Retailers Reassess Self-Checkout Amid Rising Challenges

If you’ve recently found yourself grumbling in line at the cashier while empty self-checkout lanes sit unused, you’re not alone. Self-checkout trends in 2025 are shifting. 

What started as a symbol of retail convenience is now facing growing scrutiny from stores and shoppers alike. 

With a rise in theft, complaints about user experience, and shifting store policies, major retailers are rethinking how much freedom we really want (or should have) at the checkout.

Is the Self-Checkout Era Ending? Retailers Make Changes

You might have noticed changes at your local store – maybe fewer self-checkout machines or new item limits. That’s no coincidence. Some retailers are actively scaling back their use of self-checkout lanes, especially in stores with high theft rates. 

Dollar General is one of the retailers removing self-checkout in certain locations, while reducing them to five items or less in others. Their goal is to reduce retail shrink, which is industry speak for product loss, often due to theft or error.

Walmart has quietly pulled back on self-checkout in some areas, as well, removing machines in select stores or reserving them for Walmart+ members. 

Five Below has adopted a shopper-assisted model, where you can scan your items, but an employee has to finish the transaction. These changes reflect growing self-checkout theft concerns and an effort to restore a sense of control (and accountability) at the register.

The Retail Shrink and Self-Checkout Problem

Retail shrink tied to self-checkout isn’t a minor issue. It’s costing businesses some serious money. According to reports, shoplifting incidents have surged by over 90% since 2019. 

One LendingTree survey even found that 15% of users admitted to intentionally stealing through self-checkout. What’s even more concerning is that nearly half of them said they’d do it again.

The challenge for retailers is that self-checkout is vulnerable, not just to intentional theft, but also to honest mistakes – mis-scanned items, missed barcodes, or people overwhelmed by the machines. All of it adds up. 

While self-checkout may reduce staffing costs, it can quietly chip away at profits through losses that are harder to track and prevent.

Customer Experience and the Self-Checkout Dilemma

All of this is not just about theft. The customer experience with self-checkout is also driving change. 

Some shoppers love the speed and independence of scanning their own groceries. Others feel like they’re doing unpaid labor, all while dealing with confusing interfaces, age verification delays, and missing barcodes that add to the frustration.

Target recently limited self-checkouts to 10 items or less in most stores. While the change improved checkout speed, overall, many customers have voiced their annoyance, especially when lines at manned registers back up while self-checkout lanes sit empty or are misused by shoppers with overflowing carts.

It's a tricky balance. Too many restrictions frustrate customers; too much freedom invites problems. Retailers are learning (sometimes the hard way) that tweaking the self-checkout experience has a real impact on loyalty and satisfaction.

The Future of Self-Checkout Technology

So, where are things headed? The future of self-checkout technology isn’t about ditching machines entirely. It’s about rethinking how they’re used. 

Innovations like AI-powered scanning, mobile checkout apps, and smart cart systems are already being tested. Sam’s Club, for example, is expanding its “Scan & Go” app and using AI to verify purchases as customers exit the store.

Rather than scrapping the concept, retailers are exploring more controlled, tech-driven solutions that improve security and streamline the process. The goal is to keep the benefits – faster checkouts and less staffing – while minimizing the risks. It’s not about going backward to all-cashier systems, but finding a better middle ground.

What Self-Checkout Trends in 2025 Mean for You

As self-checkout trends in 2025 evolve, we can expect to see more signs limiting use, more employee involvement, and more personalized policies, depending on the store and location. While some shoppers may miss the days of breezing through a solo checkout session, others might welcome the extra help and attention.

In the end, our shopping experiences will probably vary from store to store. Some places will go all in on high-tech upgrades, while others may go back to basics with fully staffed lanes. Either way, the experiment with self-checkout isn't ending. It's just getting a thoughtful rewrite.