Aldi Australia responds to controversial checkout change in stores: 'Turned off'
Aldi shoppers are asking why they are often finding the supermarket's self-service checkouts closed.


11 September 2026
Yahoo News.

A self-service counter closed at an Aldi in Prahran, Melbourne.   
Is Aldi closing more of its self-service checkouts? (Yahoo News Australia)
Australian Aldi lovers are speaking out over what they've described as a wave of self-service checkouts closing at their local stores.   :)

Yahoo News Australia visited a Prahran site in Melbourne this week where the self-service checkout at that store was closed at the time.

Another Victorian man criticised the supermarket for "closing off self-service completely at times" and using a "single-register" at his local Frankston store.



"When the line gets too long, they open it up again," he said.

"This results in a lot of abuse to staff who are only following an executive decision. One issue is that people who have been waiting in a single register line, who have waited, lose priority.

"Is this going on at other Aldi locations?"

It prompted hundreds of shoppers from all over the country to respond saying the same thing.

"Yeah, same where I live as well," a woman said. "Yep, everywhere," said another.

"Saw this yesterday at my local Aldi in Wendouree, I thought maybe the self-serve had broken down," a man echoed. 

"Happening in Katoomba too," a NSW woman said.

Aldi asked why self-checkouts are often closed
We asked Aldi Australia what prompted the apparent trend, and whether it had recently changed its policy around the operation of self-checkouts.



We also asked whether theft and stock loss might be to blame, and whether Aldi remained committed to self-checkouts long-term, or if the company was reconsidering the role they play in its stores.

Is your local supermarket changing? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com

Shoppers queue for the manned checkout at Aldi in Frankston.

A spokesperson didn't respond directly to those questions.

"We consistently review our checkout protocols to ensure they remain effective and to keep the shopping experience smooth for our customers," they said.

"In some instances, at our stores, we close our self-checkout lanes to ensure store operational efficiency." 

I never use them, and I pay with cash.   :)

I loathe them!
But it’s been noted that the assisted checkouts are becoming fewer so as to force us into self checkout.
It’s on purpose.

I pay by credit card and sometimes cash. I always cash out money because it’s just a comfort to know I have cash for whatever the reason might happen as it has in past, where online transactions couldn’t be done because of some disruption.

Close 'em all!

They are great forr buying a few items.

We should have all these Peanut Workers from India & Asia.
Stand at the aisles and bag our stuff for us.
Along with a quick shoe polish.

Frank wrote on Sep 14^th, 2026 at 10:51am:

They are great forr buying a few items.

Well a few things is okay, except we’re not given much choice when we see assisted checkout aisle with 3 or 4 people will full trolleys and it pains me to think I don’t want to wait forever for a few things so I go through self serve.

I like self serve checkouts - I can get out of the supermarket much faster -
I don't have to wait 10 minutes or more in a line.

Also - when I buy frozen goods -
I make them my last purchase -
then get out of the supermarket quickly and drive 5 minutes home -
then get them into the freezer immediately.
That saves on food spoilage.
You don't want frozen food unthawing and then refreezing it.

ALDI also works the other way where people with full baskets are forced through self serve creating long queues in the fast checkout self serve terminals. It is difficult to manage 5 or 6 bags through self serve let alone a queue of 5 people with full baskets trying to do it.

But the statment put in this article is also true. I find that typically in the evening all the self serve terminals will be closed. Also through the day the 3 terminal self serve lines are alternately opened and closed for seamingly no reason. You can have 2 items and be stuck behind 4 people with a full trolly.

Dnarever wrote on Sep 14^th, 2026 at 3:20pm:

ALDI also works the other way where people with full baskets are forced through self serve creating long queues in the fast checkout self serve terminals. It is difficult to manage 5 or 6 bags through self serve let alone a queue of 5 people with full baskets trying to do it. But the statment put in this article is also true. I find that typically in the evening all the self serve terminals will be closed. Also through the day the 3 terminal self serve lines are alternately opened and closed for seamingly no reason. You can have 2 items and be stuck behind 4 people with a full trolly.

Bunnings is strange too -

their self serve checkouts are normally closed when I'm there and often
I'm redirected to only one checkout which is in the tool area - not at the exit area.

They only open the main checkout when it's busy.

The Aldi checkout operators chuck the stuff thru so fast fragile stuff can easily get damaged. I prefer to do it my self and keep their grubby hands off my stuff.

I always try to target the nervous trainee or the one that looks the most worn out.
Both bound to stuff up occasionally like give me an extra $50 cash note (always use cash and make them count) or misfire on the quantity.  :D
I always check my receipts in return. Get free items often because of pricing errors, etc.
Its really fun.

Just last week I was in Woollies doing my weekly shop. I go in early to avoid the crowds and on completion I found not one manned checkout open.  I stood for a moment and another shopper joined me, both of us looking at the empty checkouts. 

The lady supervising the self serve area saw us and said that at someone would be there shortly. A woman showed up, obviously peeved at actually having to deal with customers and passive/aggressively processed me through.  I did enjoy smiling and wishing her a good day.

But seriously, this self serve thing is a pain in the arse and the sooner it is gone, or we are given a choice at any time of day, the better.   

I don't go into our local KMart at Belmont Forum very often, but every time I have been in there lately not one manned checkout was open, it was all self serve.

Carl D wrote on Sep 14^th, 2026 at 7:45pm:

I don't go into our local KMart at Belmont Forum very often, but every time I have been in there lately not one manned checkout was open, it was all self serve.

Yeah, I've been in there a lot lately and there is never a manned checkout.

There used to be one particular woman on the checkouts all the time, but I haven't seen her for a few months now.

In Australia, the Worker is Right, not the customer.
Suck it up fake aussie Yankees  :D

Belgarion wrote on Sep 14^th, 2026 at 7:23pm:

Just last week I was in Woollies doing my weekly shop. I go in early to avoid the crowds and on completion I found not one manned checkout open.  I stood for a moment and another shopper joined me, both of us looking at the empty checkouts.  The lady supervising the self serve area saw us and said that at someone would be there shortly. A woman showed up, obviously peeved at actually having to deal with customers and passive/aggressively processed me through.  I did enjoy smiling and wishing her a good day. But seriously, this self serve thing is a pain in the arse and the sooner it is gone, or we are given a choice at any time of day, the better.

100%

How can they expect shoppers, with big or young families, needing to manage time and shopping needs,  do a big full large trolley shop at these stupid little kiosk self serves?
To scan and plonk item on scale etc
But if I have too many items I cannot balance them well on top of each other! It feels so cumbersome.
Then there’s the big conveyor belt self check out. At least there’s room to spread your stuff out, scan and plonk in your bag to put in trolley.
Not all supermarkets have these…yet.

I’m a bit peeved with Woolworths down at the peninsula.
Today, I go to shop and I want the $5.50 organic butter.
None there. Just heaps of $9 organic butter.
I see a young in store worker loading up the refrigerator cheese, butter, cream section, but not any of the $5.50 butter. I asked him if he was going to put some stock in that section (I pointed to the empty space) and he said no.
I said the price difference is too much.

And then I remembered last time I went to buy the $5.50 butter and it wasn’t there then!!!
Either they don’t stock enough, or maybe deliberately keep it out of stock to force people to buy other brands?
I’m getting suspicious now!
Coles a bit further up the road always have it in stock.
And their car park is better than Woolies. Remind me never to go there again if I can help it!
I only went this time because I needed to go to post office in same centre.

I understand the trend of self-checkout has reversed in the USA so AUS will catch up soon.