'Very unfriendly': Woolworths' new security gate trial sparks concerns

Woolworths' trial of a new security entrance gate at its Melbourne location has sparked concerns from local shoppers.

A photo of the gate has been shared on Reddit's 'Melbourne' thread.

The gate, at the supermarket's Camberwell location, features two lanes through which customers can enter, with white flexible prongs positioned along them, seemingly to prevent people from leaving at the entrance gate.

Local Woolworths shoppers aren't impressed with the change.

"The word says welcome but the architecture says anything but," one commented.

"Also, why there's such little staff around," another said.

"You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave," one Redditor joked.

"What really annoys me are the exit barriers. Sometimes I don't find what I want and want to leave," another said.

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Members of the disability community shared concerns the new gates would inhibit their access to the Woolworths store.

"That looks very unfriendly design for prams and wheelchairs!" one person commented.

"For real I was on crutches a few months back. Went to sit down out the front while the kids scanned and paid for the shopping. I had to wait for the lady to let me out," another said.

"I am already sore and tired. Extremely dystopian experience."

"I'm disabled and it 100 per cent happens more than you notice! It feels like every week I face a new accessibility challenge that I'd never considered before," one Redditor responded."

"Thank you for noticing and caring! :)."

Another said: "Or if you've got a pram with a baby in it who's now getting clocked in the face by them, and they then proceed to try tear them out while crying."

"Pushing a pram, as well. Small children don't like getting hit by these," added another.

"Not to mention if you just have sensory issues and don't enjoy being touched," one shopper said.

"If people are shoplifting so much that something like this is needed then maybe they should look in to why people can not afford food anymore," another comment read.

Disability advocate Zoe Simmons, who lives with multiple disabilities, has told nine.com.au she feels supermarket entrances and exits are "getting smaller and it's getting harder to navigate as a wheelchair user".

"Someone with a mobility scooter probably wouldn't be able to get through them at all! I've also had the little plastic entrances/exits either not open, or close on me.

"I think it just comes down to the fact that people in leadership and decision-making roles do not consider the impact on disabled people. Goes to show there really needs to be lived experience and co-design."

Sarah James, a disability consultant who runs The Sensory Specialist, has told nine.com.au accessibility "shouldn't be an afterthought".

"Especially in a supermarket. For many people, these gates aren't an inconvenience, they're a barrier to basic dignity."

A Woolworths spokesperson told nine.com.au the trial is to "explore new ways to respond to increased theft in our supermarkets" which has become a major issue for supermarkets.

"We know the majority of our customers do the right thing, and we thank them for doing so. This is to deter those that don't," they said.

"This new entryway is being trialled at our Camberwell store in Victoria, to test its effectiveness against thieves and how it resonates with others.

"We understand this will take time for local customers to get used to, which is why we'll have a team member at the entrance for a number of weeks to help guide customers."

The spokesperson said customers who use a mobility aid or who are unable to use the entry for any reason can contact a team member who will assist them to use an alternate entry.

"We will carefully assess customer feedback on this trial."

Similar gates have reportedly been used in Drakes, IGA and Spotlight in Australia.

Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and IGA stores have increased security measures across their supermarket outlets in a bid to reduce theft. According to the Australian Retailers Association, stock loss is estimated to be between $22-$25 million per week, or over $1 billion annually.

Much of the theft is by organised crime rings. The remainder have been described as "opportunistic".

An increase in the number of self-check outs is also thought to have contributed to increasing shoplifting incidents.

Multiple surveillance systems are currently in operation in major supermarkets including entrance and exit gates.

High-value items such as meats and cosmetics are frequently fitted with individual security tags to further reduce theft.

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