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Original poster

I avoid sainsburys beacuse of the awful self-service check outs

153 replies

Pickupapen · 08/03/2025 17:00

Sainsbury's have the worst self-service checkouts IMO

I thought Sainsbury's branded themselves as one of the 'better' supermarkets but the self-service checkouts at my local store are awful. They constantly find faults, and require checking by an assistant because the computer isn't weighing things correctly or god knows what.

Then when you try to leave, you are locked in and have to scan your receipt - which you weren't told to do at the start, so if you haven't printed a receipt you have an akward argument with the assistant, trying to prove you did pay actually, and who hates you because they have already been over to enter their pin number sixteen times at your checkout!

I just don't go in to Sainsury's anymore! I'd rather spend my life savings in Waitrose, keep my dignity, and not be treated like a criminal

OP posts:
CandidHedgehog · 08/03/2025 20:34

comoatoupeira · 08/03/2025 20:30

This is why I love Waitrose. It’s always possible to go to a real till and they are always really nice about it. Doesn’t feel like your doing something wacky!

Not my Waitrose. One full checkout and the 10 items or less checkout (that I think does the cigarettes). Every other checkout now a self scan.

To be fair, the full checkout is always manned. I can tell because the queue is always long enough that it goes back into the aisle opposite it.

Chaseandstatus · 08/03/2025 20:35

I agree, our Sainsbury’s is terrible and the staff won’t even help, if your hands are full and you have the receipt they will just watch you drop your stuff rather than help… I don’t shop there anymore. Plenty of other supermarkets with a better attitude.

NotVeryFunny · 08/03/2025 20:40

I refuse to use self checkouts now.

HundredMilesAnHour · 08/03/2025 20:43

captureitrememberit · 08/03/2025 19:16

I don't really understand why people don't use scan and go. It's so much easier and quicker to scan and bag as you go round, use the self scan tills and then leave. I would never want to go back to having to put my entire trolley onto the checkout and then repack it.

Scan and go at my Sainsbury’s uses the same self-checkouts as everyone else. So that still means joining the queue of 30+ people. Queuing is the issue rather than scanning time.

bellocchild · 08/03/2025 20:43

noblegiraffe · 08/03/2025 17:13

Use the manned checkouts and avoid putting people out of a job?

It is too much hassle to scan and pack a big trolley full of a week's shopping. Use the manned checkouts.

BurntBroccoli · 08/03/2025 20:54

Yes the tills are awful. I can't even load my reusable bags on the thing first without having to get them approved as they are an unexpected item.

Not had the receipt thing scan yet though. Is this new?

BurntBroccoli · 08/03/2025 20:56

noblegiraffe · 08/03/2025 17:13

Use the manned checkouts and avoid putting people out of a job?

They never have anyone on the tills when I go!

Solmum1964 · 08/03/2025 21:27

Sierra26 · 08/03/2025 17:44

The worst thing is they’ve changed what the computer voice says from “have you scanned your nectar card” to “have you scanned nectar”.

Wtaf? Why change it to make less sense?

and the loose fruit/veg not being in alphabetical order

Our Sainsbury's have scales that identify the product when you place them in the scale pan.

cramptramp · 08/03/2025 21:45

My massive local Sainsbury's is ok. The only thing I don't like is the random checks on your shopping they do, to make sure you've scanned everything but I blame the shoplifters for that. We don't have to show a receipt to get out of the shop.

BashfulClam · 08/03/2025 21:52

Mine is fine. I use scan and go for big shops as the queues for manned checkouts goes back to the shopping aisles. The scan and go is usually empty. At the small local one the check out is also fine. The common denominator seems to be you 🤷🏻‍♀️

Inthebleakmidwinter1 · 08/03/2025 22:02

I shop in my local town. Butcher baker and greengrocer. I’ve been doing it for a few years now and I know everyone and now it’s like a pleasant social occasion! Im served by people I know and we have a catch up and a laugh. I went to Aldi last week because it was near the the tip that I had just been to and it was just an unpleasant experience in so many ways😆. I reckon my shop costs about a fiver more locally. More than willing to pay that to avoid the supermarket experience

rwalker · 08/03/2025 23:07

CandidHedgehog · 08/03/2025 20:07

Does this work? Not a very good security measure if just anyone can shove through.

They aren’t like the lighter entry gates (or is it just the Sainsbury’s I was in has a bigger shoplifting problem and more security?).

Show quote history

Yes and they alarm

Winterjoy · 08/03/2025 23:11

Yes the barrier scanning us madness - got trapped in a Sainsburys the other day because the item I went in for was out of stock and there is literally no way out without a receipt!

tobee · 08/03/2025 23:23

Our Tesco metro is the worst around here. It's quite a big space and plenty of products but the self service tills are ridiculous with a teeny tiny space to put stuff so you would have to have a tower of things to put bag up.

There are a couple of tills with humans which have cigarette shelves etc behind but they tend to have long queues so I just don't go there any more.

They have one person dealing with self service tills and they can't cope. Seen people shoplifting in plain sight.

JenniferBooth · 08/03/2025 23:24

noblegiraffe · 08/03/2025 17:13

Use the manned checkouts and avoid putting people out of a job?

Have you noticed the celebs moaning about AI now and how its going to affect their output

Dont recall them being so vocal when self service tills came in Thats also computerisation that affects ppls earnings

Bimblebombzle · 08/03/2025 23:24

No don't spend your life savings in Waitrose! I live opposite one and it's a money pit.

JustSawJohnny · 09/03/2025 00:08

Tesco and Waitrose scan and shop for the win. Everything scans and bagging as you go just makes sense.

In Waitrose you can even scan items with your phone in the app, you don't even need a zapper.

So much quicker than scanning each item at the self-checkout, plus there are rarely queues.

IvyNeighbour · 09/03/2025 00:17

The last two times I've been to (big) Sainsburys there wasn't a single manned till, the only option was to self scan, it makes me livid. The whole scanning yourself and then having to scan the receipt to get out is awful and prices keep going up despite the money they must be saving on staffing costs. I hate it.

BurntBroccoli · 09/03/2025 00:28

IvyNeighbour · 09/03/2025 00:17

The last two times I've been to (big) Sainsburys there wasn't a single manned till, the only option was to self scan, it makes me livid. The whole scanning yourself and then having to scan the receipt to get out is awful and prices keep going up despite the money they must be saving on staffing costs. I hate it.

It takes ages to scan a big shop - every item one by one into the bagging area. You should be able to press a x2 button or whatever when you have more than one of something.
They also need more than one person on the self scan as you wait ages if something doesn't scan or there's an 18+ item.

They don't have scan and shop in my local Sainsbury's.

JoyousGreyOrca · 09/03/2025 00:33

I shop at ALDI and Marks and Spencers. They are the only supermarkets where I live to always have a manned checkout.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/03/2025 00:34

I hate all of them.

Sainsbury s shop receipt gives you £2 off your parking ( over £10 shop) at our local one .

I do an online shop with any top up shops being done by DH or DD .
The last IRL shopping I did that needed a trolley was Christmas Eve at 7am .
No till staff then just self check out .
(I muttered darkly under my 'tasche )

Normallynumb · 09/03/2025 00:39

Sainsbury's is a pain in the arse
My very local( 2 mins walk) away has these gates
I use a walker and have frequently set off the alarm by the wheels touching the gate whilst I'm reaching to scan the bloody receipt
That's after I've frequently seen shoppers putting things into their bags or pockets
It's exhausting and I've now switched to online deliveries from Asda
Customer service is terrible in Sainsbury's
2 manned checkouts in a large store is ridiculous.

ImWearingPantaloons · 09/03/2025 06:23

My local store prints a receipt automatically.

I also work in food retail and believe me if shoplifting wasn't such a huge problem then they wouldn't be doing the bar code scan thing.

NoWordForFluffy · 09/03/2025 06:29

BurntBroccoli · 09/03/2025 00:28

It takes ages to scan a big shop - every item one by one into the bagging area. You should be able to press a x2 button or whatever when you have more than one of something.
They also need more than one person on the self scan as you wait ages if something doesn't scan or there's an 18+ item.

They don't have scan and shop in my local Sainsbury's.

Show quote history

You should be able to use the Scan and Shop app on your phone, even if the store doesn't have handsets.

Firenzeflower · 09/03/2025 06:29

I used to do all my shopping in Sainsbury's but now I rarely go. My local one is quite large and is maiy self checkout. They never have enough staff, the tills are way to close to each others, it never recognises your bag and then you have to try and leave!!
The last proper shop I did there I had to put a £150 shop through a self checkout and I swore I was never doing it again.
Awful.