One of these measures includes automatic gates on self-serve checkouts that only open if customers have paid for their goods.

The gates are prompted by rooftop sensors that track customers using self-serve checkouts, and are currently being trialled in a select number of stores.

Customers get assigned a digital ID when they enter the self-checkout area. There will be a digital red marker on the customer, which will turn green once the customer has paid, prompting the gate to open when that customer walks up to it.

If a customer has not paid or tries to take any unpaid goods out of the store, the gates will remain closed.

Woolworths spokesperson Mark van den Bosch demonstrated how these gates work on 7 News.

“We’ve seen an increased activity of non-paying customers,” van den Bosch told 7 News.

“We continue to look at additional measures that will help reduce retail crime; however, we do understand that most customers do the right thing at the checkout.”

This comes after the supermarket implemented cameras on self-serve checkouts that films customers scanning items.

The set of cameras films the customer’s face, as well as the items getting scanned. At the time, Woolworths explained that it is to stop accidental wrong scans, like putting through a bag of grapes as a bag of onions.

“It helps reduce misscans and is one of a number of initiatives we’ve rolled out across our checkouts to make shopping more convenient and seamless,” a Woolworths spokesperson told news.com.au.

“While most customers do the right thing at our self-serve checkouts, we’re all busy and mistakes can easily happen.

“We’d like to thank our customers for their support while we’ve implemented this initiative.”