The Tesco & other non-Morrisons supermarket thread

[all new Phil]

Yeah, I had this happen the other day too. It's definitely new and quite a disconcerting feeling. My Sainsbury's also now has a camera that identifies loose produce when you weigh it, so you don't "accidentally" press the wrong button. It's all making supermarket shopping quite a depressing 1984-esque experience.

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?

[Jacket]

Yeah, I had this happen the other day too. It's definitely new and quite a disconcerting feeling. My Sainsbury's also now has a camera that identifies loose produce when you weigh it, so you don't "accidentally" press the wrong button. It's all making supermarket shopping quite a depressing 1984-esque experience.

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?

No, but my point is that in vastly reducing any option other than self-service, they're now not only making me do the work of a checkout operator but surveilling me from multiple angles while I do it with the assumption that I'm trying to rob them. Which is not a pleasant experience.

[bilky asko]

The camera on the fruit and veg scales saves a lot of messing about looking for the exact item you want. My major issue is that the scales never seem to get cleaned up my end, so they're always filthy (in comparison to Tesco's less advanced, yet pristine, scales).

[scottishtv]

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 scanning at the correct height/angle but it appears lots of people struggle to get them to open.

In general, must businesses try to reduce friction in customer processes - so it is a bit interesting to see where friction (or in this case, an actual barrier) is deliberately introduced where there has been none before. I appreciate it's not really a big deal, just slightly irritating when it inconveniences you.

[Martin Phillp]

Recently I had a till receipt in Sainsbury's that decided not to print out the bar code, so had to wait for the checkout assistant to let me out.

My experiences of the exit gates are usually good, but there have been times where the barcode scanners simply don't read them or they've had to take them out of action due to faults.

However while the majority of stores I visit have them, my nearest standard Sainsbury's after having their refit didn't include exit gates at all!

[BBC TV Centre]

Recently I had a till receipt in Sainsbury's that decided not to print out the bar code, so had to wait for the checkout assistant to let me out.

My experiences of the exit gates are usually good, but there have been times where the barcode scanners simply don't read them or they've had to take them out of action due to faults.

However while the majority of stores I visit have them, my nearest standard Sainsbury's after having their refit didn't include exit gates at all!

It seems the scanners they have in Sainsbury's on the exit gates are very particular with the angle/speed/position at which you scan the receipt, it needs to be held perfectly in line and also the scanner itself takes a few seconds to pick it up.

The other problem with this is that the printers in the self checkouts tend to be battered when it comes to the printout quality, I remember one only printing half of the receipt once (as in it was totally blank on the left side), no idea how anyone was going to get out with that receipt.

Your one not printing the barcode sounds like the printer ran out of paper - why these things do not have a sensor inside and flash a big warning on the screen when the paper runs low so the attendant knows to replace it.

[Philip]

The roll has a red line on it when it gets near the end but the staff aren’t going to know that for the self service tills are they?

[scottishtv]

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:



Also, Mirror.co.uk: Sainsbury's rolling out new AI technology to checkouts

[bilky asko]

Recently I had a till receipt in Sainsbury's that decided not to print out the bar code, so had to wait for the checkout assistant to let me out.

My experiences of the exit gates are usually good, but there have been times where the barcode scanners simply don't read them or they've had to take them out of action due to faults.

However while the majority of stores I visit have them, my nearest standard Sainsbury's after having their refit didn't include exit gates at all!

It seems the scanners they have in Sainsbury's on the exit gates are very particular with the angle/speed/position at which you scan the receipt, it needs to be held perfectly in line and also the scanner itself takes a few seconds to pick it up.

The other problem with this is that the printers in the self checkouts tend to be battered when it comes to the printout quality, I remember one only printing half of the receipt once (as in it was totally blank on the left side), no idea how anyone was going to get out with that receipt.

Your one not printing the barcode sounds like the printer ran out of paper - why these things do not have a sensor inside and flash a big warning on the screen when the paper runs low so the attendant knows to replace it.

Most likely they do have a sensor - Tesco's self-service tills have a warning on the start screen when paper is running low, for example.

[BBC TV Centre]

The Tesco ones with the new software I have seen the message, but in my experience in Waitrose and Sainsbury's the paper has just run short mid way through the receipt and left me with part of one, or none at all. Or jammed one. So maybe it's down to the config of the machine or whether they've opted for the added options?!

[Philip Cobbold]

Many years ago at Sainsbury's, the signal that the paper running low was that the tri lights on the pole would flash. However, if the empty plastic core of the till roll was left in the printer, and the new roll sat on top of it, the lights would continue to flash as the till roll was sat too high in the printer.

This was when the Version 5 self checkouts were first introduced, which were the first ones with the coin recycler in them. They are on version 6 or 7 now, so not sure if the tri light is still an indicator. Sainsbury's also changed their software about 8 years ago, so it's probably a bit different now.