California city severely restricts self-checkouts in attempt to stop shoplifters

A city in California is taking measures against shoplifters with a groundbreaking regulation that significantly limits self-checkout usage.

In September, Long Beach implemented the “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance, which mandates that large grocery retailers and pharmacies must have one employee supervising every three self-checkout units, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Many retailers claim they are compelled to shut down self-checkouts entirely because they cannot recruit sufficient staff to comply with the new regulations.

A sign at a downtown Long Beach supermarket stated, “We are currently unable to operate our self-checkout lanes,” attributing it to “a new City of Long Beach ordinance.”

The city—a Pacific coast community just south of Los Angeles—has witnessed a substantial rise in shoplifting incidents since the pandemic began in 2020. The National Retail Federation has indicated a troubling 93% increase in theft from 2019 to 2023.

The report also mentioned that the statistics reported are likely only the tip of the iceberg; the ordinance characterizes shoplifting as thoroughly prevalent and largely unreported, asserting that such crimes have made retail environments “hostile and unsafe.”

Additionally, under the new regulation, customers are limited to a maximum of 15 items per self-checkout station.

The intended purpose of the ordinance is to “advance public safety and prevent retail theft,” according to its own wording, and some local union representatives believe it will achieve this goal.

Matt Bell, secretary-treasurer of UFCW 324, the grocery workers’ union, told the LA Times, “Checkers and cashiers are on the front lines of this.”

He further commented, “It is truly essential to ensure their safety and security through better staffing.”

Another nearby Target has struggled with compliance, reportedly posting just one employee for its five self-checkout kiosks, according to the LA Times.

Some shoppers have expressed frustration, suggesting that the ordinance has primarily served to prolong their grocery shopping trips.

“All the stores are the same now; they have it closed,” shopper Francilla Isaac reported to the outlet.

This ordinance marks a pioneering effort to enforce such regulations at the city level nationwide.

Traditionally, retailers have taken their own safety measures, such as securing products behind plastic barriers, which has become increasingly common across the country.

Incidents involving assaults on employees trying to intercept shoplifters have also risen, such as a 30-year-old Family Dollar employee who was stabbed in Brooklyn just this past Sunday, and a security guard at a CVS in Texas who was fatally shot earlier this year.