PAK'nSAVE Wainoni — Local services in Christchurch

Pack' N Save, as a domestic supply chain, a source of our daily groceries, in my experience, at least, is a value for money choice.

Especially, in terms of value, this is particularly true when comparison with the Australian owned Countdown chain of supermarkets are taken into account. The latter are markedly more expensive, in my own experience. Others I have spoken with endorse discovering the same thing from their own experience.

In fact, comparison over several weeks, on my part, suggests Countdown often inflate their pricing; such that, some items may be close to double the price, or at least frequently 30% to 50% more expensive than PackNSave. This is not universally true, but is true often enough to make shoppers interested in value for money to think twice before shopping with the Australian supermarket chain, New World or Four Square. However, the best thing is to make your own assessment and decide for yourself.

I am located in Eastern Christchurch; thereby, I frequently shop at the Wainoni Road outlet.

Incidentally, in looking to post a review to this site, I was stopped from capturing images of the internal spaces inside the PackNSave premises by onsite security. They, [security staff] went as far as asking me to delete what I had recorded from my phone. Officially, it was explained to me, it is store policy not to allow such media capture in-store for reasons of store security and staff privacy.

Consequently, I cannot post any imagery of the stores layout or likely items of interest specific to that branch.

While I have shopped at multiple PackNSave outlets in Auckland and Christchurch, there is a generally consistent feel and experience with shopping at different stores. Recently, as value for money has become a noteworthy element of my shopping behaviour, I have returned to PackNSave, only infrequently attending New World or Countdown.

In keeping with this recent change, I have signed up to become a ‘Sticky Club’ member. Essentially, this membership, once the induction process – sign up, is completed and identity verified – they take an image of your ID, allows a shopper to use an in-house supplied hand-scanner to price and collate your shopping cart, as you go.

The process is anchored in customer trust, but is frequently audited at point of sale. Auditing involves a staff member randomly checking five items in your trolley to confirm your scans reflect your shopping basket contents.

Scanners are essentially barcode readers, but they also show a running total, individual item prices and numbers scanned. You have to be specific and accurate with what you scan, or you risk the appearance of behaving with criminal intent.

However, if you are experiencing difficulty, I recommend you be honest and upfront – ask for assistance and clarification or further training.

Overall, I have found this facility very efficient and effective. That said, I am used to working with technology. So you need to make your own determination. I think the system is great and is a far cry from any other supermarket chain.

Generally, all staff I have either spoken with, or incidentally interacted with, have been warm, attentive, caring and eager to help. Although, now I use the scanner I spend no time in checkout queues waiting, or interacting, with checkout operators.

The store layout follows a specific shop design common to almost all stores which suggestively leads customers through the store. You do not have to follow this flow, but for first timers and unfamiliar shoppers, it is most helpful, if a little inefficient. Later, I would recommend finding your own best routing through the shop according to...

This store has zero regard for the needs of customers. They have plastic bags in the meat section for customers to take to put their meat in their freezer, we took a few for our meat, then when we were doing the self checkout a woman staff member said that taking the bags is stealing, I couldn't believe it, they have the bags for customers to use but when you take them they say it's stealing, I thought this woman must be some sort of neurotic so I didn't take any notice, but as we were passing the security guard near the checkouts he asked us what we were taking the bags for so we said it's to put our meat in, he said it's stealing and we should buy bags, I said it's ridiculous, the bags are there for customers to use and we shouldn't have to buy them, so he took the few bags off of us. It's obviously what the management is telling them, absolutely ridiculous. They also throw away tons of boxes that they could have at the front for customers to use for their groceries, but they don't do that because they want us to buy their rotten useless bags, trying to scrounge every cent they can at the expense of customers, making it very difficult for us customers to carry and transport our groceries. They are clearly displaying absolute disregard for the needs of customers, which is zero customer service. I recommend avoiding that place. I didn't want to give one star because I hate the way they are treating us human beings that are also their customers. It's now the end of July, a few months after, and they still don't have empty boxes at the front for customers' use, so they don't read 'maps' or don't care what their customers think, probably the latter. In fairness, at least they have plastic bags and tissues in the meat section, so they have some consideration for customers so I give 1 star, not like other Pak n Saves in Christchurch that don't give bags,...

I experienced my first ever racial profiling today at the Shop n Go checkout today here at paknsave Wainoni.

I got up to pay for my groceries and sometimes before paying they may need to scan a certain amount of groceries in your cart (which is normal) when the lady was scanning items it had showed an error which simply means some items haven’t been scanned or whatever. So they had to go through and scan everything in my cart and I was totally okay with that! Now, as they are scanning my items.. you can only imagine how I’m being treated from the staff.. Immediately I felt intimidated and embarrassed! Not only am I being stared down and talked about behind my back from the staff but also the shoppers! I suffer from anxiety so this triggered me majorly. Turns out I had scanned everything in my cart! But there were a couple things my daughter had scanned TWICE, so in a way I’m thankful the “error” had caught that. But honestly how degrading of the staff to treat innocent people like this, bare in mind (I’m a dark skinned Māori girl) who even gives them the right! I understand people steal and for something like this to happen you are weary , but to target me like that is not on! When I left the store it was playing on my mind so I had to ring up and make a complaint! I was put through to the people at the shop n go desk, and all the lady could do was give me an attitude with an apology I knew wasn’t genuine! Disappointed...