Forum Topic

Sainsbury’s again

I went to Sainsbury’s early yesterday.  The poor woman was alone where we check and pay for our food. Nobody on the manual tills - she was alone trying really hard to help.Disgusting… is the supermarket trying to loose most of the staff .  I was really sorry for her and the shoppers were abusive towards her.

Helen Bamberger ● 35d25 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCMfhcrPO4Hope this works..

Stewart Jones ● 14d

Posted by: Julian PaveyDate/Time: 29/03/24 15:36:00They have dwindled down the staff to a few at best for the front of the house.You have just about enough staff for one to be on self-checkout, one to be on self-checkout and self-scan and one for cigarettes and lottery.So that is why no baskets and self-scanners are available when you enter when busy or have been busy. You just have to pick up one from the self-scan part, stick it in the scanner rack and then take it as normal.It is not the best solution to do someone else's job to be able to shop but that is the situation I'm afraid.+++++Or why not just use Smartshop "Scan & bag as you go"https://smartshop.sainsburys.co.uk/I use the App and a backpack.In the Chiswick Superstore. Scan the QR code near the self-scanners and and you are good to go. Then scan each item and scan the the QR code at the Smartshop checkout in order to pay. A printed receipt is available if required.And the annoying wait for staff to approve your age, if you are buying alcohol, will hopefully be history soon, as camaras and AI/digital ID technology will be used instead.https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/face-recognition-ai-will-check-youre-old-enough-to-buy-alcohol-w86rlmp3s#:~:text=After%20a%20three%2Dsecond%20scan,to%20staff%20to%20buy%20alcohol.If you use the App in a Local like the one near the cinema, you just scan the QR code near the door, then shop and bag. When done click complete in the App and you are charged via Google Pay or similar. Scan the QR code again and leave. The receipt will be send to your App.----------Posted by: Julian PaveyDate/Time: 31/03/24 13:22:00The odds of removing self-checkout is zero.In 10-20 years that is all you have or even something along the lines of Amazon where you don't even pay at a till, you walk in and walk out.+++++I don't think it will take that long, as Sainsbury's Local Holborn Circus (just across from Sainsbury's HQ) is already using an Amazon like system. It's called "Pick and go".https://png.sainsburys.co.uk/At the entrance you'll find a gate like on the tube. Scan your App and the gate opens. Shop and bag (but no scanning required). When done scan out at the gate and leave. A receipt will be send to the App within 24 hours and funds taken from you chosen way of payment, which need to be added to the App prior entering the store. This basically works as an Oyster card for shopping.Personally I don't like this model, as I have unfortunately experienced the barcodes being out of sync with the price tags, when using either the self-scanner or the App, so I fear the "Pick and go" system is not foolproof yet. This probably also happens when using a self or the person assisted checkout, but you have no way of knowing?However Sainsbury's and others could use the "gate" system with bigger gates so they can't be jumped just like passport control. And require all to have the App with a valid payment method attached, and that way you could reduce shoplifting. In effect creating a "Shopping passport".Futher reading:https://gizmodo.com/amazon-reportedly-ditches-just-walk-out-grocery-stores-1851381116https://gizmodo.com/amazon-kills-just-walk-out-development-skeleton-crew-1851389063https://gizmodo.com/amazons-next-big-bet-on-cashless-shopping-is-a-smart-gr-1844377270

Hans Lund-Sorensen ● 15d

The requirement to have a mobile phone number to proceed with online items, when there are many places in the UK where the signal is poor or non-existent, is infuriating.

Richard Greenhough ● 32d

I so so agree with you Vanessa - and it will only get worse. Not good.

Helen Bamberger ● 32d

Well Keith, what does it tell us when we are having adverts on the T.V. to urge 'Britain - get talking'? All these little things that are sneaking up on us from self service check-outs, to the constant pushing of apps and QR codes, online banking, and on and on. Of course it all makes life  easier for the big conglomerates, saves money on staff, leads to bigger profits, but what does any of it actually do that benefits the public? I use some of these, but what I do object to is being forced to use them, I remember the saga of setting up a current account, which went O.K. until I reached the bit where a 'phone number was required, and not having a mobile, I could not get past that bit of the process as a landline was not recognised. It took several lengthy 'phone calls to the bank to sort it out, it is madness, it seems to be their way or bugger off. Anyone would think they don't want your custom!

Vanessa Smith ● 32d

It's happening already for many, with the elderly they rely on others evenmore, one chap in Acton could only book parking for a visitor if his carerwas there to do it for him, he has since passed think it all got too much forhim.

Janice Evans ● 33d

Vanessa is right,the more some people count cold convenience above human interaction the sooner we will march into an impersonal,solitary and isolated future.If that's the future,give me the past thanks.

Keith Iddon ● 33d

This never happens at Harrods….But seriously like the banks it’s all about cutting the humans and foolishly thinking we will just stumble through self checkin etc.Younger shoppers may not care since thery’re not generally buying in bulk but I feel nothing beats interpersonal shopping with the staff.Waitrose have trimmed down as well but they keep on enough partners to help and no one wants disgruntled public.The elderly and the less abled should always be looked after since  not every task can be dealt with by “selfcheckin”.

Tony Antares ● 33d

GL with all that.I and others will embrace and move on while you fight your ground for the past. Not nice but its reality and i can guarantee others will move on while you become angry and stuck in a past kingdom.Even royalty see the time for change and the future.

Julian Pavey ● 33d

I remember some while back an article on Tescos attempt to break into the US market but failed with their self scanning policy as the Americans put a high premium on personal service .Probably other factors as well.

David Burke ● 33d

For the life of me I do not understand the attitude of - well this is the future, deal with it. It is about choice and some of us being prepared to stand our ground and tell the big supermarkets what kind of service WE want, not what they want to foist upon us so they can put people out of work and put their prices up at the same time. At the same time everyone is going on about the state of the nation's mental health, if we constantly have to deal with machines and have less and less social interaction, that situation can only worsen, especially for those who live on their own or are elderly, and not forgetting younger people who probably spend more time faffing around with one device or another. We are humans, social animals, we need other people, it's as necessary as breathing.

Vanessa Smith ● 33d

50% of statistics are wrong.

Keith Iddon ● 33d

The odds of removing self-checkout is zero.In 10-20 years that is all you have or even something along the lines of Amazon where you don't even pay at a till, you walk in and walk out.It is like removing banks, times change. I know some people struggle, but as the population moves forward, so do the more tech-savvy people. Since when do you see teenagers paying with cash unless their parents have sent them cash?It is the way things move. And one talks about removing jobs. I think the tech sector employs 1.2m people and growing where shop staff counts for around 2m. Where you lose jobs in one place you grow in the other. And with younger people being more tech savvy that industry will outgrow the other over time.It won't be long before you either use self-scan, self-checkout or order online. The other option won't exist so you have to go without."73% of consumers prefer self-checkout over staffed checkout lines.85% of Gen Z consumers use self-checkout when available."

Julian Pavey ● 33d

Being housebound I do my shopping online from Sainsbury's since the Pandemic started and Morrison's dumped all it's regular customers on their delivery slots in favour of all their get rich quick delivery systems they invented on a weekly basis.  The shopping comes from Sainsbury's Chiswick and I have noticed the decline over the last 12 mnths.  SOme of my "substitutions" for item not availale have been decidedly weird. Yesterday I ordered Easter cards for neighbours to go with choccie delights and the cards were replaced with chocolates.  I have had cheese instead of chicken, biscuits instead of bread etc and I am not the only one as my carers talk of other clients recieving Asprin for Turkey portions.  My carers say they have sometimes to go there 3 or 4 times a day and can never get all the items on a clients shopping.  They also mention the manager being rude all the time to staff and to customers asking the mildest of questions.  A Brentford woman Pat McCarthy started a petition against Tesco self service tills which got quite a lot of publicity why not do a smaller local Sainsbury's one it is harder for the company to ignore if it is about one store

Caroline Carney ● 33d

What is it with these 'managers'? Although we only use the local ASDA for our daily papers and the odd thing, it's the same story. The staff are lovely and helpful, but the management are dire, in fact the previous manager must have had a string of complaints about him to Head Office from customers, he was rude to the staff in front of customers and people really did take a dim view of him, and more than once we witnessed people calling him out over his attitude. The replacement is rarely seen, and there are less and less staff and more pushing of those awful self service machines.

Vanessa Smith ● 33d

And the manager and his assistant, never to be seen on the shop floor. Sat in his/her office eating jam donuts and on his/her phone playing games or social media no doubt.

Carl Johns ● 33d

Totally agree. I rarely use Sainsbury’s in Chiswick. The traffic problems on the A316 roundabout by Sainsbury’s have eased.

Susan Jennifer Thackray ● 33d

the branch in Richmond (off the 316) is sooooo much better.

Davey Harris ● 34d

Is this the same manager that’s been there for a number of years causing problems?

Georgina Flint ● 34d

I feel feel sorry for the staff, and I thank my lucky stars I don't work there.

Nicholas Beard ● 34d

I so agree Julian - the Asian women are great - - - he should be sent packing. .what that manager said makes my blood boil .

Helen Bamberger ● 35d

MmmBest way forward....Do a video blog everytime you go in and stick it up on social media.

Julian Pavey ● 35d

They have dwindled down the staff to a few at best for the front of the house.You have just about enough staff for one to be on self-checkout, one to be on self-checkout and self-scan and one for cigarettes and lottery.So that is why no baskets and self-scanners are available when you enter when busy or have been busy. You just have to pick up one from the self-scan part, stick it in the scanner rack and then take it as normal.It is not the best solution to do someone else's job to be able to shop but that is the situation I'm afraid.You're lucky you happened to see a manager to get a stupid comment back is all I can say.The asian ladies were the best,were around for years and then kaput,sainsburys went down hill over midnight. One stayed on but not for long. Shame

Julian Pavey ● 35d

Bloody heck Gordon - what on earth did he say … I am appalled- the staff are brilliant - is this how our supermarket bosses think? - maybe he should be sacked .

Helen Bamberger ● 35d

I asked a manager why there weren't any of the self-scan 'guns' near the entrance (the norm these days) when I went in last week: "Because they're [the staff] are lazy." Says it all, really.

Gordon McDonald ● 35d