Retailers are pulling back from self-checkout after years of theft, errors, and questionable time savings
Only about one-third of surveyed retailers plan to invest in self-checkout technology this year, significantly fewer than in 2025, according to an annual retail industry report. While self-checkout lanes have always frustrated some customers, major retailers have only recently either stepped away from the technology or at least slowed down... Read Entire Article
Retailers are scaling back their use of self-checkout technology amid concerns over theft, errors, and questionable time savings, according to a recent retail industry report. Despite initial promises of increased efficiency and reduced labor costs, data indicates self-checkout often leads to longer wait times and higher loss rates.
Only about one-third of surveyed retailers plan to invest in self-checkout technology this year, a significant decline from previous years. Major retailers, such as Walmart, Costco, and Kroger, have increased staff involvement in self-checkout lanes due to issues like improper scanning and theft. Dollar General removed self-checkout from 12,000 stores, and Target limited lanes to 10 items or fewer.
Amazon's experiment with cashier-less grocery stores was short-lived, as they abandoned the concept after moving work to remote cashiers in India. Despite these setbacks, other investments, such as automated invoices and electronic shelf labels, continue to attract interest from retailers.
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