Bargain retailer Aldi is facing accusations of ageism, as new self-checkout systems only accept cards and not physical cash.
The new tills have only been rolled out in Australia as of yet, but customers Down Under of a particular age range are heavily criticising the move.
Aldi is also expected to roll out new self-checkout tills across its UK stores, with one branch in Dover already confirming its plans to do so.
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The Mirror reports that elderly punters say the new change has left them 'disappointed' after discovering that the systems solely accept card payments.
One woman in her 70s took to Facebook to share her disappointment, writing: "I love Aldi but today I was very disappointed - our local has just installed self checkouts - which I am happy to use. I went prepared but - only card - no cash. Come on Aldi, that is ageism!
"I am 70+ and I use cash, so do most of my generation. It is not often I am disappointed by Aldi.”
Another woman in Australia shared her thoughts on the new self-serve tills on Twitter, saying the issue lies in a lack of accessibility. She said: “It's a question of accessibility more than ageism. The self-checkout counters of my local supermarket take cash as well as cards.
“Many folks sometimes prefer using cash over a card. It's also a question of equity; not everyone has a credit or debit card.”
However, other shoppers disagreed with claims that the move was 'ageist' against older shoppers. One woman said: “I don’t personally know anyone since Covid that is using cash anymore. Everyone I know is using their watch or phone to pay. I haven’t used cash at all in over 2 years.
“If you don’t like it, you can choose to use the register with a person and use cash. Nothing ‘ageist’ about it.”
Another Facebook user, added: “It's about a choice. What if they told you you could only use cash? Would you have the same 'get over it' attitude?"
Speaking to the Daily Mail, an Aldi spokesperson said: “Self-serve checkouts are a quick and convenient way for customers to shop, and all Aldi self-serve checkouts are card only to maximise efficiencies. “If a customer prefers to use cash, our regular checkouts are always available.”
The Mirror has contacted Aldi Australia for comment as well.
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