Some shoppers refuse self-checkout because they see it as shifting cashier work onto customers and potentially reducing paid hours or jobs. That concern is plausible and appears in worker accounts, but the available evidence does not establish how many jobs self-checkout alone has eliminated—or whether refusing a kiosk preserves a particular job.
Does self-checkout take jobs away?
It can shift work away from cashiers, but that is not the same as proving a specific number of jobs disappeared. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wrote in a 2019 analysis of grocery productivity that “scanners and self-service checkouts have transferred the work of supply chain management and cashiers to computer systems and customers.” The agency also described retailers’ interest in doing more with fewer employees. Its discussion of employment projections covers 2018–2028; it should not be treated as a current forecast or as a count of jobs lost specifically to self-checkout. BLS: Checking out productivity in grocery stores.
Workers interviewed by New America described reduced hours and concern about jobs. One 45-year-old front-end manager said, “We have self-checkout. I despise it. You’ve eliminated four jobs.” That is the manager’s account of their store, not a verified national job count. A 29-year-old front-end supervisor described a scheduling change: “I could be coming in at 6:30, but they have those self-checkouts, so they don’t schedule me until 9. I think that we all wish they weren’t there.” These interviews help explain why workers may object, but they are qualitative testimony, not representative polling. New America: Technology on the Job Today.
The sources reviewed do not isolate a precise causal number of cashier jobs lost because of self-checkout alone. Staffing decisions can vary by store and operating conditions, so neither the presence of kiosks nor a shopper’s refusal tells you whether a specific position will be retained.
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What the evidence says about working conditions
A 2024 Shift Project brief found that workers who reported self-checkout at their workplace were 14% more likely to report that customers never or rarely treated them with respect, and 12% more likely to report always or often being bullied in customer interactions. The brief also found worse customer interactions in workplaces workers described as always understaffed. These are associations in worker survey data, not proof that self-checkout itself caused disrespect, bullying, or understaffing. The brief reported that 58% of workers in the grocery subsector said their workplace had self-checkout. The Shift Project: Self-Checkout, Understaffing, and Customer Incivility.
Harvard researchers Daniel Schneider and Nayun Eom argued that retailers should consider the effects on workers who handle daily technology glitches and customer frustration, as well as effects on firms and shoppers. The point is broader than headcount: a checkout system can change the work that remains, including how staff assist customers and resolve problems.
Why some customers refuse—and why others prefer it
For some shoppers, the objection is that checkout tasks have been moved onto customers without a lower price. In the Associated Press’s December 2023 reporting, shopper Cindy Whittington complained: “You’re paying more. You’re working harder to pay for merchandise at their store. And it’s become an ordeal to check out. I should get a 5% discount.” Other shoppers cited errors and frustration with the machines. These examples illustrate individual views; they do not show how common each view is. Associated Press: Self-checkout is here to stay. But it’s going through a reckoning.
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Convenience is not universal either. The AP described a shopper with a progressive neurodegenerative disease who used a walker and found scan-and-go easier. That account is a reminder that the most accessible or manageable option depends on the person and the store setup. Customers can have sound reasons to choose either staffed checkout or self-service.
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How to choose a checkout without guessing about job effects
If your goal is to support workers, you can choose a staffed lane when one is available, but the evidence does not show that refusing self-checkout reliably saves a job. You can also share a specific concern with the retailer, especially if a kiosk error or lack of assistance creates a problem. For an individual transaction, consider what works best for you:
- Transaction size and complexity: A small, straightforward shop may be easier at a kiosk; bulky, age-restricted, or otherwise complicated purchases may require staff assistance.
- Help with errors: Consider whether an attendant is available if an item will not scan, a security check appears, or the machine needs intervention.
- Accessibility and comfort: Choose the method that best accommodates mobility, vision, dexterity, or other needs.
- Staffing and wait: A staffed lane may be preferable when open, but availability and queue length differ by location and time.
There is no standardized head-to-head ranking of staffed and self-service checkout in the cited sources. The practical experience depends on the transaction, the equipment, staff availability, and store operations.
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Retailers have changed checkout policies in different ways
Retailer decisions reported by the AP in December 2023 show that adoption was not a one-way move toward more kiosks. The figures and examples below describe that report’s snapshot, not necessarily current chain policy.
| Retailer or measure | What the AP reported in December 2023 |
|---|---|
| Walmart | Removing kiosks at three Albuquerque stores while adding more overall. |
| Target | Applying a 10-item limit at some stores. |
| Booths | Removing self-checkout at most stores. |
| Wegmans | Ending its self-checkout app while retaining self-checkout registers. |
| Self-checkout use | FMI figures reported by the AP: 30% of transactions in 2021 used self-checkout, almost double the share in 2018. |
| Retailer availability | FMI figures reported by the AP: 96% of retailers surveyed offered self-checkout. |
These figures describe adoption and policy decisions, not the number of jobs affected. A retailer may keep, limit, remove, or redesign self-checkout for reasons that differ by chain and location.
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