Aldi worker shares why staff scan groceries so fast in debate about the store’s self-serve checkouts

Australians have uncovered the real reason Aldi checkout workers scan groceries so quickly at the registers.

During a discussion about the supermarket’s new self-serve checkouts in a Reddit thread, one former worker revealed the computers track how many items they are scanning per minute. 

Aldi is slowly rolling out self-serve registers across their Aussie stores which has shoppers divided – some prefer manned checkouts whereas others would rather pack their groceries at their own pace. 

A Victorian customer posted an image of the new customer-operated registers at their local Carnegie Aldi store, sparking a heated debate among users. 

Some were thankful for the new checkouts as they find the rate at which the retailer’s workers scan through their shopping too overwhelming.

‘At least now I can pack my groceries without it being thrown at my face! No offense to Aldi staff, but you guys are just too quick!’ one customer wrote. 

‘Another place I don’t have to interact with people now and as ex checkout staff it’s generally quicker when I do it myself too,’ a second replied.

‘Love ALDI, my only beef is that I go for a few items and usually I’m stuck behind people doing their weekly shop,’ a third added.  

A former Aldi worker offered an explanation as to why they are so fast saying the registers track how many items they are scanning per minute

‘I think it is a recruitment test. If you scan your items as fast as the Aldi checkout operator they offer you a job!’ joked another. 

Someone who used to work for Aldi offered an explanation as to why staff put through items so quickly and gave their advice for getting through the register fuss-free. 

‘We were measured on items per minute when on registers – which is shown at the end of your shift when closing out your individual till. Promise you, they’re not doing it for fun,’ they explained. 

‘Don’t pack your bags at the register. Toss it all into the trolley/basket when scanned at take your time at the packing bench just next to the registers. Or buy those bags that hook into the trolley basket so you can kind of pack quickly,’ they added. 

Aldi employees review and adjust their scan speed based on how quickly or slowly each customer packs their shopping. 

If a customer would like a checkout worker to slow down, they are encouraged to request they do so.  

Some said the new self-serve registers made them feel rushed and said they will stick to paying for their shopping at the manned tills.

‘They nag you if you aren’t bagging fast enough. Really annoying. I don’t frig around when I shop. I don’t have a problem with normal Aldi checkout bagging speed. But even I’m not fast enough to keep the self checking robot voice from nagging me,’ one user reported. 

‘After scanning a few items it said I needed staff assistance… Obviously there’s no staff to even give assistance apart from the two checkout chicks who were already flat out,’ another complained. 

Though not everyone agreed as one person responded: ‘The Aldi self service checkouts are so much faster than the ones at Coles and Woolworths. They don’t f*** up the weights of goods, and demand a staff member every second item scanned.’