Latest Moan From You and Me 2025

What worries me with self scanning is if you make a mistake and don't scan. Then if you are caught you get a criminal record? I would die of shame. I noticed that even packets of beef mince have a security tag. Doing a big shop would worry me in case I missed something. I can manage a newspaper and sometimes it is handy if you have a tenner - the machine pumps out the change without complaining or giving you a bad look.

 

@cactus_girl I avoid self-scan like the plague but if I do use one it's only for a few items. I have walked into supermarkets, noticed there are no staffed tills, and walked out again.

 

I sometimes wonder if people are against self checkout because they find it a bit unnerving.
I used to be a bit hesitant but prefer them now.
I even talk to the woman who keeps saying, unexpected item on the bagging area, and tell her where to go.

After all that she still thanks me for shopping with them.

 

I know the staff in our small local supermarket by name and they know me by name. This morning, as I was putting my shopping into my bag and paying (in cash) I had a chat with the young man on the till. He was telling me all about his wild flower seeds and how well they had germinated this year and how he was looking forward to seeing the bee balm again. Telling me about his “pet” blackbird. You don’t get that from some computerised money taking machine.

 

Yesterday, the machine told me "Someone is coming to help you". "If only they were" was my reply, which got me a very quizzical look from the male shopper on the next machine.

 

Starmer on TV again, saying lots of words again! However many times he says "mark my words" and "make no mistake", etc, it is totally meaningless unless he actually does something!

Fewer TV speeches would leave more time for doing stuff. Swanning round the place with the same hand-picked journalists in tow is getting us nowhere.

 

I gave up watching tv about ten years ago. It saves my thinning hair from being ripped out.

 

@pete I don't find self-checkout un-nerving in the least. I'm not paid as a checkout operator and see no reason to do the job without being paid to do so. I'll use it for a few items, but would never use it if I had a full basket or trolley. It's faster for me to bag up whilst somebody else does the scanning.

 

@Ergates OH usually accompanies me these days, mostly because we start in the café with a coffee and, for him, a large Danish with raisins which he knows will never be found in my trolley and we don't buy bread so no treats from the baker. We shop with a list and go round teh store in order so everything goes from trolley to bags in a logical (for us) grouping.

Heavy items can be left in the trolley and scanned with the dooberry on a long cable.

There are only 2 or 3 self scan tills and they are manned to do spot checks and it's too much faff for me anyway and would take longer than a professional scanner at the tills. Much prefer the normal system with a smile.

 

Shopping is a real chore - SM's constantly move their products from one aisle to another ( presumably to make you look around and spot something you never knew you needed ) and have become extremely adept at hiding stuff on bottom shelves just inches off the ground.
I have used the self scan tills but do prefer those with a human being attached. Not having the necessary scanning equipment myself, the options are limited to the conveyor belt ( unpack and repack ) or the ever polite woman on the DIY till.

 

It depends how long the queue is at the ordinary checkouts, its often about three trolley loads at least and always has been before they brought in the self checkouts.

Was you one of those that said, its not my job to get things off the shelves, when self service came along.
Or its not my job to drag it all round the store with me.

I can remember when my Mum took a list to the corner shop and had it sent round.
It was only about 6 houses away.

I just see it a a more modern way of doing things, and if they still have both its up to you which you use.

Lots of people use the self checkouts, its not like nobody wants them.

 

@Philippa In Belgium and France they have hand-held scanners you pick up at the entry and then return but you have to have signed up beforehand. I tried it about 20 years ago when my favourite Belgian SM introduced them but they elected to check my purchases every time so I gave up as it was pointless. Haven't bothered since and won't.

The SM we use has been quietly reorganising its shelving over the last year since the old manager retired. It's more logical now and they've signed it better but I do have to backtrack sometimes when something's moved. Using a list does reduce impulse purchases.

@pete I do prefer to selct my own goods off the shelves to make sure I get what suits me so no dented tins or torn packets and no squishy fruit or veg etc. Still want a cashier to scan it thru tho so I can concentrate on packing it all well. If they reduced the price for those who self scan and save the SM costs then maybe I'd reconsider but I don't want my entire life automated.

 

The self scanning in our local ASDA is so popular that there are usually queues. And occasionally you hear over the tannoy that the system has gone down. Makes me laugh as those well packed bags have to be unpacked and join the rest of us on the usual tills.

 

I did get one over on SM staff on one occasion. A very 'nice' boy came mincing over to me saying he could help me on the self-service till. I passed him the basket and just stood there. He realised soon enough that I had no intention of actually scanning anything, so he had to do the lot. I did put things in my bag for him.