Aldi has ended its mandatory customer bag check policy in Australia, a measure introduced to improve the checkout experience, after receiving feedback from customers and staff about the difficulties it caused.
An internal notice about the change, shared on social media, said the mandatory checks would no longer be required from Wednesday 30 September. The notice acknowledged that difficult customer interactions had a real impact and that feedback about the challenges of bag checks had been reviewed.
Change follows staff abuse concerns
The decision comes after reports that some staff faced abuse from customers when carrying out the checks. Workers have shared their reactions, with one saying "we never wanted to do it" and another describing the abuse received when asking to check bags as "ridiculous".
The supermarket chain said the change was aimed at reducing unnecessary friction at the checkout and creating a more positive experience for both employees and customers.
Aldi retains right to inspect bags
An Aldi spokesperson confirmed that while the checks are no longer mandatory, customers may still have their items inspected. The spokesperson said Aldi reserves the right to request inspection of bags, parcels and containers at the checkout in accordance with its Conditions of Entry.
The company reiterated that harassment, discrimination, abuse or aggressive behaviour towards employees or customers will not be tolerated, and that its focus on reducing theft and inventory loss remains unchanged. Existing inventory controls will continue to support loss prevention across stores.
The original policy was introduced after crime data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the number of recorded theft victims rose by 6 percent to 595,660 in 2024, with retail theft accounting for 45.1 percent of the total.
