Retail

Walmart removes more self-checkout lanes as a response to shoplifting

Photo: The Toidi - stock.adobe.com

May 3, 2024

Walmart is continuing to remove self-checkout lanes from its branches. The list of locations where self-checkout lanes are being removed now includes Shrewsbury, Missouri, Cleveland, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to a Daily Express U.S. report.

According to the report, many retailers are reducing the number of self-checkouts as a response to an increase in shoplifting. The news outlet claims that self-checkout thefts are five times more likely than traditional cashier checkout theft.

Niel Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told the news outlet: "Theft rates at self-checkouts are reasonably high both because of deliberate actions and accidental mistakes. Forcing more customers to use manned checkouts resolves a lot of these issues and saves retailers money."