Mercadona’s trial checkout rule could mean lifting everything, including heavy items, onto the belt

Mercadona is testing a new checkout system in Spain that could leave shoppers with a bit of weight-lifting before they can pay for their groceries.

Customers at one trial store are being told to take everything out of their trolley and put it on the checkout conveyor belt, no matter how big, including heavy items that would normally stay in the trolley while the cashier scans them.

For shoppers buying several packs of bottled water, boxes of milk, large pet food sacks or other bulky goods, that could mean considerably more lifting at the till.

Why is Mercadona changing its checkout system?

Mercadona confirmed that it is testing the new procedure at its supermarket in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Madrid, after a customer complained about being asked to remove six-bottle packs of sparkling water and large water containers from her trolley.

Normally, when shoppers have several identical heavy products, a cashier can scan one item and enter the number being purchased. That means customers do not have to lift every heavy pack onto the belt.

Under the trial system, however, products that are still in the trolley have to be taken out and placed on the conveyor for scanning. Mercadona says the idea is to allow the cashier to check that the trolley has been completely emptied and to make sure everything has been correctly charged and that there are no sneaky packs of ham under the milk cartons. That may sound like a small change, but it could make a difference to anyone doing a large weekly shop.

What happens with heavy and bulky supermarket items?

A trolley is designed to make carrying heavy shopping easier. A shopper can put a large sack of dog food, a pack of six water bottles or several cartons of milk into the bottom and push the whole lot around the supermarket. Moving those items onto a checkout belt is a different matter.

A six-pack of large water bottles can weigh several kilograms, while bigger water containers and large bags of pet food can be awkward as well as heavy. Anyone buying several of them could suddenly find themselves lifting the same items twice, first onto the conveyor and then back into the trolley or bags after payment.

Mercadona has not published a weight limit for the conveyor belts as part of its announcement, so there is no evidence that all the belts are unsuitable for these products.

There is also no indication from the company that heavy products are falling from the belts. The practical question for shoppers is simply whether bulky items can be placed safely and comfortably on the conveyor without rolling, sliding or knocking into other shopping.

What if you cannot lift the shopping?

Mercadona appears to have considered that problem. Customers who find it difficult to empty their trolley themselves can ask the checkout worker for help, according to information given by the company about the trial. That could be essential for older shoppers or anyone who struggles with heavy lifting.

It also means customers should not assume that being unable to lift a large bag of pet food or a pack of water means they have to leave it in the trolley. Staff can help with the unloading process.

Is this new Mercadona rule coming everywhere?

Not yet. Mercadona has described the system as a trial, and the company has not announced that it will be introduced across all its Spanish supermarkets. The San Martin de Valdeiglesias store is the location specifically identified in the reports about the experiment.

For British expats in Spain, that means there is no need to start lifting every heavy purchase onto the conveyor at their local Mercadona unless their particular store tells them to do so.

Considering the latest fashion in many branches of Mercadona these days is post-exercise gym wear, perhaps the management thinks all customers are ready for some weight-lifting at the till. For now, however, the message is fairly simple: if your Mercadona asks you to empty the trolley completely, even the heavy stuff has to come out, but staff can help if you cannot manage it yourself.