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Chronicle Live
Entertainment
Zahra Khaliq & Aaron Morris

Sainsbury's makes major change to checkouts at stores with shoppers left furious

Sainsbury's is trialling a new way of shopping at certain UK supermarkets, which involves a requirement to scan receipts before you're permitted to leave. Some have been left less than impressed by the move.

The new system means that customers have to provide proof of purchase via new receipt scanners located at self checkouts. Without doing so, they will be unable to leave stores.

A handful of punters have since taken to social media to voice their outrage and fury, saying that the move feels like an 'insult' and that the brand no longer trusts them.

Read more: Martin Lewis' MSE compares supermarkets to find cheapest Christmas dinner - with £23 difference

The Mirror reports that customers who don't typically print out their receipts are especially sceptical. One user took to Twitter, writing: "I'd be b*******. I've never once hit the 'receipt' button on the self-service till," while another, added: "Essentially they are holding [people] hostage against their will as they refuse to let people leave without scanning a receipt that not everyone chooses to get in the first place.

"What will they do? Hold someone hostage and rifle through bags before releasing you?"

One shopper described the move as an 'appalling way to treat customers', while another was in agreement, commenting: "I’ve been loyal to Sainsbury’s for 30 years. Now it stops. How dare you insult me, by scanning receipts to leave.

"Not even the discounters to this. No warning, no instore signage and it doesn't work, my receipt had to be reprinted. Farewell you untrusting store."

Another Twitter user, penned: "So it appears that Sainsbury's Redhill no longer trust you and a till receipt is required to get out of till areas. Not only do they expect you to do your own bagging & own till work for free, they want you to prove you have done it!"

Sainsbury's have told the Mirror that the move is 'not a new security measure and features in a small number of our stores at the self-service checkout areas'. But the supermarket giant isn't the first to introduce the measure - some retailers have had the same rule in place for its customers.

Primark recently began trailing self-checkout tills in their stores, which required shoppers to scan their receipts to exit the store. Ikea and Costco customers are also required to provide proof of purchase before being able to leave stores.

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