California shoppers could soon face a far less convenient trip to the checkout line under a controversial new proposal targeting self-service tills. Santa Ana has become the latest California city to move against self-checkout, with leaders weighing tough new rules that would force supermarkets and major pharmacy chains to watch customers more closely while they scan their groceries.
Proposal Details
The proposal, backed by labor groups, would require stores to assign at least one staff member for every three self-checkout machines operating at a time. Shoppers using the kiosks would also be capped at no more than 15 items. The move comes after Long Beach and Costa Mesa passed similar rules, while Anaheim is working on its own crackdown, turning self-checkout into the latest retail battleground in Southern California.
Critics' Concerns
Critics say the changes, which retail groups fear could spread further across the state, would create longer lines, higher prices, and more frustration for shoppers. Neil Saunders, a retail expert, told the Daily Mail: "What the regulations do is make it harder for retailers to run stores. They increase costs and impose restrictions that will make life more difficult for customers. These things may well reduce the number of self-checkouts, although it is doubtable that they will disappear altogether. If that means wait times are longer, it may drive people away from shops to online and could, in extreme circumstances, result in those stores closing."
City Council Vote
The Santa Ana City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to advance the ordinance in its first reading, as reported by KTLA. The restrictions would impact grocery stores as well as retail pharmacy giants including CVS and Walgreens.
Supporters' Arguments
Backers of the proposal insist the measures would improve safety inside stores and protect customer service standards as automation becomes increasingly common. Santa Ana Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez warned during the meeting that replacing union workers with technology could have devastating consequences: "The automation of union jobs is something that is going to cripple our economy. It is important that when workers organize we stand with them and we support them." Union representatives also argued that employees are frequently left overseeing too many kiosks at once, which they claim creates security risks and makes theft easier to carry out.
Industry Opposition
The grocery industry at large has blasted the proposal, saying the new requirements would drive up operating costs and ultimately hurt consumers. A representative for the California Grocers Association warned the crackdown could even push more shoppers toward online ordering instead of visiting stores in person. Saunders added: "It is not the business of the state to tell retailers how to operate their stores. Unfortunately, places like California and New York are full of politicians who think they know how to run things better than people who own and manage retail businesses."
National Context
What is happening in California reflects a broader theme being seen across the nation, as retailers implement new rules to crack down on self-checkout-related problems. These issues include increased theft, leading to significant revenue loss; technical troubles that hold up lines; and customer frustration, which can reduce store loyalty. Strategies to address these dilemmas include restricting item counts, implementing AI-powered surveillance, increasing staff monitoring, and, in some cases, completely removing machines.
- Target has limited self-checkout to customers with 10 items or fewer in some locations.
- New York City is considering legislation to force a 15-item limit for all supermarkets and pharmacies.
- Walmart has experimented with making certain self-checkout lanes available exclusively to Walmart+ members, aiming to control access and improve efficiency.
- Dollar General announced the removal of self-checkouts from roughly 12,000 stores due to excessive inventory loss.
National Retail Federation data shows overall retail shrink, the loss of inventory and therefore profit, at 1.62 percent. Grocery stores lose 3.1 percent of annual revenue, which is nearly double the average.
