US EditionTarget pulls the plug on self-checkout amid shoplifting surge
- As of 2025, Target has reduced the number of self-checkout kiosks and restricted their use to shoppers purchasing a maximum of ten items, directing those with larger orders to staffed checkout counters.
- This change follows rising shoplifting and inventory losses, with 2023 shrink-related losses reaching nearly $500 million for Target alone.
- Target's internal pilot programs demonstrated that the new checkout approach enhanced transaction speed and boosted customer satisfaction at certain stores, leading the company to expand the initiative more broadly.
- Industry expert Neil Saunders noted that self-checkout lanes are vulnerable to theft, and in one notable incident, a woman in California was caught stealing more than $60,000 by exploiting these machines.
- The move reflects a broader retail trend as Walmart also removes self-checkout kiosks at high-theft locations, despite customer complaints about convenience and longer lines.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Target joins retailers in scaling back self-checkout lanes
Target is scaling back its use of self-checkout lanes, becoming the latest major retailer to pull back on the technology amid concerns over theft and customer satisfaction. A spokesperson for the Minneapolis-based company told Fox News Digital the change has been in development for over a year. The decision was driven by internal testing, which showed that limiting self-checkout use led to improved customer satisfaction. But some industry analys…
Target promises probe after price match policy resulted in 'deleted' account
RETAIL giant Target has promised angry shoppers they will launch a probe into a major price match policy blunder. A customer has claimed his entire online account has been deleted – including gift cards and order history – after he asked Target staff about a Pokemon game. GettyRetail giant Target has promised angry shoppers they will launch a probe into a major price match policy blunder.[/caption] TargetA customer has claimed his entire online …
Target Kills Self-Checkout, Frustrating Consumers (and Collectors) Nationwide
Target joins a growing list of retailers backing away from self-checkout as theft spikes and shoppers push back. Target just made a move that’s turning heads—and not in a good way. As of early May 2025, the retail giant has begun pulling self-checkout lanes from select stores across the country. According to a report from Fox Business (May 4, 2025), the decision stems from a sharp increase in shoplifting and mounting customer frustration with m…
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