"Now It’s Getting Scary": South African Man Voices Concerns About Checkers’ Digital Trolley
- Checkers has introduced a digital trolley that allows customers to scan and pay for items as they shop, streamlining the shopping experience
- The innovation has sparked debate online, with some welcoming the technology and others expressing concerns about potential job losses for cashiers, as this young man did in a TikTok video
- The impact of automation on employment is a pressing concern in South Africa, where the unemployment rate is already high and workers are anxious about the future
A South African shopper has sparked debate online after reacting to Checkers’ latest innovation, a digital trolley that allows customers to scan and pay for items as they shop.
Source: TikTok
According to Shopriteholdings, the Xpress Trolley was created by the ShopriteX innovation team to give customers complete control over their shopping experience, from check-in to check-out. Customers are guided through their journey by an intuitive interface that shows them current product details, customised promotions, and a rolling total that allows them to monitor their spending as they go.
The launch of Checkers' digital trolley caused a media frenzy online, and one gent took to social media to voice his thoughts.
Man reacts to Checkers' digital trolley
In the video, posted by the gent himself on TikTok under the handle @ela.coding.instructor, he expressed both amazement and concern after seeing how the trolley eliminates the need to queue at tills.
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“But does that mean all cashiers will lose their jobs? Yoh, the fourth industrial revolution started off exciting, but now it’s getting scary, and it looks as if it’s going to affect us all in a negative way because if there is a digital trolley then there is no need for cashiers,” he said in the clip.
The new smart trolley, recently introduced by Checkers, is designed to streamline the shopping experience. Customers can scan items directly on the trolley and pay without going through a cashier, making the process faster and more convenient.
While some South Africans have welcomed the technology as a step towards modernisation, others share the man’s concerns about unemployment. With retail being one of the country’s largest employers, many fear that innovations like digital trolleys could reduce the demand for human cashiers.
South Africa is already facing a staggering unemployment rate, and the rise of automation has amplified anxieties among workers. The TikTok video posted on 21 August 2025 has since gone viral, igniting mixed reactions online.
For now, Mzansi shoppers remain divided, some excited by the convenience, others fearful of its consequences.
Watch the video below:
SA reacts to Checkers' digital trolley invention
People took to the comments section to share their thoughts on the Checkers' digital trolley invention, saying:
Saul Mzimba said:
"Sad, but some cashiers attitude won’t experience it anymore."
Empire added:
"Nothing is negative, those trollies will need thousands of people to service them and clean them."
Makete expressed:
"They won’t be losing their jobs yet, they might retrench a few but there is people that still have to pay using cash."
Sbudashap shared:
"We need to move on with time."
Source: TikTok
3 Briefly News stories about unemployment
- Statistics South Africa revealed the new unemployment statistics, which showed an increase in the number of jobless South African women.
- Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa took things to the next level ahead of their anticipated concert by tackling youth unemployment.
- A Mzansi woman named Ongezwa shared on her TikTok account that she was leaving her days of unemployment in the past.
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Source: Briefly News
