Why Queen Elizabeth Got Curious About A Self-Service Checkout Counter

On Tuesday, May 22, Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to the Convent Garden in London, where a replica of one of the original Sainsbury’s stores is located. The market chain — in celebration of its 150th anniversary — erected the building featuring replica counters of Sainsbury’s stores throughout the ages. The building is based on the first Sainsbury’s that opened on Drury’s Lane, which back in the day carried only three items: butter, milk and eggs.

The Queen had taken the interactive trip down memory lane, thoroughly enjoying the sights, tastes and smells that the store had to offer. She was shown a side-by-side comparison of the popular grocery goods of the 1950s and those of today. “How tastes have changed,” exclaimed the monarch, who had looked peculiarly at a bottle of “Bloater Paste” — a sandwich spread made from herring.

The Queen — in her mint green Stewart Parvin A-line coat and matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat — had gone around talking to the employees, interestedly asking questions about the going-abouts of the grocery. In a conversation with Lord Sainsbury, the company’s 91-year-old president, and his wife Lady Anya, the Queen talked about the ration booklets that were used to buy goods during World War II.

The Queen recalls having eggs and cheese along with the rations. “We were lucky we had a farm,” she mentioned, referring to Windsor Castle, which had a nearby farm.

What piqued Queen Elizabeth’s interest, however, was the self-service checkout counter that the store offered. She was visibly curious of the concept and was quick to point out the possibilities of dishonesty that a customer might have.

“And you can’t trick it? You can’t cheat then?” asked Queen Elizabeth II to Damien Corcoran, the regional manager of Sainsbury’s stores for the North East.

Damien Corcoran explained to the Queen how the counter works and how the weighing scales would measure the goods placed on it. This would weigh the items and cross-reference them with the price to make sure that theft would be avoided. “I think she found that response sufficiently reassuring,” he commented.

Before she left, the Queen had cut a cake for the store and unveiled a commemorative plaque. As the crowd cheered on, she then instructed a staff member to collect flowers that the public had brought for her. The event, a small ceremony, was met with over 30 people.