I’m a supermarket expert – here’s how Walmart and Kroger customers who steal at self checkout justify their actions

A SUPERMARKET expert has revealed how Walmart and Korger customers accused of stealing at self-checkout stations justify their actions.

According to a recent study, there have been a steep rise of alleged ‘checkout thefts’ at supermarket stores across the US with shoppers found four times more likely to steal from a self service terminals than a human cashier.

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There has been a rise in shoppers who have admitted to stealing at supermarket stores, according to recent study[/caption]

And although there have been many cases where shoppers have alleged that it has not been their fault – for others it’s been an open secret.

“Anyone who pays for more than half of their stuff at a self-checkout is a total moron,” wrote one brazen shopper on Reddit, according to a 2018 article in The Atlantic.

While a survey of 2,634 shoppers revealed that nearly 20% had admitted to theft at a self-checkout.

Experts such as Christopher Andrews, an assistant professor of sociology at New Jersey’s Drew University, believe shoppers feel justified because retailers are using the devices to eliminate jobs.

He also suggested that consumers persuade themselves they “deserve one or two items for free” as they have to bag and check out their own purchases.

The most common, as reported by Gap Solutions, include:

• Swapping barcodes on items.
• Scanning more expensive fruit and vegetables as lower-cost varieties.
• Not scanning an item and placing it in an already packed bag.

According to the Courier Journal, Walmart and similar stores such as Kroger, have slowly expanded their range of self-checkout machines due to savings they make on paid cashiers.

Only last month, Walmart revealed more self-checkout lanes would be made available as part of an $85million project.

Bosses said the changes would “create an updated experience for customers,” saving them “time and money”.

However, lawyer Carrie Jernigan has warned customers not to use the self-checkout suggesting they could be forced to pay thousands.

She claimed store bosses would look to old customers when they are reviewing the lost inventory – months after the item left the premises.

Jernigan categorized shoppers caught out by self-checkout into three groups.

She said: “The first group of people getting charged with shoplifting using the self-checkout are (sic) people going into the stores with the intent to steal.

“The second group of people catching this charge, I will call the theft-by-mistake.

“These are the people that I genuinely think just forgot to scan an item.”

She continued: “It is usually something that was on the bottom rack of the cart or say a DVD that has slid under the purse, and when they are walking out, asset protection stops them.”

The warning came amid calls for regulation on self-checkouts after 62 people that visited the same Walmart supermarket in Tucson, Arizona were arrested for theft between January 2021 and April 2022.

Many of the accused say they had forgotten to scan an item and were given a ticket as a punishment.

A Walmart spokesperson told KGUN9: “ When necessary, we reach out to law enforcement as part of our commitment to meet our customers’ and associates’ expectations of a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.”