Multiple retailers are re-evaluating self-checkout lanes these days. As a result, the kiosks have become heavily debated among industry analysts.
“Shoppers with high velocity who want to get their 10 items or less quickly – I’m thinking of time-starved parents – if you’re catering to this type of shopper then self-checkout is a home run,” said Keith Carpentier, the CEO of Qbuster Technologies.
“Grocery suffers with self-checkout mainly because the tech isn’t quite there yet to fully support it; I’m thinking about non-barcoded product categories that often hold up shoppers, (like) produce,” he added.
Over the past 12 to 18 months, major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Costco have begun pulling back on self-checkout machines, largely because the technology has become a growing contributor to shrink. Midwest grocer Hy-Vee, for example, recently replaced its self-checkout lanes at its Eagan, Minnesota, location and replaced them with manned “Express Lanes.”
“This tidal wave of change has been a long time coming,” said Marios Savvides, CTO at UltronAI.
“Alternatively praised as a means to save money on labor and cut down on checkout times, self-checkout has been equally blamed as a key contributor to lower profit margins, longer checkout lines, and a source of tremendous customer dissatisfaction.”
A Steal of a Deal?
Theft has played a key role in some retailers shifting away from self-checkout, said Ashley Burkle, head of retail at Impinj.
Burkle noted a 2023 consumer survey in which 15% of self-checkout users confessed to purposely stealing at self-checkout machines. Further, even for the 21% of users who have accidentally taken a product without purchasing it, 61% kept it anyway.
In Burkle’s experience, elderly shoppers, as well as shoppers making sizable purchases, tend to dislike self-checkout technology. In 2025, however, plenty of other shoppers prefer self-checkout.
Self-Checkout Lanes’ Potential Evolution
Approximately 43% of shoppers – including more than half of those aged 18 to 44 – would rather use self-checkout because it results in shorter lines and privacy, according to the NCR Voyix Corporation.
“For some consumers, especially younger ones, the elimination of self-checkout lanes can, and will, create a brand loyalty and customer-satisfaction issue,” Savvides said. “The decision is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
“When it comes to high-transaction retailers whose customers value speed and efficiency – (like) grocery stores or convenience stores – the loss of self-checkout lanes will be perceived as a net negative.”
Studies show that 85% of consumers believe self-checkout is faster than using a traditional cashier.
“We believe the future of self-checkout lanes will evolve, with a shift away from self-serve kiosks toward solutions like Instacart’s Caper Carts that integrate the online and in-store digital experiences,” said Andy Howard, director of commerce with Mars United Commerce.
Industry insiders seem to agree: self-checkout will never sunset. However, a new day is dawning.
“There may be a shift in the totals of traditional checkouts versus self-checkouts as retailers find what works best for their customer base, but it’ll never expire,” Carpentier said. “This is because people like choice, and retailers will always need to consider labor economics – self-checkout saves money.”
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