A Coles customer has sparked debate after spotting a surprising new detail in the new self-serve registers at their local store.
Sharing on Reddit, the Perth shopper noted that there were no scales in the bagging area of the new checkout area of Coles Mosman Park, which has recently undergone renovations.
Traditionally at Coles, sensors in the bagging area detect when an item has been placed there after being scanned — and will stop you from scanning any more groceries until the correct weight has been registered.
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The move lead some Reddit users to believe that it could lead to more customers putting items in their bags that they “haven’t paid for”.
However a Coles spokesperson has confirmed that is not the case.
The new registers now have “Skip Scan” camera technology that means “weighted intervention” in the bagging area is no longer required.
In a statement to 7NEWS.com.au, the spokesperson said it was just one of a new anti-theft measures that is being introduced at Coles.
“While most of our customers do the right thing, unfortunately a small number don’t,” the spokesperson said.
“Coles has a range of security measures in place to reduce theft from our stores including CCTV, electronic article surveillance (EAS), and in some stores new skip scan technology is being introduced which can detect if there are any accidental or intentional wrong scans.
“This technology removes the need for the weighted intervention and will make the checkout process quicker and easier for most customers.”
It’s believed that Skip Scan technology is now used in around 250 Coles stores.
In their Reddit post, the customer who spotted the change said it was a new addition to the store.
“The AI cameras must be next level there because you can put something in your bag you haven’t paid for as nothing is weighed,” the customer said.
“I haven’t seen this before, except at the self-serves with a conveyor belt. The store was renovated last year and is unsurprisingly very fancy (they have fresh pasta by the gram in the fridge and a bread slicing machine anyone can use).
“I’m not sure if the lack of scales at the checkout is going to become common with newly renovated stores, like the one in Floreat when it’s finally done, or if it’s just a Golden Triangle thing.
“At the exit they have the tall beeper things (my brain is broken) like at Kmart etc but no gates. Note: they still weigh produce of course.”
One shopper said they weren’t a fan of the new technology, claiming it holds up the shopping process.
“Well, it’s not almost every store, but you’re right that there’s a lot already. And they’re a massive pain in the a***,” the shopper said.
“Unless you’re doing everything exactly how they expect you to do it – basket on the right, bag on the left, one item out at a time – it’s a massive pain in the arse because it will flag EVERYTHING.
“Hold your basket in your hand? Flagged!
“Use your own bags instead of a basket? Flagged!
“Take two items out of the basket at once? Believe it or not, flagged!
“Weigh eight apples and move four at a time? Also, flagged!”
Another shopper agreed, saying: “I prefer the weight-based ones, I only had a 50/50 chance of needing to wave down an employee.
“Now with the cameras I need an employee every time because I dare to shop elsewhere first, but the damn things assume that everything in the trolly is stock.”