### The Woman Behind the Voice: Sainsbury’s Self-Checkout Star Reveals All
Shoppers at Sainsbury’s across the UK are all too familiar with the automated voice guiding them through the self-checkout process. The friendly – or, for some, grating – instructions such as “Would you like a receipt?” and “Have you scanned your Nectar card?” are heard by thousands every single day. Now, the person behind these oft-heard words has stepped forward and spoken about her unique connection to the nation’s shopping rituals – and what it’s like to inadvertently annoy the public on a daily basis.
Alison Parsons, 36, a performer hailing from Kent, has been unveiled as the voice of the Sainsbury’s self-checkout tills. Despite the mixed reactions her vocal recordings receive from shoppers, Alison has a good-natured approach to the whole phenomenon. “It genuinely makes me laugh to think my voice is winding people up across the country,” Parsons confided. She admitted that, even while shopping, she sometimes witnesses customers tutting or expressing mild frustration at the recorded prompts – never realising the voice’s real-life source might be standing right beside them.
Interestingly, Alison’s journey to becoming a recognisable – if anonymous – part of Britain’s retail experience began through a completely different industry. Already working as a performer and model, she was tipped off about the Sainsbury’s gig thanks to connections she developed while modelling for sister company Argos, as well as the homeware brand Habitat. “I’d done some work for the Argos website and catalogue, which included an insurance advert, so the company was already familiar with my approach and delivery,” she reminisced.
The hiring process, Alison reveals, was considerably more arduous than might be expected for what became just 26 essential self-checkout phrases. Sainsbury’s sought a “relatable, real” voice – one shoppers would respond to, rather than tune out. “I had to record those lines at home for my audition tape, and the wait was nerve-wracking. There were months where I just didn’t know what was happening, only that I’d been shortlisted and they were testing the voices in stores,” Alison said.
The supermarket giant’s commitment to finding the perfect voice didn’t end there. Feedback was actively sought from actual Sainsbury’s customers, ensuring the selected tone was both customer-friendly and effective for guiding shoppers through often complicated checkout routines. Eventually, after secret trials in stores, Alison’s natural Kent accent – albeit toned down for neutrality – won over both the selectors and the public. “Apparently, shoppers found my voice the most engaging and relatable out of all the finalists,” she explained.
Upon winning the role, Alison was invited to record the crucial self-checkout lines – a process that took about five days. Payment for the job, she clarifies, was structured as a day rate for the vocal sessions, followed by a ‘buy-out fee’ allowing Sainsbury’s to use her recordings for a five-year period. As such, Alison will remain the voice of Sainsbury’s tills until at least 2028. The longevity of this agreement means her connection to British shopping habits will endure for years to come.
As for the real-world experience of hearing her own voice echo through supermarkets, Alison describes it as both “surreal and entertaining”. While she laughs off the occasional grumbles from shoppers, she is still proud of her unusual role. When shopping with friends, the topic inevitably arises, and their claims to other customers that “this is the woman on the till” are often met with disbelief.
Despite her career primarily being in dance and modelling since 2012, Alison says the self-checkout project holds a special place in her professional journey, particularly as one of her earliest voiceover assignments. “I was still very new to the voiceover industry at the time, so being chosen for such a major role was quite a big deal for me,” she reflected.
Having recently moved house, Alison now shops at Sainsbury’s more frequently and regularly encounters her own recorded cautions and prompts. Friends, too, are quick to message her when they hear her familiar phrases. For Alison and the countless shoppers she interacts with – even if only virtually – the association might, perhaps, remain a private joke, but one that perfectly reflects the everyday quirks and annoyances of modern retail life in Britain.