I was lucky enough to get stuck in the longest line inside Costco in Monterey Park when I visited last week.
Shoppers in the self-checkout line ranged from shoppers with carts packed with 20 to 30 items to random men in flatbed carts loaded with 72-inch television screens waiting to pay for a rotisserie. chicken.
Self-checkout line disruptions are occurring not only at Costco, but at supermarkets, retailers, and stores across Southern California.
The city of Long Beach recently tried to do something about this problem, with my colleague passing an ordinance regulating self-checkout lanes, primarily to curb shoplifting.
While many employees support the new standards, most store owners oppose them, and shoppers generally appear confused or unaware of the controversy.
Jump to Petrow-Cohen’s article to see what’s going on.
Changes adopted in Long Beach
The city’s “safe stores must be manned stores” ordinance is the first of its kind in the nation.
Long Beach regulations require large stores to have at least one staff member for every three self-checkout stations they use.
We also have a limit of 15 items per customer at self-checkout. Meanwhile, according to the ordinance, items locked in cases inside stores cannot be purchased at self-checkouts.
What is the rationale behind this move?
The spike in shoplifting is causing headaches for retail customers who are witnessing more theft, such as items being displayed in locked cabinets, and are grappling with security measures to thwart it.
The city said it passed the ordinance to “promote public safety and prevent retail theft,” citing “hostile and dangerous” conditions.
The ordinance says thefts occur frequently, especially at self-checkout stations, and are underreported.
The National Retail Federation estimates that the U.S. saw a 93% increase from 2019 to 2023. In 2023, retailers surveyed by the federation reported an average of 177 retail thefts per day.
Who is in favor?
Matt Bell, executive director and treasurer of UFCW 324, the union representing grocery stores, said the Long Beach ordinance prioritizes increasing store staffing and protecting employees and shoppers from unsafe conditions. laborer.
“Checkers and cashiers are on the front lines of this problem,” he said. “We really need to provide them with safety and security and provide them with better staffing.”
Who is against it?
Groups representing grocery stores and retailers, including Target and Walmart, said the ordinance would increase labor costs for employers and drive up the prices of goods. Sales at stores with closed self-checkout lanes will also decline.
“These efforts will ultimately hurt self-checkout,” said Nate Rose, vice president of the California Grocers Association. “We’re seeing the worst-case scenario unfold, with many grocery stores deciding it’s not worth keeping their self-checkout lanes open.”
California Retailers Association said retailers need the freedom to decide for themselves what is the most efficient way to deal with theft.
In response to this request, some Albertsons and Bonn stores in Long Beach permanently closed self-checkout lanes.
Notes from reporter’s notepad
The article’s author, Petrou Cohen, said the customers she spoke to were unaware of the ordinance.
“The public is not necessarily alarmed about this,” she says. “I’m sure there are people who are frustrated that the self-checkout lanes are closed at many Vons and Albertsons, but they had no idea this fight was going on.”
Petrou-Cohen also witnessed what appeared to be a disregard for regulations at Target Corp., where five self-checkout registers were opened and staffed by one employee. The ordinance would have required Target to add an additional employee to open another self-checkout lane.
Check it out for more information.
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