California bill could remove self-checkout lanes at grocers, certain retailers

A proposed bill in California, introduced by Democratic Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, seeks to limit or ban self-checkout lanes at grocery stores and certain retailers to curb theft, which reportedly causes about $10 billion in losses annually. Senate Bill 1446 would impose strict conditions on the use of self-checkout systems, including stringent employee monitoring requirements. The bill also addresses the use of technology that could significantly affect or eliminate jobs. This legislative effort follows similar actions by companies like Walmart and Five Below to reduce theft by scaling back on self-checkout options.