Tesco drops annoying self-checkout “unexpected item in the bagging area” phrase
No longer will shoppers be scolded by a machine telling them there are unexpected items in the bagging area, after Tesco announced the decision to drop the intensely annoying phrase from its self-checkouts.
After feedback from customers, the supermarket has decided to make the automated voice a little friendlier, calling the current tones "a source of frustration" for customers, some of whom called it shouty and irritating.
Also being removed are nagging phrases such as "please take your items". In its place will be a friendlier "thank you for shopping at Tesco".
Read more: Coke, Haribo? What's next off Tesco's shelves after Ribena?
Customers shopping at stores in Hatfield, Peterborough, Edinburgh and Kensington are already enjoying the new voice, while the rest of the nation will be able to do their shopping without being nagged by the end of October.
“Customers really like the convenience of our self-service checkouts, especially when they’re just popping into store to pick up lunch or a few items after work. But for some, the voice leaves them a bit frustrated," said self-service operations manager James Dewan.
“It’s listened to by millions of customers every week, so we’ve acted on customer and colleague feedback and worked hard to get the new voice right to improve the shopping trip.”
It's the second time this week Tesco has decided to drop something from its stores. A decision earlier this week to remove kids-sized Ribena and Capri Sun drinks from its shelves did not go down quite so well with customers, however.
Here's how the new voice will sound…