ANOTHER supermarket chain has announced the closure of self-checkout in some stores after rising theft rates.
Other major retailers, including Target and Walmart, are making a big change.
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Shoppers at some Bay Area Safeway stores in Oakland, Calif., will no longer be able to buy their own groceries, according to FOX affiliate KTVU.
The chain, which has 920 stores, confirmed to the outlet that it would get rid of self-checkout at several Oakland stores.
However, it has not yet been specified in which customers should expect to see a difference.
The reason for the removal is the number of thefts that occur at self-checkout, according to Safeway employees.
READ MORE about Self Checkout
“Operational changes have been made at select stores throughout the Bay Area due to the increasing amount of thefts,” according to Safeway’s statement.
“Self-service kiosks have been removed from some stores. Like other local businesses, we are working on ways to reduce the rise in theft so we can ensure the well-being of our employees and promote a welcoming environment for our customers.”
ALREADY HAPPENING
Earlier this month, a location in Oakland already removed the machines.
There is a large, empty space where the kiosks used to be, according to the outlet.
The outlines of the machines still remain on the floor and in their place there is now a display of soda cans.
However, this is just the first location of many.
Retail experts think the chain looked at the data on how much product it was losing per location and decided to make some big changes.
“You have to take away self-checkouts because you can’t make money,” said Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practices and management at Syracuse University, according to the outlet.
“This is a real conundrum for these retailers who are trying to provide the best customer service, the best customer satisfaction, but still trying to make money.”
MIXED REACTIONS
Buyers had mixed reactions to the upcoming changes.
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at several locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed at specific times and more cashiers were offered in its place.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting would fuel the upgrades, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would thwart fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, this test has been discontinued.
At Target, items are being limited in auto-checkout.
Last fall, the brand researched new express self-checkout lanes in 200 stores with 10 items or less for added convenience.
In March 2024, this policy was expanded to 2,000 stores in the US.
A customer posted a photo for Facebook of shopping carts where self-checkout machines used to be.
People rushed to the comments to share their thoughts with many of them hoping the change would mean more cashiers and in-person jobs.
“This made me happy, as I prefer to talk to a person”, commented one of them.
“They had about 8 self-checkout kiosks at that store. Normally, a few of them would be out of service at any given time. Hopefully, they will now have 5 or 6 additional cashiers working to help keep the lines down. But knowing Safeway, I’m not holding my breath,” a second customer waited.
“Overall, I say good. I hope more people can have these jobs again,” said another.
Meanwhile, some residents weren’t looking forward to the change because they saw self-checkout as the “fastest” option.
“Some of us prefer to get out of the store faster. Most cashiers are slow and then you have people who get to the register and don’t have payment ready or don’t know their PIN number. You can spend 10 minutes waiting for the guy at your find out how to pay,” one of them wrote.
“It’s not something to celebrate. Self-checkout is faster, at least for some of us. It was a great option,” said another, disappointed.
The US Sun has reached out to Safeway for comment.
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