After Walmart, Target may be making this ‘Big change’ to self-checkout machines to tackle theft

Target is reportedly phasing out self-checkout kiosks in its stores. The change comes after thieves increasingly exploited the technology to steal merchandise, a report claims. In March, the retailer announced limits on self-checkout by capping transactions at 10 items and began removing or reducing kiosks in response to customer complaints about unreliable machines and growing shrinkage. To accommodate the change, Target will open more staffed checkout lanes, ensuring smoother transactions for shoppers, the report added. This comes after rival Walmart updated its self-checkouts with bright yellow PIN pad rims to tackle card skimming. Named the “chastity belt”, the PIN pads are aimed at making it more difficult for criminals to install illegal skimming devices on the machines.
Reddit user @jxbermudez72 also spotted the change, posting a photo of the space where the self-checkout kiosks once stood in their local store.

“The target I live near completely got rid of self-checkout,” the user noted.

According to a report by The New York Post, Target said that this shift reflects changing consumer habits. The company said that self-checkout surged during the pandemic as customers sought minimal contact, but usage has declined as in-store traffic stabilised. The move also comes as Target, along with other major retailers, grapples with a sharp uptick in organised retail crime, which has forced some stores to close temporarily, the report added.
During a 100-visit spree, a California shoplifter used Target’s self-checkout to steal more than $60,000 in merchandise, the report claims. In New York, organised theft rings have been reportedly blamed for $4.4 billion in annual losses, which fueled a booming underground resale market.
As per the Council on Criminal Justice, shoplifting in NYC jumped 64% between June 2019 and June 2023. Stolen goods were then funnelled through eBay, Facebook Marketplace and illicit pawnshop warehouses.