To no-one’s surprise, it seems we are a nation of thieves. Well, at least one in five of us is anyway.
A survey conducted by Finder.com.au found that almost 20 per cent, or 3.8 million people, had stolen from a supermarket in the past 12 months and the self-checkout seems to be the thievery site of choice.
The research found that 9 per cent of respondents admitted to outright theft at the self-checkout, while 10 per cent have lied about what they scanned. That second figure represents about two million people, which is a lot of fuji apples scanned at Jonathan apple prices.
Read: Too many Australians refusing to spend their super
Finder puts it down to the escalating cost of living. Spokesman Richard Whitten said some Australians were struggling to afford necessities.
“A lot of people are doing it tough as the cost of essentials like petrol, rent and energy have risen sharply,” he said.
“The result is a growing subset of Australians who are stealing consumables to survive.
“Of course, most self-checkout machines can’t tell brown onions from portobello mushrooms, and I suspect a lot of Australians don’t regard scanning items incorrectly on purpose to be the same level of theft as running out of a shop with a loaf of bread.”
I’m not sure how people are managing to steal stuff at the self-checkout. At my last supermarket shop, the attendant had to come over twice because somehow the checkout knew I still had something in my basket (it was bought at another store … okay … it was wine) and apparently I hadn’t put my garlic in the bagging area. I had, but it was too light to register. All the while I could see I was being filmed.
Of course, some people prefer the self-checkouts, but it’s an imperfect system designed to cut staff costs that’s always going to be ripe for exploitation.
Read: More Australians than ever struggling to pay grocery bills
This week’s deals
IGA
Sensible: Sunrice brown rice, 5kg, $8, save $10. This is a sensational special. I don’t care what people say, brown rice is just as good as white. Nutty and a little bit chewy, it adds tonnes of flavour to any dish, even if you have to get through 5kg of the stuff.
Indulgence: Australian pork belly portions, $16.99. Barbecue season is on us and the fat factor in pork belly makes it ideal for grilling. Best marinade is a cup of hoisin sauce mixed with a cup of red wine. Good for lamb as well.
See the catalogue here.
Read: Nine hacks to make food last longer as prices soar
Aldi
Sensible: Yoguri protein yoghurt, $1.49, a great way to improve your gut health and get some protein at the same time.
Indulgence: A bunch of spring gardening stuff on sale. Probably not for the hardcore gardener, but at these prices there’s probably something to rummage through in the centre aisle. Haberdashery sale is on as well. This is a bit of a cult event for sewing nerds, and I know I am going to elbow my way past the nannas to the bulk packs of Gutermann threads at $26.99. This works out easily to less than half what you would pay in craft stores.
See the catalogues here.
Coles
Sensible: Footy finals are on, and Coles has a selection of game day snacks. Ideal for low-effort finals parties, or good for snacks in the weeks to come if you put some in the freezer. Pies, wings, dips and burgers are all on sale.
Indulgence: Cadbury 100 years tin, $15, down from $30. If you buy this tin, you are not just bagging a bargain, but you are also celebrating the achievement of a landmark brand. Oh, and there’s chocolate. And a tin.
See the catalogue here.
Woolworths
Sensible: Cobram Estate olive oil varieties, $10.80, save $7.20. A good bargain and a good product. I used to buy those massive tins of olive oil but they are difficult to handle even if you decant them and they often went rancid before we could finish them. This size is perfect for everyday cooking, it has a handy pop-up dispenser and it’s an Australian product. Win, win, win.
Indulgence: Don Salami, 200g varieties, $8. Perfect size, not too much and not too little. Great on a platter, in a pasta sauce or on a biscuit. Stores for ages as well.
See the catalogue here.
Do you like the self-checkouts? Is supermarket surveillance too much? Why not share your opinion in the comments section below?
Last week, I got to my car after going through the self-serve check-out and found a small packet of herbs that was caught under a bag.
I took it back to the Information Desk and told them I had missed it going through the check-out.
He put it through the register and I paid $1.80 owing and he thanked me for coming back with it.
I replied that I need to be able to sleep at night without a guilty conscience.
It seems consciences are not too common any more! 🙁