The end of self-checkouts?

Self-checkouts have revolutionized the way Americans shop, but according to new polling, the average U.S. customer has been left less than satisfied with the changes.

Exclusive polling for Newsweek conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies has found that 43 percent of Americans supported the removal of self-checkouts from retail stores; 23 percent said they strongly support the technology’s removal; and 20 percent replied they generally support such a move.

Read more: Earn up to 5% Cash Back or More on Groceries

The survey, conducted between June 28 and 29 among 2,500 eligible voters in the U.S., also found that the main reason why people don’t like self-checkout technology is because it takes away another person’s job (62 percent). Some respondents also said they disliked self-checkouts because they prefer to speak to a person (40 percent), and because some machines don’t take cash (27 percent).

Issues with self-checkouts aren’t just causing ire for the average American shopper. A 2022 survey by ECR Retail Loss Group of 93 worldwide retailers found that self-checkouts accounted for 23 percent of “total unknown store losses.” Two-thirds of retailers said self-checkouts were “becoming more of a problem,” and in a separate study by ECR, 63 percent of store workers “do not believe they can cope with their allocation” of self-checkout machines, particularly when the store is busy.

Read more: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review

Several retailers have cut back on their use of self-checkouts over the course of the past year. Walmart has removed machines from stores in select locations, with a representative for the retail giant telling CX Drive: “We believe the changes will improve the in-store shopping experience and give our associates the chance to provide more personalized and efficient service.”

Walmart is not the only one. Dollar General has already converted 9,000 stores away from self-checkout to prevent theft, and in May, 3,000 locations had self-checkout lanes removed, according to Supermarket News.

“While self-checkout has contributed to the convenient proposition for our customers in certain stores, it does not reduce the importance of a friendly, helpful employee who is there to greet customers and assist while the checkout process is happening,” Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said in December 2023.

Theft has become a persistent problem for retailers, with some of the blame being laid on the technology. In November 2023, Grabango, a startup that provides checkout-free tech for retailers, found that self-checkout machines are “a significant driver of shrink, with losses amounting to 3.5 percent of sales.”

Shrink refers to unknown or unaccounted loss of inventory, which includes thefts of all kinds. “Partial shrink is the most common and costly form of shoplifting, where a shopper pays for some of their purchase, but not the full amount,” a Grabango statement read. “For example, a shopper might have three cans of soda but only scan two of them, or might type in a code for a lower-priced item.”

Action is even being taken by lawmakers. Senate Bill 1446 in California would prohibit grocery and retail drugstores from operating self-checkouts, unless they can abide by certain rules. These include employees monitoring no more than two machines at a time; limiting the number of items that can be bought; and not allowing customers to buy restricted items using self-operated machines.

Target has already implemented one of these measures in some stores. The retailer is rolling out “Express Self-Checkout” with limits of 10 items or fewer at most of its 2,000 stores across the U.S. Target is also investing in additional training to “ensure that our teams can continue to provide great guest service during the checkout.”

“During the pandemic, many guests preferred using self-checkout for all their purchases because it offered them a contactless option,” Target said in a statement in March this year. “We’re opening more traditional lanes staffed by our team members across all our stores for guests who have more in their Target carts, need a helping hand, or just enjoy connecting with our team to help them get on their way sooner.”

Do you support or not support the use of self-checkouts in stores? Email a.higham@newsweek.com