In an age where environmental awareness is increasingly important, many expect businesses, especially large and influential ones, to prioritise sustainable practices. However, a recent incident involving a shopper has sparked a debate over the use of paper for receipts, raising broader questions about its environmental impact.
The shopper took to social media to vent their frustration after receiving an excessively long receipt for a modest purchase of just nine items. The post, which quickly went viral, featured a photo of the receipt with a clear distinction made between the necessary transaction details and the copious amount of promotional material that followed.
The top section of the receipt, which the shopper deemed sufficient, was dwarfed by the ‘half a metre long’ tail end of advertisements and offers. This included prompts to collect Everyday Rewards points, promotions for BWS and Ampol, and even information about Woolworths’ Minecraft Collectable, Cubeez. The shopper’s dismay was echoed by many online commenters, with sentiments ranging from concerns about environmental waste to outright annoyance at being ‘spammed’ with unsolicited information.
The reaction online was a mix of disbelief and humour, with one user quipping about the unnecessary paper waste and another expressing their protest by leaving the receipt in the machine. Even a Woolworths checkout operator chimed in, sharing their own shock at the length of the receipts they’re required to handle daily.
In response to the uproar, a Woolworths spokesperson pointed out that customers have the option to receive digital e-receipts through the Everyday Rewards app or decline a receipt altogether at checkout. Since the launch of eReceipts in June 2021, the spokesperson noted that opting for digital receipts could save an average of 13 metres of paper per customer each year.
While this digital alternative seems like a step in the right direction, it has not been without its critics. Some argue that the need to download an app and sign up for a rewards program to receive a ‘reasonable receipt’ is an unnecessary hurdle. Others speculate that the lengthy receipts may be a deliberate tactic to push customers towards the app, which provides Woolworths with valuable data on shopping habits.
Have you encountered similar issues with long receipts? Which do you prefer paper or digital copies? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Just go paperless. Result? No paper at all, but the receipt is in the Everyday Rewards app. Simple.
Instead of complaining about a fixable issue, just fix it!
(I know some people love to moan, complain and whinge, sadly. It seems to male them happy.)
Have you looked at other business receipts, most of them have advertising. Unfortunately, not all businesses offer paperless receipts.