Expert reveals we've been using self-checkout machines wrong- and shares 'genius' self-checkout hack

A supermarket customer has become an internet sensation after sharing a video claiming we've all been using self-checkout machines incorrectly - but some have issued a warning about the 'hack'.

Most of us simply tap our cards or phones and go at self checkout kiosks , but for those looking to offload some loose change, a TikTok video posted by @Wicked_boss_babe could save you a lot of time at the checkout.

The clip, captioned: "Was today years old when I learned this', shows someone feeding coins into the machine one at a time through the narrow slot, adding 'How I've been doing it'. It then reveals: "How you should do it' and the coin flap is lifted up to reveal a far larger hole hidden underneath where the customer is able to throw in entire handfuls of coins in one go," lifting the coin flap to expose a much larger hole where customers can dump handfuls of coins at once.

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The video instructs: "You can add change until the green arrow goes off. Then wait for it to count.", reports the Irish Mirror .

The clip has garnered over five million views and appears to have been filmed in a US Walmart store, prompting UK viewers to question if the same trick could be used in their local shops. A Tesco employee responded by filming a video at the self-checkout machines, successfully lifting the coin slot cover as demonstrated in the original video.

Some people were completely stunned by the discovery, with one remarking, "This could have saved me a lot of time with my $3 worth of pennies."

Another exclaimed, "Nahhh we've been struggling for no reason."

Yet there were those who warned against this newfound hack. One such skeptic posted, "DON'T DO THIS the cover was put on there to stop the coins being jammed. People like you will be the ones complaining when it miscounts your money."

And someone else just summed up the modern-day conundrum stating, "I can't remember the last time I used a coin to pay for anything."