Primark wants to speed up paying but people are divided

Is there anything more infuriating than collecting all of your essential 'bits' from Primark, only to be met with an endless queue of customers?

Well, it looks like the good people at Primark might be making moves to shorten their lines by introducing a separate self check-out - but not everyone is happy about it.

Debates over the new self check-out started when TikTok creator @samirahhxoxo posted a walk-through video of her local store. Check it out here:

Flaunting the new self-service till at the Primark in Sheffield, Samirah wrote: "My Primark is so bougee."

Walking her followers through the check-out process, the TikToker put her chosen items onto the scale and scanned their barcodes before loading them into a brown paper bag.

When she had paid for her haul, she took her receipt and walked through the security gate, which was being manned by a Primark employee.

While, at first, the system might look pretty foolproof, some viewers were sceptical and argued that this would lead to a rise in theft.

"Oh the rise in shoplifting from these," commented one viewer.

"They'd be getting robbed all the time, that's so stupid," suggested a second.

"Scan 1 item leave with 10," a third remarked.

Alamy / Robert Convery

However, other viewers disagree, and think that the new addition should be installed across all Primark stores.

Responding to cynical TikTokers, one user explained: "There [are] scales just like anywhere else or what would be the point, be robbing all the time."

"I'm glad they're doing this!" commented a second.

"I loved this Primark when I first moved to Sheffield haha think it’s a great idea," raved a third.

In a follow-up video, Samirah revealed that, as well as the Sheffield store having an employee on standby to monitor the customers using the self check-out, technology won't let customers leave the gated area unless they scan their receipt, making it even harder for shoplifters to take advantage.

Alamy

When asked for a comment, a spokesperson from Primark said: "Earlier this year we launched a trial of self-service checkouts in our Sheffield and Northampton stores. The response so far has been really positive, especially from customers who are short on time or making smaller purchases.

"We’re rolling the trial out to our West Bromwich, Kingston and Coventry stores in the coming weeks to help us understand further the benefits that self-service checkouts bring."