Retail
Photo: Jammy Jean — stock.adobe.com
June 20, 2025
Walmart has begun removing self-checkout machines from some of its stores, including a Supercenter in Shrewsbury, Missouri, following a significant increase in police calls related to theft, according to a Yahoo! News report. This decision comes after local law enforcement data revealed a dramatic decrease in incidents once the self-checkout kiosks were removed.
At the Shrewsbury location, the Shrewsbury Police Department reported a drop from 509 calls between January and May of last year to 183 calls during the same period this year, after the machines were gone. Arrests also fell by more than half. «That’s a huge change. We really appreciate Walmart taking initiative and removing those self-checkers,» Police Chief Lisa Vargas told the news outlet.
The move reflects a growing reevaluation within the retail industry regarding self-checkout technology, which, despite initial hopes for labor savings, has led to increased losses for some companies due to customer errors and theft. Walmart is reportedly reconsidering its wider strategy, although it is also testing «Scan & Go» technology at Sam’s Club locations as an alternative.