On Saturday in North Auckland, there was a heat for the checkout operator of the year, and it was a thing of beauty lit by fluorescent lighting.

Every year Foodstuffs NZ hosts the Checkout Operator of the Year, in a 74 year old institution and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Imagine a stage in front of an audience with five cash registers on it. Behind each is a checker with two judges assigned to the checkout: one judge serving as a customer and another reviewing the neat appearance and whether you have sorted soaps and detergents from other food items.

Media outlet Stuff reported that the checker has to scan through thirty household grocery items (one of which is incorrect, so he’ll have to manually enter the product into the checkout) while providing excellent customer service.

Receive points for how they went and potentially lose points for mistakes such as an incorrect total. By the time the final round of participants is set up, all have perfect scores, that is, in regards to their speed on the crate.

In the Auckland North heats, Deven Sukha took first place, but the winner of the contest will be determined by a mystery shopper in the coming weeks. So better be on your guard, ladies.