“That’s Really Cool”: Cape Town Woman Shows How the Checkers Smart Trolley Works

• A Cape Town content creator tried out Checkers' new smart trolley technology at a local store
• The woman won a free Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate slab just for using the trolley, which includes a touchscreen that guides shoppers through their entire shopping experience
• South Africans had mixed reactions to the technology demonstration, with some loving the convenience but others worried about potential job losses for store employees

A Cape Town woman has given South Africans their first look at how Checkers' new smart trolley technology works, and her demonstration has left the country divided.

TikTok user @veronica_be_the1 shared the video on 31 August 2025 showing herself trying out the innovative shopping system at a Checkers store in Cape Town.

The content creator, who regularly shares shopping content and explores new experiences, decided to test the smart trolley after spotting it in the store. In her video, she walks viewers through the entire process of using the high-tech shopping cart.

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She starts by pressing "Let's go" on the touchscreen mounted on the trolley's handlebars. The system then asks her to scan her loyalty card before showing the terms and conditions that need to be accepted. After agreeing to continue, the trolley prompts her to scan and place a shopping bag inside.

The woman then spins a digital wheel on the screen and wins a Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate slab for free, which she receives just for trying the new technology.

Mzansi reacts to woman's smart trolley demo

South Africans shared their thoughts about the new technology in the comments section.

@sihlegodson raised privacy concerns:

"Smart trolley is more for Checkers than for consumers. This way they'll have data of the customer they can tell if you have a new house, are getting divorced or just had a baby. This way, they can have targeted ads. Killing other competitors. By location."

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@joanne_tiffany_mahar supported the innovation:

"I love this technology, because cashiers and packers act like they are doing us a favour by doing their job..."

@sco_manuel questioned priorities:

"Wow, they have money for this instead of paying employees more."

@dimpho_nketu admitted mixed feelings:

"Usually I don't support such technology advances, but cashiers are really rude and act like they're doing customers a favour."

@karabo_mototo expressed concerns:

"I do not support technology that creates job losses."

@annie worried about security:

"In SA, with all the crime and theft gone in 60 seconds..."

@chara_pova shared employment worries:

"I don't support this; people are going to lose their jobs, not just cashiers."

All about the Xpress trolleys

According to the Shoprite Checkers website, the Xpress Trolley is South Africa’s first smart shopping cart. It lets shoppers scan items while they shop, see how much they’re spending, and pay on the trolley itself. So there’s no need to stand in long queues.

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Right now, the trolleys are being tested at two stores in the Western Cape: Checkers Hyper Brackenfell and Checkers Constantia. They also come with handy extras like showing special deals, giving product info, and even helping customers find items in the store.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

The introduction of the Xpress Trolley by Shoprite Checkers has sparked concerns about potential job losses. The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) expressed fears that the smart trolleys could lead to cashier positions being displaced, especially since many employees are part-time or casual workers.

However, Shoprite has reassured the public that the smart trolley pilot is not intended to replace jobs. The South African Labour News reported that the company emphasised that no employees or positions are negatively affected by this initiative. Instead, the introduction of this technology may create new roles, such as concierge assistants, checkout support staff, age-verification employees, additional security personnel, and central tech and data specialists.

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Other stories about retail stores

• Briefly News recently reported on South Africans being conflicted about Checkers launching smart trolleys, but the real reason behind their concerns surprised many.
• A South African man voiced his scary concerns about Checkers' digital trolley technology, and his warning about what could happen next has people talking.
• A Cape Town man blasted a retail store for selling a R99 350g cottage pie, but his calculation of the price per gram shocked viewers.

Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News