An Australian grandmother has spoken out about her humiliating experience at a Woolworths store, where she claims she was unfairly accused of theft after a self-checkout error.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, says she was left feeling 'like a criminal' when staff confronted her over an unpaid item. 'I’d simply missed scanning one small thing,' she explained. 'But instead of politely pointing it out, they treated me like a shoplifter.'
The Incident That Sparked Outrage
According to the grandmother, the incident occurred during a routine shopping trip. After completing her purchase at the self-service checkout, she was approached by a staff member who accused her of intentionally failing to scan an item.
'I’m in my 60s – I’ve never stolen anything in my life,' she said emotionally. 'The way they handled it was completely disproportionate.'
Woolworths Responds
When contacted for comment, a Woolworths spokesperson stated: 'We take all customer concerns seriously. Our team members are trained to handle these situations with sensitivity while ensuring store policies are followed.'
The company emphasised that self-checkout areas are monitored for accidental missed scans, which are common occurrences.
Growing Customer Frustration
This incident highlights increasing customer dissatisfaction with self-service checkouts:
- Many shoppers report feeling 'watched' or 'distrusted'
- Technical glitches frequently cause payment issues
- Older customers often struggle with the technology
Retail experts suggest stores need to balance efficiency with customer care. 'Automation shouldn’t come at the cost of human decency,' noted one industry analyst.
The grandmother involved says she now avoids self-checkouts altogether. 'I’ll wait in line for a proper cashier from now on,' she declared.
