Nearly all 185 Woolworths supermarkets across New Zealand were forced to temporarily close this morning (April 7) due to a technical issue with the stores’ electronic shelf labels. The glitch caused the labels to display standard pricing rather than promotional discounts, prompting confusion for both staff and customers.
The nationwide issue emerged early in the morning, with many stores displaying closure notices on front doors and security grates. Locations affected included Woolworths Metro on Victoria Street in Auckland, and stores in Papakura, Birkenhead, Dinsdale, and Crofton Downs.
By 8:30 to 9:00 a.m., all stores had reopened. A spokesperson for Woolworths said the issue was being resolved swiftly and emphasised that customers would not be disadvantaged.
“In simple terms, the electronic shelf labels are currently displaying the standard shelf price of all products and not showing special prices,” the spokesperson said. “If a product is on promotion this week, our customers won’t miss out as they will be charged the promotional price at the checkout.”
Despite the disruption, Woolworths maintained that the impact on customers was minimal. However, some shoppers reported delays with services like click-and-collect. One customer at the Papakura store described receiving their order through a back entrance after a wait and some “signing through windows.”
The company has not provided further details on the cause of the glitch but said it expects no long-term issues.