Woolworths shoppers concerned new anti-theft gates may trap them and hit their children

Woolworths shoppers concerned new anti-theft gates may trap them and hit their children At one store trialling the gates, a customer said ‘if you wanted to enter without hitting your child, you’d have to go in backwards’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The trial of a security gate in a Woolworths in Sydney has left customers concerned for their safety, with some saying the series of low-height bars have “hit” children in the arms, legs and face . Maria, who was shopping with her two children at Woolworths in Bass Hill in south-west Sydney on Wednesday, told Guardian Australia that she noticed the new entrance “straight away”. “The level that they’ve put it at, is the level of the kids in the pram,” said Maria, who asked that her surname not be published. “If you wanted to enter without hitting your child, you’d have to go in backwards.” Woolworths is trialling the new anti-theft entry gates in six stores, including Sydney’s Bass Hill and Camberwell in Melbourne’s east. Maria said she was surprised that the gate wasn’t temporary, and told Guardian Australia that many parents with similar experiences had complained to Woolworths, asking them to change it back. The gates contain two sets of bars that can only be pushed in one direction. Maria said she was particularly worried about children grabbing the bars, which may spring backwards into them. Describing her one-year-old, Maria said that obviously he’s going to play with them. Susan, who asked that her surname not be published, has lived in Bass Hill for 50 years. She was caught off guard by the change and like many others felt uncomfortable. “I thought, I’m going to get caught in there,” she said. “I’m going to get stuck.” Prior to the new gates’ installation, entry to the Bass Hill Woolworths was via a sliding door. Customers in Bass Hill first noticed this change last week, but the first store to introduce this new entry was in Camberwell, Victoria, where the gates have been in place ...