Tesco is removing annoying phrases from its self-service checkouts

The supermarket chain first introduced self-service checkouts in 2003, playing a crucial role for busy shoppers up and down the UK, at Tesco and other retailers. Tesco confesses that many customers have described the voice of its checkout “assistant” as “shouty” and “irritating”.

“We’ve listened to customer feedback and opted for a softer and friendlier voice which most importantly has fewer phrases”.

James Dewen, self service checkout operations manager at Tesco, said: “Customers really like the convenience of our self-service checkouts”.

It also means an end to the phrase “unexpected item in the bagging area”.

We’ve all been frustrated by Self Checkouts, whether it’s because the scales didn’t recognise the wafer thin packet of crisps you’ve just placed in your bag, or whether the item isn’t recognised at all.

Check the quick video below to hear what the new voice sounds like compared to the old one.

“Clubcard accepted”, is now: “All of your points add up”. Tesco doesn’t want you to read too much into this however – apparently it wasn’t a conscious decision to replace the female voice with a male voice.

The company found orders such as “unexpected item in the bagging area” and “please take your items” made customers feel rushed to finish their shopping and has changed these.

It said the machines would be “friendlier, more helpful and less talkative” and would not use the infamous phrase.

The system has already been rolled out to a small number of stores, including Hatfield, Peterborough, Edinburgh and Kensington.