Goodbye to fast checkouts – Walmart closes self-checkouts and customers are already bracing for long waits in lines

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Walmart’s customers are both pleased and upset about the shift the company has made. Due to the fact that it is one of the most well-known supermarket chains in the US, a lot of people shop there. But not everyone agrees with Walmart’s decision to eliminate self-checkouts from one of its most significant locations.

This is one of the new procedures that Walmart is putting in place to prevent robberies in their stores. Let’s learn more about this choice and its impact on their clientele.

Walmart and robberies

The organization is developing new strategies to prevent these circumstances from getting worse because they are dealing with a surge of robberies that are costing them money. The most significant Walmart shop, which is situated in Shrewsbury, Missouri, 15 kilometers from St. Louis, just eliminated all self-checkouts.

The police has an important role in this decision

Because self-checkouts were increasing the number of robberies and police calls, Lisa Vargas, the Shresbury police chief, personally asked that they be removed from this particular business. The self-checkouts vanished in April of last year after Walmart agreed to accept this petition. Since then, there has been a discernible influence.

What happened after Walmart carried out the request?

Because 108 Walmart robbery arrests occurred during the first five months of the self-checkout ban, this choice was extremely beneficial. The arrest rate dropped to 55 throughout those same months in 2025, which is noteworthy. The number of police calls, which went from 509 to 183, had another significant effect.

Given that Walmart saw a 50% decrease in robberies and police encounters, these figures provide a clear illustration of the measure’s efficacy. Lisa Vargas praised Walmart for this action, saying it was a great success.

What do customers think about it?

Although the police were quite supportive of this move, not all of the clients were thrilled with the elimination of self-checkouts. On social media, a lot of individuals voiced their displeasure at having to wait in lengthy lines because there were no staff checkouts open.

Others, on the other hand, are relieved because the self-checkouts occasionally didn’t work and consumers were often requesting assistance from the employees.

Only in Missouri?

Not at all; Walmart has already taken this action at three stores in New Mexico and four more locations in Steelyard (Cleveland, Ohio). This extension of the ban on self-checkouts indicates that the business is prepared to improve security and reduce thefts.

Not every store is the same

Walmart clarified that the choice to maintain or discontinue self-checkouts is contingent upon the particular circumstances of each store. They consider things like the opinions of employees and customers, local shopping patterns, and business and safety requirements.

A Walmart representative claims that this approach enables the corporation to provide better, more individualized, and more efficient service since it frees up employees to assist customers directly.

It’s admirable that large corporations like Walmart prioritize their customers’ safety. Naturally, they are acting in this way due to the financial loss they have been suffering as a result of the numerous robberies that have occurred at their establishments. The company has reduced police incidents and merchandise theft as a result of this policy, which benefits everyone. It’s true that some customers didn’t take the elimination of self-checkouts well, but I’m sure they’ll adjust in due course. Do you believe that more businesses ought to use this strategy in their establishments?

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