I understand where they are coming from. They are sticking to their ways and doing what they know.

My mum isnt elderly, (in her 60s) however, she refuses to use the self checkouts because, she says the $ added to items covers the cost of the staffs wages, and if she was to use self checkouts she expects a discount cos she is doing all the work, plus she doesnt know how to use them properly.

At 60 I might be one of those older people. Having worked in supermarkets I totally know how to use them but try to avoid them. We should have real people on the checkouts. It takes away jobs. Also many people live alone and see no one from week to week and the little weekly chat at the local supermarket is their only interaction. I had a lot of regulars like this. Life is way too uncaring and impersonal nowadays.

A lot of the older generation don’t understand all the continual new technology and they hate how young workers are getting pushed out of the workforce it will probably be like this when we get old and there’s things we don’t understand or want to change

it would be hard with everything changing and if they don’t want to embrace it they’re not being left much choice

I wouldn’t call myself old, but I certainly sometimes take a while to shift out of old habits, so I can totally understand why older people either find it hard or simply don’t want to.

They also love to chat…the amount of times they are at the checkout and just waiting for the cashier to ask “how are you?” and they get to speak….makes me think they are very lonely at home.

Years ago having a business was highly focused on great customer service. The business would usually know most of the customers by name. Petrol stations used to provide staff to fill up the car with fuel, and clean the car windows, check oil etc at the same time. Very few, if any servos provide this service now, and as a result jobs were lost. More convenient for the customer to just fill and go, but still paying the price for a service that’s not included anymore. Some older people want to stick to what they know, and others want service. Someone packing bags is being paid to provide that service, a self service checkout does not.

I’m not in the older generation and I absolutely refuse to use them for so many reasons, it puts people out of a job, they stuff up alot etc etc and I hate being forced to use them i will put my items down and walk away if forced to use one especially when places like kmart block off checkouts so you have to I will go without. Times maybe changing and yes sometimes they look easy and convenient and quicker but no I won’t use them.

People need to evolve and adapt like the rest of biodiversity

Things are changing for the worse, technology being the main offender, I use the self serve because it’s more convenient for me but I’m with the older generation in thinking simpler times were better times,

I’m one of those elderly people that won’t use the automatic check out and my reason is they’re taking away a job from someone. My daughter has used them when I’ve been with her and it’s been nothing but mistakes too. So not all elderly people use the excuse of that’s how it was done in the old days. It’s taking a job away from someone. I’m quite up to date with technology but I refuse those check outs!! It’s the principle of it!!!

Are they any quicker ? The amount of times they st_ff up and the staff member has to come over out ways them I feel.

They like the connection with a person, someone they can have a quick chat with. I only use them for when I have a handful of items and I just want to get in and out. Supermarkets now days week only have 2 registers open

Usually I don;t see the elderly using them either, but I swear, the other day in my local supermarket, it was so busy. I went through self serve, and I was rushing, and they machines were all been used by very eldery people. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry, because they were so slow, and I was in a rush, but it was cute. I guess they did not want to wait in the long lanes to be served by someone. Bless them

My mum doesn’t speak English very well and she will not a self service counter, I also don’t like to use the self service counter, I am always happy to wait in line. I don’t like how they are taking the place of junior casuals and people needing work. My daughter used to be a checkout operator to earn money for a school trip and she loved it..

It can be hard to learn new things when you’re older

I loved the self serve when they first came out as they were much quicker than waiting in line, especially if the person behind the counter was unenthusiastic about their job and was slow.
I guess with the older generation the fear that something will go wrong and there is no one to help them even if someone is standing there to help.

It took me years to even use the self serve, my thoughts always have been, I am not a cashier, I am not paid to do this, and it’s taking jobs away. Sometimes I use self serve, sometimes not.

It was nice of you to offer to help. People can be set in their ways. So much has changed.