California bill would restrict self-checkout, force some stores to do away with it
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Self-checkout lanes are increasingly utilized, lessening the need for more costly employee-staffed checkout stands.
However, California Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas said self-checkout lines are a freeway to theft.
"In fact, self-checkout machines cause about 16 times more loss than cashier checkout stands with a $10 billion annual loss attributed to the machines," said Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles).
The Senator has introduced legislation that sets a minimum staffing level of one worker for every two self-checkout machines. She believes that this measure would reduce theft and save jobs.
"Lone workers have become easy targets of theft and violence and they're too often forced to stock merchandise, operate checkout, cater to customers, all while trying to monitor their stores for retail theft," said Smallwood-Cuevas.
Shoplifter convicted of stealing $60K of merchandise from SF Target
A woman was convicted of stealing $60,000 worth of merchandise from the Target in San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria via the store's self-checkout system.
Latecia Costa, a grocery store employee in Pinole, recounted being attacked when three women attempted to leave the store without paying for their groceries.
"At my store, I'm responsible for managing the entire self-checkout area. But I also get tasked with processing money orders, Moneygram, and selling lottery tickets. All these things take way from the time of monitoring and assisting the customers," said Costa.
The Prosecutors Alliance of California argues that staff presence is more effective at deterring theft than the scant 10% of people who are caught.
"For those of us in law enforcement, we understand that deterrence comes from the fear of getting caught, not from the harshness of the punishment," said prosecutor Cristine Soto DeBerry.
Berkeley shoppers said that the proposed law needs to be refined and negotiated.
"In a way, I think it's a start. It kind of forces businesses to think about it more instead of just letting it go," said Linda Chen.
"Whether or not it needs to be an actual law, that would be a secondary question for me I would have to look into that one," added Gardner Perry.
While the proposed law may mitigate theft, it is unlikely to eliminate the problem.
Major retailers operating in California are sure to fight the proposed legislation.