Walmart cuts self-checkouts and confirms plans to overhaul 650 stores
The UNILAD Team
Featured Image Credit: Walmart
Walmart is cutting self-checkout at some stores as theft continues to rise across the US.
The retail giant is rolling back the once-popular machines in a major rethink of how people shop, with some locations ditching them altogether.
Its latest move saw self-checkouts removed from a South Philadelphia location, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A company spokesperson told the outlet the change is focused on improving customer service, saying it will help shorten lines and boost efficiency.
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But it comes as Walmart pushes ahead with plans to remodel more than 650 stores - but instead of doubling down on self-service, it’s bringing back more staffed checkouts.
So, what’s behind the shift?
Retailers say self-checkouts have become a major problem when it comes to theft.
From items being deliberately skipped to “accidental” mis-scans, losses have reportedly been increasing, forcing stores to rethink whether the tech is worth it.
A 2025 LendingTree survey found 27% of shoppers admitted to deliberately stealing at self-checkout, while 36% said they’d done so accidentally.
Separate industry data suggests losses at self-checkouts can reach up to 4% of transactions - compared to around 0.2% at staffed tills, highlighting the growing risk for retailers.
A 2025 report from the National Retail Federation found total retail shrink hit $90 billion, with theft remaining a major driver of losses across US stores.
Data from retail analytics company Everseen shows skip-scanning - where items aren’t properly scanned - is one of the most common forms of self-checkout theft, costing retailers billions each year.
An industry analysis cited by retail security firm Solink found self-checkout loss rates can be up to 16 times higher than manned checkouts in some cases.
And Walmart isn’t alone.
Target, Costco and Dollar General are also scaling things back, introducing stricter rules or removing machines entirely in some locations.
In many cases, customers are now being limited to around 10 to 15 items at self-checkout, while more staff are being brought in to monitor the area.
For shoppers, the experience hasn’t exactly been seamless either. Glitches, rescans and long lines have turned what was meant to be a faster option into a frustrating one.
At the same time, lawmakers are starting to step in.
Across the US, several states are considering - or already introducing - new rules to crack down on self-checkout misuse, particularly as retail theft continues to climb.
That includes everything from item limits to stricter staffing requirements, with some proposals aiming to make it harder for shoppers to misuse the systems in the first place.
Despite the pullback, self-checkout isn’t disappearing completely. Walmart is still investing in alternatives like Scan & Go tech, while also improving in-store layouts as part of its wider overhaul.
Changes in store have been around for awhile though, and haven't been making a dent in thefts. Now the law is getting involved.
Lawmakers in states including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington are looking at introducing rules around self-checkouts - including limits on item numbers, minimum staffing requirements and a set balance between staffed and self-service lanes, according to USA Today.
Whether more laws come in or not, the message is clear: self-checkouts as we know them is on the way out, as to what replaces them? That remains to be seen.
UNILAD FACTCHECK: New self-checkout rules being considered in the US
Self-checkout has been an issue for years, with tricks and hacks all over TikTok showing people things like the 'banana trick' and 'passaround' - and no, we're not telling you them.
The latest saw a TikToker swipe a pen, and 'leave' with a stove. While it seems this was just for likes, it raises the question on what exactly are the self-checkout rules attempting to cut down the bad behavior.