Retailers Ditching Self-Checkout as Shoppers Voice Frustrations

Shoppers express frustration with self-checkout as retailers scale back the technology. New data reveals rising losses and growing concerns.

Editorial Desk

September 27, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — Retailers are rethinking their reliance on self-checkout systems, with a significant drop in usage reported by small and midsize operators, even as they continue to invest in other technological advancements.

A survey conducted by Toast, a point-of-sale and restaurant management platform, found that 36 percent of 340 retail operators used self-checkout this year, down from 43 percent in 2025. Despite this shift, three-quarters of the surveyed stores plan to continue investing in other technologies, including AI, to improve efficiency and customer experience.

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Concerns over theft, inefficiency, and customer dissatisfaction have led to a growing number of shoppers sharing their frustrations online. Many expressed annoyance at having to scan and bag their own items, while others criticized the intrusive nature of machine prompts. Some retailers, like Dollar General and Five Below, have already removed self-checkout from thousands of locations due to rising losses and operational challenges.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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