Self-Checkout Faces Backlash Amid Holiday Shopping Season

Despite customer frustrations and theft issues, retailers continue to implement self-checkout due to labor shortages.

Self-checkout usage represented 30% of transactions in 2021, almost double from 2018, and 96% of retailers offer self-checkout.
Retailers are facing backlash from customers over clunky technology and theft issues, leading some to add restrictions or pull out completely.
Self-checkout has contributed to the declining number of cashier jobs, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics expecting the number of cashiers to fall by another 10% over the next decade.
Despite the issues, self-checkout isn't going away due to ongoing labor shortages, and some customers enjoy the convenience it offers.
More advanced technology is being developed, such as Amazon's 'just walkout technology' and RFID chips used by Uniqlo, which allow customers to pay without having to scan items.