The Checkout

The program

The Checkout features segments that examine the practices and methods of manufacturers, retailers, service providers and advertisers. Using a humorous style, the show highlights practices that are misleading, dishonest, unfair or occasionally even illegal or unethical. Often segments will target types of services or products rather than individual brands or companies. Examples include a segment on overpriced Wi-Fi services offered in certain hotels, the lack of scientific proof for the health benefits claimed by manufacturers of complementary medicines, and the concept of peer-to-peer lending.

Some segments take aim at specific brands and companies. One example was directed at Cadbury and their Joyville campaign which promoted a 10% increase (from 200gm to 220gm) in the size of the family blocks of chocolate which The Checkout portrayed as ironic given that Cadbury had previously reduced the blocks by 20% from 250gm to 200gm. Another was on Anaconda Mountain Bikes which are sold as such but are actually built for road-use only.

The show also includes the segment 'F U Tube' that allow viewers to upload their own queries or complaints about goods or services they have purchased. The program is associated with Choice magazine.

Lawsuits

The ABC is being sued by Avni Sali for defamation over a segment on Swisse products. The ABC is standing by the segment.

The ABC is also facing legal action over a segment on A2 milk with the a2 Milk Company claiming that the segment contains a number of "inaccuracies, misrepresentations and omissions". The A2 Milk company's case is based around the Competition and Consumer Act which does not typically apply to the ABC. However, the company "will argue that advertising for the program constitutes 'engaging in commerce'."

Reception

Paul McIntyre at AdNews wrote (of the show's return in 2014), "At the risk of sounding like a limpwristed leftie – and trust me I'm not – those troopers over at the ABC are onto something, once again. Every brand marketing mandarin and marcoms agency of any creed needs to wake up to themselves and ask some hard questions."

Juliette Hughes at the Australian Catholic Office for broadcasting wrote (in 2013) "The Checkout retains some of the verve and righteous anger of The Chaser, indeed could almost be said to be knocking over a few of the moneychangers' tables in what passes for today's secular temples, the premises ....of revered corporations."

Gordon Farrer, in a tongue-in-cheek review for The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote, "Typical bloody lefty pinko commie ABC, launching yet another assault on Things That Good People Hold Dear.....Humph. If you accept The Checkout's view of the world, marketing and advertising are industries out of control, full of charlatans, unfair restrictions on consumers, misrepresentation and outright lies about products of less-than-essential value to human existence."

The school of journalism at the University of Canberra commented, "The format at times feels a little disjointed and uneven with some segments falling flat. It also becomes difficult at times to distinguish between genuine viewer generated content and fictional scenarios, thus distracting from the telling of the key information."

Nominations

The Super Foods segment in an episode of the first series of The Checkout was a finalist in the 2013 Eureka Prize for Scientific Journalism. The segment investigated foods promoted as ultra-healthy.

The Checkout was nominated for Best Light Entertainment Television Series at the 4th AACTA Awards, and for Most Outstanding Entertainment Program at the 2015 Logie Awards.

DVD releases

The Complete Series 1 and 2 box set was released on 3 December 2014.