Two Walmart stores remove self-checkout machines as retail giant rethinks self-service options

Walmart is reducing the number of self-checkout machines at two stores as more retail giants reduce self-service options in their stores, citing efforts to combat theft.

A Walmart in suburban St. Louis, Missouri recently began removing self-checkout machines. CBS News reported Friday. Another location in Cleveland did the same earlier this month.

The retail giant provided a press release to Fox News Digital.

“As part of our announced plans to make additional investments and improve facilities across the country, we have decided to remove self-checkout lanes and replace them with stuffed lanes at some locations, including our one in Shrewsbury, Missouri,” the statement said. ”

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“These decisions are based on a variety of factors, including employee and customer feedback, shopping patterns and business needs in the region. We believe these changes will improve the in-store shopping experience and allow our associates to be more personalized and deliver. Efficient service,” the statement continued.

“We believe this change will improve the in-store shopping experience and allow our associates to provide more personalized and efficient service,” a Walmart spokesperson said. About internal changes in business.

Announce the following five items In March, the company will reduce the number of self-checkout machines to reduce theft.

During the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Joel Anderson said the company “has grown now” to offer employee-assisted checkout at more than 1,500 locations. He said the Five Below locations are more susceptible to “damage,” an industry term for lost or stolen merchandise, and most offer cashier checkout. Anderson said the retailer has added receipt checks, extra employees and security guards at such stores.

Goal Convert’s self-checkout option is “Express” and the number of items in all self-checkout registers is limited to 10 items.

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Neil Saunders, managing director of retail at GlobalData, told CBS that stores want to see how removing self-checkouts works.

“The self-checkout is an area of ​​the store where people can steal items,” Sanders said. “Retailers are being very aggressive in trying to reduce that, or in the case of Target, they’re putting more restrictions on self-checkout to reduce the resulting damage.”

Dollar General also eliminated its self-checkout machines; Fox News previously reported the number.

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The company announced last month that it would eliminate self-checkout options at the 300 stores that suffered the most merchandise losses.

In addition to offering assisted checkout options, Dollar General limits self-checkout to transactions of five items or fewer.

Fox News’ Aisling Murphy and Daniel Genovese contributed to this report.