“Don’t Let Mel Viljoen See This”: Mzansi Woman Shows Self-Checkout at PnP Store in TikTok Video
- A Johannesburg TikToker named Khabii shared a video showing a self-checkout till inside a Pick n Pay store
- Pick n Pay first tested self-checkout back in 2016, but self-checkout points have since expanded nationwide by 2026
- South Africans reacted with mixed emotions online, some excited for convenience and others worried about losing cashier jobs
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Source: TikTok
A TikTok video is drawing reactions after content creator Khabii filmed new checkout tills. She shared the clip from a Pick n Pay store at Irene Village Mall in Centurion on 28 July 2026. Gauteng shoppers can now use these new self-checkout points at select stores. Pick n Pay joins Checkers and Woolworths in offering self-service tills nationwide.
PnP joins Checkers & Woolies in self-checkout race
Pick n Pay first trialled a self-service till back in 2016. That early trial ran at the Observatory branch in Cape Town city. Shoppers could scan and pay for their groceries without cashier assistance then. Labour unions raised strong concerns about job losses during that early trial.
Self checkout points have since expanded across more Pick n Pay stores. Woolworths is also currently piloting its own self-checkout stations this year. Checkers unveiled a different smart trolley called the Xpress Trolley in 2025.
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That trolley lets shoppers scan items and pay directly from their cart. All three retail giants are now competing to modernise the shopping experience. Retailers are increasingly investing in technology to compete for South African shoppers.
Pick n Pay has been rolling out newer, modern stores nationwide this year. This forms part of a wider turnaround plan to win back lost customers. The retailer lost market share to rivals like Shoprite and Checkers in recent years. Self-checkout points aim to speed up shopping trips for busy customers nationwide.
Social media users had mixed feelings once Khabii's footage started circulating online. The post quickly gathered attention from users across different South African provinces.
Some praised the convenience and said rude cashiers would no longer be an issue. Others worried self-checkout machines could increase unemployment among till workers nationwide. A few commenters said they preferred human cashiers to handle their shopping baskets.
Several pointed out that discount issues could still cause delays at checkout points. Many also joked that Checkers should have introduced this technology to shoppers first.
Watch the video below:
More about self-checkout technology
- An Afrikaner family building a new life abroad shared an insight into daily American retail technology.
- Woolworths has launched a self-service checkout pilot at its Foreshore store in Cape Town to test efficiency and customer acceptance.
- A woman in Cape Town showed people that she has been getting used to the self-checkout trolleys by Checkers.
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Source: Briefly News
