Asda introduces new self-service checkout rule at store – and customers say it’s ‘unpleasant’
ASDA has introduced new self-checkout rules at one of its stores sparking frustration among customers.
The supermarket giant is operating “self-checkout only hours” at one of its branches.
A shopper at Asda’s superstore in Bournemouth shared a picture of a sign showing manned checkouts are only open at certain times.
The customer told MailOnline self-scan only hours had made for an “unpleasant” shopping experience.
The sign shows that from 7am to 8am Monday to Saturday, only self-scanning checkouts are open.
From 8pm to 11pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 7pm to 11pm on Wednesday, manned tills are closed and only self-service is open.
Meanwhile on Fridays, the self-service only hours are from 9pm to 11pm.
On Sundays, self-service and manned checkouts are open all day.
Asda told The Sun the move was a “temporary decision” taken by the Bournemouth store during quiet shopping hours and it’s not a company wide policy.
They added that most customers use self-service checkouts during these hours and that staff are still on hand for anybody who still wants to use a manned checkout.
An Asda spokesperson said: “We know that our customers like to have the choice of how they complete their shop which is why we have self-checkouts, attended checkouts and scan and go at most of our larger stores.
“Customers can be assured that colleagues will always be on hand to help however they choose to complete their shop.”
It comes after Asda, which has 1,200 supermarkets across the UK, said it will put more staff on tills as part of a £30million investment to get customers back in stores.
The supermarket said it will not be installing any more old fashioned checkouts in its shops amid the rise of smart shopping.
Instead, the remaining ones will be staffed more often, especially at the weekend and other peak times.
Over the past decade supermarket bosses have invested in self scanning tills, adamant that customers preferred the speedy style of shopping.
But there has been growing dissatisfaction with them amongst customers.
Earlier this week Rami Baitiéh, the chief executive of Morrisons, announced the supermarket will scale back the number of self-checkout kiosks in its stores.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Baitiéh said the company is “reviewing the balance between self-checkouts and manned tills”.
Booths, an upscale Northern grocery chain, recently abandoned the technology after discovering customers had a more enjoyable experience when interacting with a cashier.
This move aligns with data previously published by The Grocer which reveals service satisfaction has declined by as much as 8% due to the use of self-checkout machines.
It’s not just supermarkets that offer self-checkouts.
In recent months, Primark has been rolling out self-checkouts at dozens of stores.
Shops including Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Morrisons and Primark all have brought in barriers to get customers to scan their receipts in order to leave, in a bid to address shoplifting.
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
DODGE SELF-CHECKOUTS
If you want to avoid self-checkouts, you may want to consider using scan-as-you-go technology.
Scan-as-you-go systems are the latest addition to the supermarket shopping experience, and several retailers are making them permanent features in big stores.
They allow customers to scan as they browse, either using their smartphone or a handheld device.
Then, most shops allow you to check out in a completely different area from other shoppers, saving time on queues.
It means shoppers can track how much they’re spending as they go around the aisles, allowing them to budget and stick to their list.
It also means they can bag their groceries as they wander around, saving even more time.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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