Tuesday 20 September 2022 05:14 AM Woolworths beefs up security camera checkout surveillance trends now
Changes to Woolworths checkouts to 'reduce misscans' will also catch out Australian shoppers who 'fake swipe' to bag groceries without paying.
The supermarket said it would try to cut out errors and stealing by installing powerful new surveillance systems that record customers at any checkout.
Shoppers were concerned by in-store signs warning they could be filmed, especially over use of cameras in self-service lanes.
Woolworths is rolling out big changes to all its checkouts to 'reduce misscans' that will also catch out Australian shoppers who try to bag groceries without paying
Woolworths is rolling out surveillance cameras at self-serve and operator-assisted checkouts to reduce incidents of fake swiping
Woolworths said the new camera technology trial was to see if it could help reduce misscans and improve speed for customers through the checkout'.
'If a misscan occurs, a short video highlights the affected product and customers then have the opportunity to re-scan it,' it said.
'While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we’re all busy and mistakes can easily happen.'
Woolworths said the technology is used internationally and 'should make the self-serve scanning process more accurate'.
However, most shoppers and retail observers expect the supermarket's real motivation is to catch more stealing at self-service checkouts.
Fake swiping by shoppers at self-serve checkouts costs Australian shops up to $9 billion a year, the Australian Retailers Association claimed.
Retail analysts claimed Australian shoppers don't feel bad about fake swiping - also known as 'micro thefts' - because it's seen as stealing from a 'robot'.
Woolworths' new camera technology detects when something has bypassed your scanner
