Walmart shopper leaves their full cart of $300 groceries after being ‘pushed’ by worker’s behavior at checkout

A VIRAL debate on social media has reignited the conversation around self-checkout machines in supermarkets, with users voicing strong opinions on both sides of the issue.

Jon Gaunt took to X to express his disdain for self-checkouts , calling for their removal and asking others for their opinions in a now-viral post.

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Getty

Getty Images - Getty

“Self-checkouts need to be scrapped,” he posted.

“Nobody wants them and they’re impersonal and not much quicker,” he continued.

“I’ve never met anyone who prefers them and I’ve worked in a supermarket,” he explained.

“What’s your view?” He asked at the end of his post.

Gaunt’s post sparked a discussion among shoppers who are frustrated with the growing trend of self-service in retail environments.

One user, Kori Ann, responded by sharing her own experience with self-checkouts.

“Refuse to use them,” she said.

“Even when being pushed, I say no,” she explained.

“Walmart tried one day, said no cashiers, so I left my cart full of $300 worth of merchandise,” she said proudly.

The sentiment expressed by Gaunt and Ann highlights a broader, growing resistance to self-checkout machines, which some shoppers say they find impersonal and inconvenient.

While self-checkouts are often marketed as a faster and more efficient option, critics argue that they lack the human interaction and assistance that traditional checkout lanes provide.

This debate comes as more supermarkets and retail chains continue to invest in self-checkout and other automated technology, driven by the promise of reducing labor costs and streamlining the shopping experience.

However, the backlash from customers suggests that not everyone is on board with this shift.

For some, like Ann, the absence of a cashier is a deal-breaker, leading them to abandon their purchases altogether.

Latest self-checkout changes

Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed up checkout times and reduce theft.

Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at various locations were made available only for Walmart+ members.

Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed during specific hours, and more cashiers were offered instead.

While shoppers feared that shoplifting fueled the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.

One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would stop the fiercely contested receipt checks.

However, that test run has been phased out.

At Target, items are being limited at self-checkout.

Last fall, the brand surveyed new express self-checkout lanes across 200 stores with 10 items or less for more convenience.

As of March 2024, this policy has been expanded across 2,000 stores in the US.

Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.

Others may reluctantly use self-checkouts but feel that the supposed convenience does not outweigh the downsides, such as technical issues, scanning errors, or the lack of personal service.

In yet another controversial move, Walmart has announced its plan to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into expensive digital price labels that can be changed instantly .

Just 10,000 of these electronic shelf labels could be anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000, according to Solum, a wireless communication technology manufacturer.

“Why is it so much easier to justify investment in technology vs in people?” asked one customer on X.