There's a lot of crappy plastic tokens around, but every now and again... 😀



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/157147290086

Have recently listened to a few episodes of the Toast podcast on BBC Sounds. Whilst it can be a bit quick and light on detail (25 mins per episode), they've covered the histories and downfall of the likes of Homebase, Woolies, phones4u, Safeway, Our Price etc. as well as other business types ...

Recounting the sad state of her local High Street, my mum told me last week that it's "even worse now the Trustee Savings Bank has left town too".

Took me a while to realise that's what TSB originally stood for.

Just another little shrinkflation report. I noticed Tesco have got the chocolate sweets tubs out for Father's Day. Quite clever really as I think this is the first time I've bought a tub of Quality Street outside Christmas.

Anyway, they've changed them so the purple one (that was moulded to look ...

After a seemingly endless "closing down" sale, the former Homebase near me has become The Range.co.uk with Garden Centre by Homebase. I don't think the store actually closed at all during the transition.

Never really warmed to WH Smith on the High Street after they took over John Menzies.

And yet all these years later, both will have finally found their respective niches - working side by side at airports, albeit doing different things.

As for the self-checkouts, turns out they are rolling out updates after announcing a new deal with NCR Voyix last year.

The overhead camera in the pole/flag keeps an eye on what's happening in the scanning area, and also allows for produce recognition, called Pick List Assist:

https://youtu.be ...

WillPS wrote: Tue 25 Mar, 2025 23.55Which rotisseries are closing? I can only see Market Kitchens, which are a different thing.

Ah, my apologies. I thought Market Kitchen was another name for the hot food counter. The changes are perhaps less sweeping than I initially thought. Good.

Looking forward to the new jingle:

🎶 Fewer reasons to shop at Morrisons 🎶

Seriously though, the fish and hot food counters are/were the main reason I'll occasionally take a trip to a Morrisons. Seems nobody wants to sell me a hot rotisserie chicken any more.

Never really understand why people kick off at supermarkets for bringing in anti-theft measures (see also scanning receipts to exit). Are they supposed to just… accept loss?
Not against the exit gates - just the ones at my local store don't work well. I thought I just didn't have the hang of ...

I don't think the till "saw" any barcode/QR code. There was no beep from the scanner at all.

I was in a bit of a rush and quickly flung my bread past the front of the till but was probably too far away. Not hearing a beep, I was about to try again anyway but the screen had already switched to this ...