. In a video shared online, TikTok user 1980sgamer revealed how using two laundry baskets rather than waiting to stack your purchased goods at the checkout can save you time. "I was able to modify my grocery hack to make grocery shopping an even better experience," he can he heard saying in the video as he pushes a trolley around a supermarket. He begins the process by selecting food and grocery items as usual, before placing the items on the checkout belt and paying. "Now, you see all these people wasting their time bagging their groceries? Yeah, skip that," he can be heard saying. "Just head to your vehicle with all your groceries loose in your cart like this. Now, for this hack to work, you're going to need two laundry baskets." He then places the cold food items at the bottom of the basket before filling the baskets with the remaining items. "So now you can just drive home, and I just saved you a tonne of time by skipping the bagging process with this great grocery hack," he said. The video has been viewed more than 40,000 times, with it reaping much praise. "Oh my god, yes. I have been doing this for some time now," one Tiktok user wrote. "Omg so genius, I never thought of laundry baskets," another said.

Food & Wine

Woolworths takes a stand against “brilliant” trolley hack

Woolworths is warning customers against attempting a trolley hack involving using a key when you don’t have a gold coin went viral on TikTok. The video started circulating on the platform as a”life hack” that told viewers to insert a key into coin-operated trolleys when they don’t have coins on hand. Quickly labelled as “brilliant” and a “clever solution” to a familiar problem, but Woolworths has said it could cause serious problems. “While trolley locks are not commonly used in Woolworths stores, we strongly encourage customers to only use coins in the trolley lock mechanism,” a spokesperson told news.com.au. “There have been previous instances where customers’ goods or keys have become stuck in the lock, and they may also damage the lock.” The Ballarat man who made the video found the advice was well received, with the video watched more than 25,000 times. “Insert your key, pull it out, pull your key out, and you have a trolley,” he said in the video. While some appreciated the tip, one commenter said they had tried it recently and it didn’t work. Others were confused as to why the Woolies trolleys were coin-operated, as most Australian supermarkets provide them free of charge. But, differing local government by-laws mean that some stores have trolley locks. The exception to this is Aldi, with trolleys needing a gold coin to use across the country as a way of keeping prices down on their products. Last year, the same key trick shared by an Aldi shopper prompted the German retailer to issue a warning. A spokesperson said in June, “We recommend that our shoppers continue using gold coins or an Aldi trolley token to unlock their trolleys. Other objects may become stuck or damaged.”

Legal

Woolies shoppers go wild over new trolley feature

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A TikTok video of a new feature at Woolworths has gone viral as shoppers are thrilled with the prospect of a disinfection station for trolleys. The video, which has been viewed 1.4 million times, shows the trolley being disinfected by a machine inside a Woolworths store in Oran Park, Sydney. The device allows shoppers to use a freshly disinfected trolley to do their shopping but is currently only being trialled in Oran Park. Some were fans of the device, but others were quick to point out the flaws of the machine. "She’s already touched it," one wrote. "But you still have to touch it to put it In there to sterilise it, so then anything that was on it is now on your hands," another person agreed. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840950/trolleys-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/088ac246902743c0b2581b2f78463123" /> Woolworths is currently trailing ways to keep its "customers and teams safe" during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a food retailer, we already have very high standards of cleaning and hygiene in our supermarkets including the thorough cleaning of high touchpoint areas including shopping trolleys,” she said. As part of our COVIDsafe program, we are trialling a bespoke customer trolley disinfectant unit at our Oran Park store, which enables customers to push a trolley into a dedicated standalone unit where it is sprayed with disinfectant. By completing the cleaning process in under two seconds, the initiative is proving very popular with customers looking for a fast and efficient way to clean their trolleys.” The trolley cleaner is currently in trial mode, but Woolworths said it would "closely monitor feedback over the coming weeks". </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

ALDI shopper's plea after distressing incident at the checkout

Customers have requested for ALDI checkout staff to scan items at a slower pace after a woman witnessed an elderly shopper become overwhelmed trying to pack her groceries. The scene unfolded at an ALDI store in NSW last week when the elderly customer battled to keep up with the quick pace of her cashier. The woman watched on as the shopper, who refused her help, struggle with what she described as ALDI's "rush in, rush out" approach. “Once her goods were beginning to scan the cashier was going so fast, I could see the poor lady struggle to put it back into her trolley, by the time she walked a short distance to the end of the cashier table, a third of her goods were sitting there already,” the observer wrote on ALDI’s Facebook page. “The cashier had to stop scanning as there was no space left... the queue had built up so far, despite this the cashier didn't call for another register to open.” The woman revealed the cashier began putting the shopper's items into her trolley to clear space for more items to be scanned. “The lady was visibly upset by how rushed she was. At the end she paid for her goods as the cashier loaded up the last of her goods into her trolley and told her to use the bench to sort it out,” she wrote. She added while she usually has no issue personally with using the separate bench to pack her groceries, seeing the older woman struggle changed her mind. “It was complete chaos and now the poor lady had to spend more time getting pushed about trying to sort her trolley after the cashier just threw things everywhere (eggs under milk cartons, bread loaf under tins, toilet paper squashing everything).” The woman implored ALDI to consider a re-evaluation of its “rush in, rush out” attitude, revealing she struggled with anxiety each time she approached the registers to check out. “I know the cashiers scan things as fast as possible and will then try to throw all my stuff in the trolley. I hate this. Why not just slow down the pace a little?” she wrote. An employer for the supermarket responded to the shopper's post, saying they were concerned upon hearing what she had to say and would "look into this further". An Aldi spokesperson said staff adjusted the speed they scan groceries based on each individual shopper. “Our employees will review and adjust their scan speed based on how quickly or slowly each customer packs their shopping,” the spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia in a statement. “If any customer would like an Aldi employee to slow down at the checkout, we encourage them to kindly request this. Our stores are designed to ensure customers can do their weekly shop in an efficient and convenient way. “One way we can do this is by asking customers to place their groceries back in their trolley once they have been scanned, and then pack at their own pace at the long bench behind the tills.”

Food & Wine

ALDI shopper shares trolley hack that'll leave you $5 richer

Aussie bargain hunter and Youtuber Frugal Aussie has shared a trick that'll help you score some quick cash if you're shopping at ALDI. She posted a video about how she collected $5 in just 15 minutes. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VG-KurE9TXY"></iframe></div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Natalie, who runs Frugal Aussie, said that the trick is to look for ALDI trolleys around the supermarket carpack that haven't been returned to the trolley area. As ALDI trolleys require a gold coin or ALDI token to use, it means you can check and see if anything has been left behind. “Fifteen minutes work, I had $5 in my hand,” Natalie said in the video. “When I heard about this hack from the UK I was sceptical but I tried ALDI which was great. “I found trolleys with a baby cot in them the best and trolleys a long way from the store. “I guess people just can’t be bothered returning their trolley.” Natalie said it's a great way for people to make extra cash, as some people can find $20 a day. “Apparently people use this as a cash side hustle and some pensioners made about $20 a day to supplement their income,” she said in the video. “Some days you make a bit, some days you don’t.” </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

"Blatant disregard for hygiene": Man slams Woolworths self-serve checkouts

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A Woolworths customer slammed the supermarket giant for a "blatant disregard of hygiene" at one of its Melbourne stores. He said that he was disappointed to see that staff at his local store had left bins on the grocery shelves next to some self-serve registers. “It is almost inconceivable that anyone would place rubbish bins at any time on a surface where meat and vegetables are placed, but during a pandemic?” the customer wrote. “It is inexcusable.” He also said it was a "blatant disregard for hygiene". <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwoolworths%2Fposts%2F5142232599182163&width=500&show_text=true&height=561&appId" width="500" height="561" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> However, many defended the supermarket, saying that they didn't see the problem. “These bins are just for the receipts. How are they any less hygienic than the counter that people are touching?” said one. “He says, whilst using a touchscreen or keyboard, both of which harbour more bacteria than your average toilet seat,” another commenter said. “The two registers with bins on the bench are closed. What’s the big deal? The rubbish isn’t going to jump out, on to your meat and vegetables,” a third agreed. The irritated shopper said he would prefer to see the bins "on the FLOOR". A Woolworths spokesperson said that they would pass the shoppers feedback onto the relevant store. </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

The Coles hack that will revolutionise the way you shop

A Coles shopper has shared the “next level” checkout hack that will revolutionise the way you shop. Sharing on Facebook, Matt shared the little-known detail about how the retail giant’s small trolleys will fit perfectly above the service tray at self-serve checkouts. Matt shared a photo which shows how he was able to slide the cart over the shelf, so his groceries are right next to the register. This subtle but major hack can aide in scanning items from your trolley to your bags a whole lot easier. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839555/coles-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/99306009e81941b7bc2643961c6eb474" /> “Dear Coles, don’t ever change this at the self serve checkouts where the small trolley conveniently hovers over the shelf,” Matt wrote on Facebook. “It’s next level.” Shoppers loved the simple, yet effective revelation. “I had no idea you could do this,” one person wrote. Another commented: “Mind blowing.”

Food & Wine

The subtle yet sneaky Woolies tactic you didn’t notice at checkout

A little-known feature at Woolworths’ self-serve checkouts is being used to stamp out potential theft and helping customers scan groceries faster. Sneaky shoppers who may try to cheat the self-serve system by scanning avocados as carrots should beware. New technology at the assisted checkouts will now be able to detect the type of loose product a customer is purchasing. The upgrade in the self-service checkout machines has been rolled out in 220 of its 1050 stores and allows the scanner to analyse the subtle characteristics of the product being weighed. The screen will then give chekoutlists with three fruit and vegetable options to choose from. “So if a customer places a loose tomato on the scanner, the system will show a range of tomato varieties rather than the full list of fruit and veg items,” a Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia. “This makes self-serve that little bit faster and improves the accuracy of product selection for customers.” The Picklist Assist feature scans fruit and vegetables using imaging technology. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839069/woolies-sself-servce-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f9b1985b850a4be3b5802a52ffa9915f" /> It brings up shortlists of items to help shoppers make selection of their product image quicker. Woolworths hopes the technology will simplify their shop. “We’re always looking for ways to make shopping easier for our customers,” the Woolworths spokesperson said. “As we progressively upgrade our assisted checkouts, we have access to new technology, which helps customers find loose fruit and veg items in the system faster. “The system uses image recognition technology to filter the list of possible products based on their colour, shape or size.”

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