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Self-checkout is not disappearing across retail, but some stores are changing how and where they use it. Target, for example, introduced 10-item express lanes while keeping staffed checkout for larger baskets. At the same time, retailers are trying other options, including scan-and-go, smart carts and checkout-free stores. The direction is a more mixed checkout—not a return to one model everywhere.
Why are retailers changing self-checkout?
Retailers are balancing speed and convenience against customer frustration, loss prevention and the needs of different basket sizes. Self-checkout can suit a quick trip, but a larger or more complicated basket may call for staff assistance. A store may therefore restrict self-checkout, remove it at certain locations or keep it alongside staffed lanes and newer formats.
That is a recalibration, not evidence of a broad industry-wide retreat. The examples reported by the Associated Press in 2023 included Walmart removing kiosks at some stores, Target limiting item counts at some locations at the time, and Booths removing self-checkout from most of its stores. Wegmans discontinued its scan-and-go app while retaining kiosk self-checkout. Those are dated, location- or service-specific examples, not a current inventory of each retailer’s policies. Associated Press reporting
What changed at Target?
In March 2024, Target introduced Express Self-Checkout with a 10-item limit at most of its nearly 2,000 U.S. stores. It kept traditional staffed lanes for larger carts. In an update dated May 5, 2025, Target said total transaction times had improved nearly 8% across staffed and self-checkout lanes. It also reported a 5-point increase in checkout wait-time NPS and a 3-point increase in interaction NPS, and said a greater share of guests were choosing staffed lanes.
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These are Target’s reported results; they do not show that the 10-item limit alone caused the changes. The company’s update describes its broader checkout approach and outcomes. Target’s May 2025 update
Is self-checkout driving retail theft?
The available figures do not establish that self-checkout caused a broad rise in retail theft. The National Retail Federation’s 2026 survey found that respondents reported 12.4% fewer shoplifting incidents and 8.1% less retail merchandise theft in 2025 than in 2024. Other forms of external theft, fraud and scams increased. The survey was conducted online from February through April 2026 among senior loss-prevention and security executives at 66 retail companies representing 143 brands; it covers multiple theft and fraud categories and does not isolate checkout method.
NRF vice president for asset protection and retail operations David Johnston said retailers were seeing theft levels stabilize after years of increases, attributing progress to investments in technology and employee training. The figures and explanation are NRF’s survey findings and interpretation, not an independent causal study of self-checkout. NRF’s 2026 Impact of Theft & Violence findings
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Do shoppers prefer self-checkout or cashiers?
Survey results point in both directions. In Zebra Technologies’ 2024 global study, 78% of shoppers said self-checkout options improved their shopping experience, while 68% said self-checkout lanes were lacking. Those responses suggest shoppers can value self-service and still see room for improvement; they do not mean every shopper prefers it or that the same person necessarily holds both views. Zebra Technologies’ 2024 study
In AP’s reporting, shopper Cindy Whittington described grocery shopping as frustrating after the shift to self-service. That is one shopper’s account, not a representative measure of opinion. The broader takeaway is that a checkout option can be useful for some trips without meeting every shopper’s needs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What checkout formats are retailers trying instead?
Retailers are matching different systems to different trips rather than relying on one universal replacement. The examples below reflect how the companies describe their own offerings; they are not independent comparisons of performance.
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| Format | Trip or role | What shoppers can expect |
|---|---|---|
| Express self-checkout | Small baskets | Target’s 10-item lanes are intended for quick trips; staffed lanes remain available for larger carts. |
| Staffed checkout | Larger or more involved baskets | A cashier handles scanning and payment, with the opportunity for direct assistance. |
| Scan-and-go | Shoppers scan items as they shop | Sam’s Club combines its Scan & Go service with AI-assisted exit verification, according to the company. |
| Smart cart | Larger grocery trips | Amazon positions Dash Cart for grocery shopping and larger trips. |
| Checkout-free store | Smaller, quick trips | Amazon positions Just Walk Out for quick shopping and says third-party venues using it include travel, sports, entertainment, convenience, hospital and campus settings. |
Sam’s Club said in April 2024 that its exit-verification technology was deployed in more than 120 clubs and that members at equipped locations left 23% faster. These are company-reported figures, not an independent test of how the system compares with other checkout methods. Sam’s Club’s April 2024 announcement
Amazon’s descriptions of Just Walk Out and Dash Cart explain the company’s intended use cases; they do not establish that either format is available at every store or is the best choice for every shopper. Amazon Just Walk Out and Amazon Dash Cart
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The signs point to more choice in how checkout is arranged, rather than a simple return to staffed lanes. Retailers can direct smaller baskets to express or automated options while keeping staffed service for bigger carts or customers who want help. How that balance looks will vary by retailer and location. For shoppers, the practical change may be limits on kiosk baskets or a different mix of lanes—not the disappearance of self-checkout everywhere.
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