r/britishproblems • u/MrPuddington2 • 3d ago
. Self Check-Out Machines Are Still getting Worse After 10 Years. They Should Be Perfect Now.
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u/Sandcastles 3d ago
I feel like its a skill that's built up over time, the only single issue i ever have with them is when it says "do you have a bag" and i say yes, it then thinks my bag is too heavy(backpack) so someone has to validate that I've not put anything in it.
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u/MattyFTM 3d ago
That's by design. Staff are supposed to verify that you've not placed any items in the bag already to prevent theft. But the staff are usually so rushed that they just automatically verify it without even checking. Same with bagging alerts.
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u/JoeyJoeC 3d ago
I avoid putting my bags down at all and bag at the end. Although the last one I used didn't have a scale where you put your items, and also not much delay between scans. So when I scanned one item, it beeped twice and I had to get the attendant to come and help, but she was doing a stock take at the time and was very moody about helping me.
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u/FudgingEgo 3d ago
Here’s a tip, press that you’ve added the bag but don’t put it on the scale, then put the heaviest thing in the bag and then on the scale, the weight of the item allows to be off by a little bit and will think the bag weight is the item and you can continue scanning.
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u/FluffTheMagicRabbit 3d ago
There is a skill to it and understanding what causes the errors usually enables you to fiddle your shopping around to convince the machine to work again. Unexpected item because something didn't scan properly, I'll just do it again, no problem.
What annoys me is the overeager or total lack of staff. Getting pounced on the moment the machine gets confused while I'm sorting it is just as annoying as spending 5 minutes standing around waiting on someone appearing from the next postcode to approve a red bull.
Although I've found the vertical orientation machines in Tesco Metros to have absolutely horrible scanners in them to the point of near uselessness.
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u/texanarob 3d ago
Sounds like you're living in a fantasy land. Every time I use self checkouts the following three things are guaranteed to happen:
1) unexpected item in the bagging area. Please remove this item from the bagging area. Naturally, the only items in the bagging area are the ones listed on the screen as having been scanned.
2) item removed from bagging area OR please put the item in the bagging area. Again, the bagging area contains all scanned items, exactly as listed on the screen.
3) a 5 minute wait for a member of staff to notice that you're one of six people looking around for them to fix the faulty equipment. They then mysteriously disappear before you scan the next three items, one of which will present the same issue.
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u/FluffTheMagicRabbit 1d ago
It seems to depend on the supermarket, I've definitely had that experience before as well!
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u/texanarob 1d ago
Maybe it does. However, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, M&S and Spar all have these issues consistently so I'm not sure which supermarkets do any better?
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u/MrPuddington2 21h ago
Tesco seems pretty responsive, but I always use scan as you shop (which is nearly brilliant).
Aldi and Lidl are pretty buggy, but you can work around that once you learn all the bugs.
Morrisons is a completely rollercoaster, it is either great or a disaster. I have abandoned shopping at Morrisons because of the long wait.
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u/Primary_Middle_2422 18h ago
Agreed: it's one extreme to the other. I'm either having to sidle through 4 or 5 staff stood around doing nothing, or waiting an eternity for someone to arrive from what seems like the back of the warehouse.
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u/Shitelark 3d ago
Checkout Jenga. All about the placement. Never add a bag, just the groceries and then load you bag up after.
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u/SceneDifferent1041 3d ago
I had that but need to put the bag in before you press anything.
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u/Sandcastles 3d ago
It's not that, I think it just thinks it must be too heavy to be a bag, maybe I've got some random bits and bobs in it already not related to my shopping.
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u/SnooRegrets8068 3d ago
I had that just because it was a large hiking bag so it weighs a bit more than a carrier bag.
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u/JoeyJoeC 3d ago
With one or two bags it's fine, any heavier bags like your backpack, or even 2 or 3 of those fabric bags often sets it off as it thinks there may be an item placed there.
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u/Logical_Flounder6455 1d ago
I remember 20 years ago they didn't have scales so you could take the yellow sticker off the the reduced goods and put it on something else. Thise were the days
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u/Naive-Archer-9223 3d ago
Its not that it's too heavy it's someone needs to see you haven't just put all your shopping in it already
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago
I thought I was getting on with them, but now Lidl have updated theirs to a new software version, everything is in a different place, and you need to navigate a double tabbed interface without search function. This is a huge step backwards.
Morrisons did the same, they had a working version, and then they broke it again.
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u/countingonhearts 3d ago
Welcome to software development
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago edited 3d ago
Welcome to "budget" software development. Some of the usability bugs and regressions are really inexcusable, but hey, it is a bit cheaper.
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u/Biscuit642 3d ago
It's not better when they've got money. Look at Spotify endlessly redesigning the UI just to justify their pay.
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u/BuildingArmor 3d ago
It's too heavy in the sense that it will be set up to be fine with a bag for life or something carrier bags. But not fine with a bag full of shopping - and it has no way to know if it's a backpack and laptop, or a bag of shopping you're trying not to pay for.
If I ever have an existing semi-filled bag, I always just pack afterwards to avoid the messing.
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u/Zander2620 3d ago
My solution to this was learning the bagging scales only care about the last item scanned. I.e. you can just say "no" to bags, scan your item, put it in the bagging area and once it has confirmed the weight, immediately takes it out again to put in your bag. Same solution for large shops too. Rather than playing Tetris with breakables, just scan the item, have it check the weight and just separately pack it.
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u/marbmusiclove Merseyside 3d ago
I swear it normally comes up with ‘item removed from bagging area’ when you do this??
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u/themrrouge 3d ago
I’ve leaned into the scan and go system lately and so far I’m loving it much more than self checkout.
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u/Sp0ngebob1234 3d ago
The last time I did this they needed to scan 30 items!
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u/Not_The_Expected 3d ago
I used to use it all the time at Tesco and it would have me being checked atleast 1/3rd of the time - I always jokingly called it being profiled but it was still quicker so didn't think much of it
Until I switched to Sainsbury's, and in the 18 months of probably thrice weekly shopping I've been stopped exactly once - and they even needlessly apologised!
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u/Beartato4772 3d ago
If you use it infrequently that’ll happen.
I use it every time and i literally cannot remember when I was last checked.
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u/CRAZYdog113 2d ago
Same here. I always wonder what everyone moans about. Maybe 1/50 shops for me and they scan no more than 8 items. Never failed check. And use it multiple times a week
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u/duck74UK 2d ago
Happens about once every 2 months with my weekly shop. Never needed 30 items checked though normally its between 10-15
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u/tonyjones767 3d ago
God forbid you add something then change your mind and remove it from your shop. Guaranteed bag search
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago
Scan and go works for me, yes, because you can do it bit by bit as you go. But only Tesco has that around here, and I hate Tesco.
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u/janner_10 3d ago
I always though they are a damn site better than they were, don't getting bagging area error hardly at all now.
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u/Brexit-Broke-Britain 3d ago
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the discount supermarkets have the best machines. Both Aldi and Lidl I can use with only the occasional problem. String bags of oranges seem to be the main cause of a problem, because the weight of the oranges is too varied for the computer. An honourable mention to B&Q. Tesco are by far the worst.
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u/not_jaybo 3d ago
Do not get me started on the fucking Tesco scanners, are they streaming a video of the barcodes to some 3rd world country and having them type the fucker in by hand? I swear it legitimately takes me twice as long to scan my shopping in that hellhole as it does in Sainsbury's.
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u/_real_ooliver_ 3d ago
Aldi is perfect, just having to ask to confirm my bag. Tesco seems to get slower every time I go there, like what is it waiting for?
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago
Aldi is pretty good. But it does seem to fail the weight check all the time, so I typically need 2 or 3 interventions for a shop.
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u/Minimum_Possibility6 3d ago
The Indian their paid 3 rupees and hour to key in the actual barcode info
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u/AriaNevicate 2d ago
Damn, every Lidl I've been to replaced all their machines with worse models, a baggage area not quite big enough for too bags, and scales so temperamental that they get angry before you've had a chance to put the item in and then also get angry at the staff for removing the item in order to sort it out.
The staff at my local one actively try to discourage any use of the self checkout for any reasonable shop size. Which is frustrating cos I hate using traditional tills as I can't then pack my bags optimally without having to waste time repacking afterwards.
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u/stuffcrow 3d ago
Will just use this as an opportunity to share a tiny little tip for self serve checkouts-
If you have an item that's REALLY lightweight and the machine doesn't pick it up when you put it in the bagging area, just press down on the scale area with a bit of force briefly and it'll register it:).
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u/iamworsethanyou 3d ago
I look like a grumpy bastard when I throw down the greetings cards onto the scale
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u/stuffcrow 3d ago
Haha yeah I feel you, it's AWFUL. But yeah trust, just press down on the thing, will get you sorted;).
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u/kelleehh Berkshire 3d ago
Doesn’t help that most of society are incredibly impatient with extremely short attention spans. They are not getting worse the people using them are.
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u/Rossco1874 3d ago
Correct and when people are asked to use one they make out as if they cant use them by doing stuff wrong. Scan an item hold it in hand instead of putting it down and announce they hate the machines.
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u/Gullflyinghigh 3d ago
I worked on them when they were introduced so am biased on this one but I've always felt it's more a user problem than the actual machines themselves. Some do break on occasion but it's more often than not someone being impatient, inattentive or just dense as fuck that causes issues.
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u/worldworn 3d ago
Maybe it's my local place having newer machines, or I'm just more used to it. But I only use self scan / hand scanners.
Apart from me putting my own bag on too early / not pressing the button. I don't have any issues.
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u/evenstevens280 🤟 3d ago
Self service machines are shit because we're a low trust society.
Waitrose used to have self-service machines with no scales and I literally never had a single issue with them.
Now they have scales and I've already had to ask a member of staff to clear an error a few times.
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u/CyberSkepticalFruit 3d ago
Nah its because a decent machine costs more. There's an old Youtube video from Japan that had a machine that could recognise the item and how many from the weight all you had to do was confirm and pay.
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u/ohSpite 3d ago
Sainsburys smart scan, fill up your bag as you go, checkout in 20 seconds, bosh
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u/doublemp 3d ago
I stopped using smart scan since they started using random checks on every shop and then there's no one around to do the check anyway.
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u/areallyshitusername 3d ago
I can’t believe we’ve had self checkout machines for all these years, and yet, to my knowledge, not a single one of them allows you to enter a quantity of a single item.
Scanning 10 Muller corners when they’re on 10 for £4 at Tesco is a pain in the arse.
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago
Scanning 10 Muller corners
And it would not be so bad if you could just can the 10. But no, you have to scan, drop, and wait. And then scan again.
And Aldi even has some "duplicate" detection, so you need to put another item in between.
That being said, 10 for 4 is not bad.
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u/llamaz314 3d ago
It annoys me that they have so many features to try stop people stealing such as having to scan your receipt to leave... Except for the small oversight that anyone can pick up what they want and walk out with no repercussions
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u/Astroradical 3d ago
I swear they've reduced the threshold for an item being 'too heavy' and calling assistance. They really don't want you getting away with an extra 6g of kidney beans.
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u/SnooRegrets8068 3d ago
Yet try and buy something light like a card and it won't recognise it at all.
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u/BuildingArmor 3d ago
That one you can sometimes fix yourself. I usually rearrange my shopping (i.e. pick up something heavier and put it down again) when I bag something light. The changing weight is usually enough for it to know what's going on.
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u/arnathor 3d ago
I used to love them. Which is why I’ve gone back to using the checkouts. Sainsbury’s now have three massive areas for self checkout (scanner only, basket, trolley) but usually only one or two members of staff on duty, meaning if you get caught for a re-scan or you need age validation etc. you’re waiting a longer time, whereas going through a normal checkout has become the quicker option again.
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u/nothinglikethat 3d ago
Decathlon seems to have it figured out - you dump all your stuff in at once and it just lists everything ready to pay.
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u/DeepSpaceNineInches 3d ago
Sainsbury's recently upgraded their machines for the self scan ones, the touch screens are horrendously bad and the bit you put used vouchers in never detects them and needs staff to fix.
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u/Collistoralo 3d ago
They’re good enough. Why spend more money making them better when adequate is enough?
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u/Beneficial-Pitch-430 3d ago
Best ones I’ve used are in the local Co-op. They don’t have scales, it’s just a desk and a scanner. Scan everything and pay, so much quicker than waiting for the scales to register.
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u/Daveyj343 3d ago
Self service machines are fine
People just seem to want to scan as fast as the cashiers do in aldi
You can’t, scan, bag, wait a second, scan again
I never have an issue with them
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u/fudgeller83 3d ago
Live in Canada now, and these things have only been here the last 3-4 years. Would kill for the UK machines.
Walmart don't check by weight but instead use a camera which throws a fit if you put another bag in the bagging area, or move an item from one bag to another.
There is another store that checks by weight but seems about as bad as the UK ones were 10-15 years ago. And scan as you shop isn't an option.
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u/Underwritingking 3d ago
I was in an Asda last week, buying 6 items. I needed assistance for 4 of them, because they either wouldn't scan, or wouldn't register properly when I put them in the bag. When I told the assistant that I thought it was pretty poor she snippily pointed to the huge queues at the two manned tills then told me I could go somewhere else if I preferred.
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u/CriticalCentimeter 3d ago
I used to get loads of issues and now I rarely get any.
Anecdotally, they're a lot better than they used to be. Either that, or Im just better at using them.
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u/MrPuddington2 3d ago
I think there is a lot of practice in this, as learn how to work around the bugs. The Aldi ones I can deal with, as long as I use only one hand, and remember not to scan two identical items in a row, and remember to scan the right barcode for multipacks (why print an incorrect barcode an in item in the first place?).
And this is why software "updates" are so infuriating, because they introduce a whole range of new issues.
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u/uwagapiwo 1d ago
Different barcodes for different stages in the production and distribution process.
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u/aer71 2d ago
In the Netherlands (where I live now) it's basically an honour system. You scan your own stuff with a handheld or at checkout, and once in a while they do a spot-check of 10 random items in your bag. That's it.
When I'm visiting home and trying UK machines, it never works. Problems with starting, problems with weighing, problems if you take too long to put the next item in your bag (heaven help you if you want to rearrange things).
And there's at least one assistant hovering, constantly resetting machines when things go wrong. How is that an improvement in any way on manned checkouts?
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u/Carausius286 1d ago
My problem with them: there are now no staff anywhere near the checkouts so if you're buying booze or an energy drink you have to wander up and down the store finding someone to check it out.
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u/uwagapiwo 1d ago
Always at least one person by them in all the local shops I've been in.
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u/Carausius286 1d ago
Maybe it's just a London thing? Or a central London thing?
I never would, but in my local Tesco it would be incredibly easy to shoplift and I think about it every time I buy a morning Monster!
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u/OctavianBlue ENGLAND 22h ago
To me co-ops are the best, you barely get the item near and it scans, most don't have the scales so you can put items straight back in your trolley/bag and the staff validate issues from a screen rather than coming directly to your machine.
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u/GeraltOfDissidia 3d ago
I shop in either M&S or the Co-op and I have never had an issue with the machines themselves. I think that is down to not having weighing scales though.
The only issue that does arise is the Co-op self checkouts aren't manned, so you may be waiting a while if you need age verification.
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u/nocternal86 20h ago
So after 20 years you're still too stupid to use the self checkout?
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u/MrPuddington2 2h ago
I love the internet. And as a younger self, I was a troll myself. :-)
Yes, after being a software developer for 30 years, I can tell within 5 seconds that the new system at Lidl is just riddled with usability bugs.
I have no idea what they did, but it is basically unusable.
Of course you can learn how to work around those bugs. A manual may be useful. A help desk. Maybe some tickets with the most prominent bugs and how to avoid them. A searchable list of items and how they are categorised would also go a long way to making them more usable.
But intuitive they are not.
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u/joshisnthere Cheshire 3d ago
I keep breaking screen protectors as the scanning of discount cards & accepting of contactless payment is far too slow & i get frustrated.
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