ALDI shoppers are only just realising there’s been a major change to checkouts at stores across the country.
The discount supermarket has been slowly rolling out self-service checkouts at certain shops since 2019.
1
Now the kiosks are available at at least 11 stores in key cities including London, Manchester, and Leicester – but Aldi has not confirmed exactly how many.
It means that some shoppers are only just getting to chance to try out the new service.
Posting on Facebook groups for fans of Aldi, one shopper wrote: “Just been to Hednesford Aldi, the self service checkouts are a win-win for me!!!”
While another said: “I suppose it’s inevitable but one of the last bastions of cashier checkout service Aldi has resorted to installing self checkout tills in Trentham.
“Poor show Aldi. I might appear as a Luddite, but I don’t work for Aldi or any of the other supermarkets who expect you to do their work for them. This is supposed to be progress!”
The posts have been met with mixed reaction and shoppers are definitely divided by the change.
One user wrote: “Robot tills take a job away from a human till operator. Boycott them.”
While another said: “I hope our one doesn’t get them, I love Aldi but won’t do self service.”
Most read in Money
Some shoppers however are thrilled at the change, one said: “Our little Aldi has taken all the tills out and only has self scan, its brilliant!!
“No queues at all, can scan at your own speed and I’ve not been over charged once!”
And another commented: “I never used to like them but since our Aldi has them I’ve changed my mind and I’m in my 60s.”
Self-service tills were first launched in Aldi’s Tamworth (Staffordshire) store back in April 2019.
The trial was then extended to four other shops including Bedford (Bedfordshire), Bishop’s Stortford (Hertfordshire), Manchester Arndale (Manchester), and Woodgate (Leicester).
This was followed by a further four supermarkets to have the tills installed are Lichfield (Staffordshire), Atherstone (Warwickshire), Hounslow (West London) and Tooting (South West London).
Since then the scheme has been rolled out to at least two shops including in Portslade and in Hednesford.
No Aldi stores are completely self-service and customers are still able to pay for their goods at a staffed checkout if they prefer.
The supermarket has previously said that scanning the shopping yourself could make paying even faster.
But some loyal shoppers vowed to boycott the machines after the previous round of self-service stores were announced.
Customers can pay for goods at the new tills with cash, cards, and Apple and Android Pay.
Aldi has been slower to roll out the self-service technology compared to its rivals.
Self-service machines were first introduced in stores in the 1990s and have since been adopted by Lidl, Asda, Morrisons, M&S, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Even clothing retailers like Primark have since introduced the new wave of checkouts.
Doors in these areas don’t open unless you have your receipt.
Plus, Sainsbury’s has even brought in receipt scanners at the exits of self-checkout areas in certain shops.
The supermarket isn’t the first retailer to introduce a measure like this.
Ikea and Costco all require you to scan your receipt so you can leave the shop.
Meanwhile, for the full list of changes hitting supermarkets this year see our roundup.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
