In a move that has sparked controversy among its customer base, retail giant Walmart has began rolling out a new self-checkout policy, following in the footsteps of its competitor, Target. The changes are not sitting well with all shoppers—especially those unwilling to pay for Walmart+.
Reports online have emerged that Walmart has begun restricting self-checkout lines to Walmart+ subscribers and Spark delivery drivers at stores across the country. Additionally, there are now limits on the number of items one can purchase at the self-checkout lanes in certain locations. Find more details below.
Self-checkout limits implemented at Walmart
According to various Reddit posts, some Walmart employees have revealed that a significant portion of self-checkout lanes are now reserved exclusively for Walmart+ members and Spark delivery drivers. This means that regular shoppers may find themselves waiting in long lines at traditional registers while dedicated self-checkout lanes remain unused.
One Reddit user shared, "At my store we have 10 self-checkouts and 6 are dedicated for Spark drivers/Walmart Plus members - 4 for Spark and 2 for Plus." Another user mentioned, "My store is doing 20 items or less at the SCO," suggesting that there are now item limits imposed at self-checkout.
Walmart spokesperson Joe Pennington clarified to Business Insider that these changes are not a corporate mandate but rather decisions made by individual store managers. He explained, "Based on several factors including customer and associate feedback, shopping patterns, and business needs, some locations are temporarily testing different checkout staffing options."
This move by Walmart comes on the heels of a similar policy change implemented by Target, which also restricted the use of self-checkout lanes and imposed item limits at certain locations. Both retailers seem to be aiming to address concerns regarding shoplifting and what's known as "partial shrink," where customers forget too scan and pay for all their items at self-checkout.
Not all customers are pleased with these changes. Many have taken to social media to express their frustration and disappointment. One Twitter user lamented, "So apparently, self-checkout at Walmart is reserved exclusively for Walmart Plus members only. There's like one [person] at the self-checkout while there's an ocean of angry shoppers lining up at the regular registers.. me included LMAO."
What do you think? Are you willing to pay for Walmart+ to use self-checkout? Angry about the change? Or simply indifferent? Let us know in the comments!
