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More shoppers are stealing from self-checkouts, and you might be surprised at what they’re stealing.
In a new study by Lending Tree, 27% of respondents admitted to stealing something from a self-checkout without paying for it. Almost half of the more than 2,000 respondents, or 47%, said unaffordable necessities and price increases due to tariffs (46%) were the main motivations for theft.
Self-checkout lanes at grocery and retail stores are convenient for shoppers and help businesses save on labor costs.
However, some self-checkout registers have no employee supervision or only one employee at multiple registers, which can increase the potential for theft.
Key reasons for shoplifting suggest an affordability crisis
The fact that shoppers are admitting to stealing essential items rather than expensive items like electronics is a sign that Americans are suffering from an affordability crisis, Matt Schultz, chief consumer finance analyst at Lending Tree, told USA TODAY.
The percentage of people admitting self-checkout theft has also increased by 12% since Lending Tree last conducted the survey in 2023.
“This is yet another confirmation that many people are still truly suffering from high prices,” Schulz said. “There are definitely a lot of people who are doing well, but there are also a lot of people in this country who are really struggling to make a living.”
Overall retail store theft is on the rise.
In an October 2025 report by the National Retail Federation, retailers reported that overall shoplifting and product theft incidents increased by an average of 26% from 2022 to 2023, and an additional 19% from 2023 to 2024. The report looked at all types of shoplifting, but there was no universal method.
Retailers must weigh the potential loss against the appeal of providing convenience to shoppers.
“While self-checkout can provide consumers with added convenience during their shopping experience, it can also present retailers with the same vulnerabilities as other checkout options, including errors and loss,” David Johnston, vice president of asset protection and retail operations at the National Retail Federation, told USA TODAY. “Retailers are considering this and several other factors to prevent losses and provide consumers with a positive shopping experience.”
Some self-checkout locations will be changed.
As USA TODAY previously reported, some retailers are changing or eliminating self-checkout offerings.
In 2024, Target will begin limiting the number of items in self-checkout areas to 10 items. Dollar General and Five Below executives also said they will reduce the number of self-checkout stations in 2024. Walmart will also remove self-checkout machines from some of its stores in 2024 and dedicate some lanes to Walmart+ or its Spark delivery service. Sam’s Club has installed a Scan & Go system in all warehouse stores. This allows shoppers to scan items with the app and avoid self-checkouts and traditional checkout lanes.
Representatives for Walmart and Sam’s Club confirmed to USA TODAY that there are no new updates to the information reported in the previous article. Representatives for Target, Dollar General and Five Below did not respond to emails seeking comment by USA TODAY’s deadline.
Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at research and analytics firm GlobalData, said self-checkout theft remains a big problem.
“This is one of the reasons why some retailers are moving away from self-checkout and others are putting more restrictions in place, including video surveillance and increased staffing in the area,” Sanders told USA TODAY.
But Sanders said, “It’s unlikely that self-checkout will disappear completely. Retailers like it because it reduces labor costs, and some consumers like it because it’s convenient and efficient.”
In the future, artificial intelligence could be used more to scrutinize self-checkout behavior and purchases to detect criminal activity, he said.
How do people feel about self-checkout?
Other key findings regarding self-checkout from Lending Tree’s research include:
Self-checkout is popular: 55% of respondents said they like self-checkout for speed and convenience, and 69% of those who use self-checkout say they think it makes it easier for theft. Older users are most likely to find the system useful, with 77% of baby boomers and 70% of Gen Xers responding.
Younger shoppers are more likely to steal: 41% of Millennial shoppers and 37% of Gen Z surveyed said they had intentionally stolen from a self-checkout at least once. Additionally, 36% of users said they accidentally left an item behind that wasn’t scanned. While some people may end up going back to the store, 61% of shoppers who said they took something by mistake kept it. Men were also more than twice as likely to steal as women (38% vs. 16%).
◾Why do people steal? In addition to saying the current financial climate is making essential items unaffordable (47%) and tariffs are increasing prices (46%), 39% of shoppers say they feel prices are unfair or too high. Of those who think they will steal again, 60% say they are most likely to steal essential items such as food, water, and health care products.
Only some people regret it: 46% of people who intentionally steal say they’ve been caught, and 31% say they don’t regret it. Of those who stole from a self-checkout, 55% said they would do it again.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her at @blinfisher on X, Facebook or Instagram and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky.. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, breaking down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.
