PSA: Woolies Self Checkout - Overhead Trolley Cameras Now

It would seem that the self-service checkout stations at my local woolies (Sydney inner suburbs) have learned a new trick.

I have grown used to the camera in the scanner area checking - and sometimes even helping with - my selection for fruit and veg.

Now it would seem there's an overhead camera keeping an eye on your trolley contents. I'm not sure how I feel about this one… I can't help but suspect that it'll misfire much more often than it's right.

So here's how the encounter went… A small quick Sunday morning grocery run.. my mini-trolley had several fruit items, some bakery & dairy and not much else. The perfect quantity for a swift exit through the self-service bays.

First I scan the cold stuff then the fruit & veg, all packed into a single insulated woolies bag. That goes into the trolley, I scan the last few items packing them into a regular woolies bag

All done, I tap the pay button and BAM… an obnoxious little message asking me if I'd forgotten to scan something in my trolley.

Stuck, I had to call the attendant over to unlock the station… the console showed her a neat little overhead view highlighting my insulated bag. "Did you scan all of those?" A little bit taken aback, all I could say was "Ummm…. yeah, of course." The computer nerd in me manically trying to fathom how any system could be smart enough to tell the difference between un-scanned items & items that have been scanned and put back into the trolley for the trip back to the car.

Anyhow… that's the PSA. Watch out for these annoying new cameras.

(I'm not quite sure what I, or anyone else could do differently here. Are we meant to let all our stuff pile up on the station until we've paid?)

Related Stores

Woolworths
Woolworths

Comments

    • +2

      They do this to me, but only because they know i will stuff something up and need help. Sigh

    • -2

      I tell them they don't have anything worth stealing and don't use the self checkout if certain staff are monitoring.

    • Wow really, I would be quite insulted if that happened to me. Are they there to help in case of issues or do you think they are just checking to make sure you do the right thing?

    • +1

      The old lady at my local clearly doesn't like/trust asians. When I go, I get "Hello, how are you today?" When asian missus goes, she gets "Did you scan this? Did you scan that? as she peers into all her bags" (and no, not just my missus. Same behaviour noted with other asians)

    • +1

      Should just start coughing loudly.

      And then ask if the covid tests are still available.

    • +1

      I would appreciate this. It will save me chasing them down when the register inevitably doesn't weigh something correctly.

  • +4

    I've experienced it doing this once. I sometimes split my transactions between 2 rewards cards as I'm trying to complete the fortnightly spend offers.

  • +5

    I’ve found you can put the bags in your trolley and take them out again and hold them just before you hit pay and it doesn’t trigger the camera. It’s not the most convenient but it saves waiting for the attendant to come.

    Edit - I don’t like putting stuff on the floor

  • +28

    Pity they don't put all the money they've spent on this crap into just paying actual staff to operate actual checkouts.

    • +7

      Or, fix all the theft of EDR dollars and having to reimburse those points back to the customers…

      • They probably write off the stolen EDR dollars in some creative way, but all that stuff bought with those stolen dollars helps plump up the sales figures…

    • +1

      It’s the same logic that makes Amazon spend millions upon millions of dollars to bring in union breakers instead of just paying worked a few dollar extra.

      Let’s put in this $300,000 ai surveillance system to stop $1000 worth of stock theft and to save having to employ a check out operator…

      • Well, give em an inch…

      • +1

        And people will still steal, this shit won't stop them. It's just another annoyance for the rest of us.

    • Blame the shareholders. they are the ones who are constantly demanding increased profits at any cost. Infinite growth must be maintained!

  • +3

    So did you forget to scan an item? 👀

  • +1

    Yesterday l was at my local Woolies in Sth East Melbourne. I scanned everything in my basket but left 2 items. Next thing l see on screen my basket with camera focusing on items still in my basket which l no longer wanted.
    The attendant came over and explained this is quite new techology.

  • +3

    Last week I got tired of being videoed by the self-serve checkout so I asked the nearby nice woolies lad why.
    He said it's so all my shopping gets correctly scanned, no unscanned additional items etc.
    I pointed out that I do mistakenly put an additional item in my bag then the system says "unexpected item in bagging area".
    He said "ahhh … ummm … errr … it's for security purposes" and started to walk away.

    I pointed out that I've scanned my wollies card so you have my name / address / email / phone no (well, somewhat accurate, I think !)
    and now you have my photo, so for how long do you keep my matching biometric data ?

    He said he didn't know but the privacy policy is available on https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/au/en/privacy.html
    so I checked but couldn't find the answer there. Emailed the Woolworths Privacy Officer (last week), still waiting on an answer.

    I now "accidentally" lean over the camera (center top of self-serve checkout) until I've scanned the first item !

    • 'I've scanned my wollies card so you have my name / address / email / phone no'

      There is no guarantee that the details you used to sign up for rewards card are actually yours. None of that is verified.

  • +1

    I previously would leave my handbag in the trolley while scanning, these days i take my bag out, before i even start scanning, i taken everything out of the trolley thats not part of my purchase. The first time I experienced the overhead camera catching me out, the sakes assistant, saw it was just my handbag and unlocked my purchase so i could pay.

  • +10

    It annoys me when I do a shop at aldi and pop in to get a couple of things at woolies, then it pings me as forgetful or a potential theif.

    What a way to stick up for your customers.

    • +1

      Supermarket staff cannot take criminal matters in their own hands.
      They can only alert police, who have the authority to question you, etc.

      I have walked in/out of supermarkets, carrying items AND the receipt from another supermarket.
      It looks suspect, but I show them the receipt at exit.

  • +6

    I refuse to go to Woolies anymore after they implemented cameras pointing towards your face on the checkout. Serious concerns about privacy and the extent to which they can track you. If I do have no other option I intentionally cover the camera with my palm, the checkout attendants don't seem to care.

    • +4

      as if to say there aren't cameras recording you from the moment you walk through the entry gates …
      do you use an everyday rewards/flybuys card? pay for groceries with the same debit/credit card more than once?

      • +7

        That's not the (whole) point. The front-facing camera is getting a much better look up your nose, and it's an unethical tactic they are using regardless.

        • +1

          The front-facing camera is getting a much better look up your nose,

          How nice of them to provide a booger cam. "Cleanup at self checkout 4".

          • @Brian McGee: Just wait for the crotch cam. "We've got a full-on fallopian fungus….She's baking a loaf of bread and I think It's sourdough"

            • @ProlapsedHeinous: You think before the 'do you have a rewards card' message they'll have some 'we suggest some lynx and vagisil' ads come up?

              Imagine the chaos that'd cause.

    • +5

      I always use a scrap of paper or post it note or such to cover the front-facing camera. I realize i'm still on a dozen other cameras anyway, we all are, but it's more a protest against their bullshit "we're watching you" tactic.

      I always leave the camera covered. Sometimes i see the attendant uncover it as soon as I leave, but other times i think it stays there a little while. Maybe i'll start stealing milk creamer too.

    • +1

      Unless things have changed

      “The image at checkouts is just a reflection on the screen and is not recorded. That hasn’t changed. Like most retailers, we do have CCTV in our stores, which is why we make reference to cameras in the updated privacy policy… We can also confirm that we do not use facial recognition of any type,” a Woolworths spokesperson replied on Twitter.
      https://au.news.yahoo.com/woolworths-responds-to-shocked-cus…

      • Interesting. I would be more inclined to believe them if they bothered to explain what they're trying to accomplish by "reflecting the screen"

        • +1

          To remind people they are being watched and act as a deterrent.
          It's just like there are CCTV screens in some of the aisles.
          Or how some stores have a CCTV screens at the main entrance so you see you are on camera.

  • I had no clue about all these camera stuff in self checkouts etc. I presume not the same issue with the normal manned counters although i find it hard to even find any of them these days. I have been at woolies to only find 1 manned counter at times

  • The express ones in my area dont have a lot of room to put groceries you have already scanned. Is this a design flaw or are there a lot of people who go to the shops every day or every second day.

    We normally do one big shop a fortnight and a couple in-between for milk and maybe bread. Is this becoming less common we try to plan our meals and budget our money plus who has the time? Buying day to day tempts impulse buying each time you go in which shops love.

  • +2

    Do you get the team member discount for processing the products yourself?

    • $0.00 hourly rate + 0% discount

  • -1

    Click and collect peeps. Never deal with self check outs again.

    • This is a good point. I should switch to doing this.

      • +1

        But they then charge you compulsory bag fees for that. I've seen this happening.

        • +2

          Never experienced this with Woolies. I click "BYO bags" and just shove everything in my backseat.

        • Coles and Woolies used to do this during the peak of Covid. It lasted a lot longer at Coles but now, at least in my area you can use your own bags. In Coles, they even pack them for you.

  • what is PSA?

    • +7

      According to Google, PSA means prostate specific antigen.
      Public service announcement ends.

      • Thanks

        • this got me laughing

          • +1

            @Brakus: I did the same and I was like that's not right lol

            • @Poor Ass: I prefer PSA…WG. Any Clash fans will work this out.

  • I don't do regular grocery shopping at Woolies for some time now (only for casual thing or things that Coles don't have). Will observe this next time.

  • +6

    Here's how you can defeat this terrible invasion of privacy: https://imgur.com/a/HA8OMO9

    • Lol. That's just going to attract the PSO's attention.

    • I lol'd. Well done.

    • I was expecting a giant sombrero.

    • +1

      "Don't scan you rewards card"; OzBargainers shaking right now…

      • One .. Of your rewards cards..

  • +2

    they have had this for quite a few months now at my local store,
    When i order bulk of items "cashiers are closed" or i would go to them, i get the attendant to do bulk entry for me making it faster to get what i need and leave, so they proceed to scan and then put them back in the trolley, at payment time "Have you left items in your cart" comes up, ofcourse there is the attendant put them there.

    For a while now they have had them turned off because of the fights that start over them, ive seen yelling and screaming over a dirty trolley there was a tissue in the front of the trolley and stopped the customer from leaving without scanning it.
    Ive seen people punch the screen to not be recorded.

    My issue with it is I've seen recordings of it straight down the attendants top when scanning items, how many people have had down their top recorded over this.

    • What do you mean by "straight down the attendants top"?

      • See inside the blouse, I think.

      • as in down their tshirt

    • My issue with it is I've seen recordings of it straight down the attendants top when scanning items, how many people have had down their top recorded over this.

      You're assuming that the footage is stored.

      • while that is a problem people walking past can also see it, i dont think many people would be 2 happy having a camera down their top that others can see

  • +4

    I’m waiting for the day there’s a disposable NFC inspired barcode where you just position the trolley in a bay and it’ll itemise the contents in one go.

    From there you could add some logic/ml to assess if people are doing the dodgy like removing the label by calculating the expected vs actual weight range of all products.

    • Hopefully they can integrate with gift cards too

    • +2

      Wasn't that supposed to be the way of the future? RFID on every product, automatically scanning your whole trolley. Works well at the library at least. Kids choose their books, chuck the whole bag on the scanner and wait a few seconds for it to pick them all up and done.

      At my local Woolies they are trialling scan and go and offered a bunch of points for basically no spend to try 3 times so I did.

      Gotta say it was actually pretty good. Scan items as you go, pay in app which gives you a barcode to scan at the gate on the way out and you're outta there.

      Of course there was no one stopping me to check what was in my bags but I guess that will come eventually.

      Only downside is can't yet pay with gift cards in the app.

      • Many shops selling clothes have that. The problem is it does not work well for cheap items. A tag costs $0.10, so it is not worth it to put it on items that costs a dollar or less.

        Also not sure how well tags work if you have a trolley with hundreds of items. After quick googling, it seems it is not a problem. You can scan thousand items. It will only take longer.

    • +5

      That's how it is at UNIQLO now, you can put a packed full basket and put it in an area, works it out in a seconds, then you look at the list, confirm and pay.

      • Isn't this what's happening at Decathlon? You just drop the stuff inside a box and bang, it happens.

    • Look up Amazon's Just Walk Out system which allows you to grab what you want from the shelves and then walk out and the system charges what you have selected to your designated card

  • +1

    How is this going to work when I use the same trolley and shop at both Coles and Woolies? I'd have items from one store - completely unbagged and go to the other to buy a few things here and there. I usually try to keep the new items at the front of course, but it's going to detect a (profanity) ton of unscanned items now.

  • +7

    The self-checkout process is becoming increasingly irritating at Woolworths.

    Surveillance, being pestered to donate to charity once you've scanned everything. Lately, I'm often finding the attendant has to come over and "unlock" my machine for one reason or another. I can only assume it's because of the cameras detecting something that appears to not have been scanned.

    If it becomes any more annoying, I think I'll be shopping elsewhere in future… though I'm guessing Coles, etc. will follow suit soon enough.

    • +11

      The donation thing is downright dirty - purposely set up so you are more likely to click yes when in a rush.

      Heres an idea wooworths - with a profit of 8 billion dollars last year, give some of that to charity.

      • Yeah, I'm not giving a large corp money that they can they tax deduct and say "we gave this to charity" to make themselves sounds better. I can donate to charity myself without going through you. Those charity prompts are super annoying at Maccas and Woolies.

      • It was $1.5 billion actually, but never let facts get in the way of outrage.

        • Correct you are - same same though.

      • Woolies: $560M or so in wage theft.

    • Chemist Warehouse occasionally asks if you want to donate to charity and how much you want to donate.

      • +1

        Ask them whether it's a donation to the community pharmacists they have pushed out of business.

    • Is there anyway to disable that annoying charity prompt, like you can set digital receipt by default?

  • +4

    Man I got caught out with the scanner cameras.
    I usually combine my red and green apples in the same bag (they cost the same) to save using 2x plastic bags.

    The machine yelled at me because it saw the difference when weighing them and I was sweating bullets

    • +2

      The system needs to track stock levels.
      By mixing different items even if same price it makes it impossible to track stock to streamline store deliveries.
      If you want to continue to have well stocked red and green apples it is best to input accordingly.

  • +2

    What I really hate is the camera built into the screens that show you your own face. I'm already ugly under the most ideal conditions, but the low angle is especially unflattering.

    • +4

      I can imagine there’s a security team manning the cameras doing “hot or not” with all the customers.

  • +3

    Yeah, happened to me. I had some shopping in there from the butcher, Coles and Aldi. The worker did ask and I said it was shopping at another store, but it wasn't really checked. She marked the reason and I paid.

    I found it a bit pointless, as if I'm going to leave stuff in the trolley and walk out with that. If people wanna steal crap, they are going to steal crap. I think this system just anonys the honest.

    Next time I'll just move the trolley out of range.

  • +5

    90% of the timeself checkout works fine, the other 10% it's faster for me to move to another one rather than wait for the attendant to get to me.

  • My local woolies got a message pop up after I made the payment, the only reason I bother the operator was I couldn't get my receipt.

  • +1

    Latest Woolworth stores you can scan directly with your mobile to your shopping bag. This requires "honest" areas,
    European trials are very promising.
    Coles claims to have no plans yet.

    • +2

      I gave this a go a couple of months ago for a single loaf of bread and the auto gate wouldn't let me out after I'd paid. I had to wait for a staff member to come over, rescan my one item and only then did the gate open.

      I thought it was great up until the wait to be set free.

      • Bunnings has a self scan for Power Pass holders. Requires a pit stop at the gate keeper. I keep telling them: Happy Easter!

  • +1

    I had exactly the same ! I finished my purchases & got an error, it had seen my unused bags in my trolly & made me call the worker over.

    Woolworths is getting much harder than Coles lately & more expensive.

  • +6

    I know there's a fair amount of theft happening at supermarkets and can tolerate the odd bit of anti-theft measures but it does become annoying when it triggers too many false positives for the honest shoppers that are the majority.

    I mean, some of these terminals already give me the shits with constant "unexpected item in the bagging area" after things are properly scanned/weighed and bagged. If they really hate their customers this much then maybe they should go back to paying for staffed checkouts.

  • i got pulled up by a lady for not paying for a cherry ripe (which i did on a transaction earlier). Then asked if i had permission to use the cards (my wifes ing card). i insisted she goes through all security and ring up my wife and by the way if i was going to commit fraud with another persons card i wouldnt be doing 5 x 1c transactions.

    so now i just go and demand a manned/womaned/karened checkout

  • Yep annoying, I had the machine complain and had to have somebody come over. Saw the photo of an empty trolley whereas the machine was complaining that there were still contents in it that were not scanned. All this tech they use is so bad.

  • +1

    good luck seeing the trolley with my gut

  • nice another reason on the list as to why i rarely shop at coles or woolworths unless an emergency for food supplies. im always local butcher and veg shop. coles and woolies can get F

  • have you forget to scan and pay for that something my baby boy I am pay for it. close to 250,000 by time it 18

  • just a another head up they also grab your pin number went put in it in.

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