Why Aldi Is Removing Self-Checkouts From Some Locations
If you've been a fan of the self-checkout lanes at Aldi, their days may be numbered. Although the company has not officially commented on the matter, Aldi customers nationwide have recently reported that the self-checkouts are disappearing at their local stores.
Without official comment from Aldi, it's unknown exactly how many locations are affected, but it doesn't seem to be a universal policy. "My nearest store just got them," said one Reddit user, raising the question of why Aldi would so quickly reverse itself in such situations. And many other Aldis never had them at all.
While one customer reported being told that it was just the end of a two-year trial period that Aldi declined to extend, the common assumption online is that widespread theft is to blame. "Thieves ruin it for everyone," complained one Reddit user. Another Reddit user in Chicago relayed that "an employee said some days they lost up to $7k in inventory." Of course, this is all speculative since Aldi has yet to make a public announcement about a change many are reporting seeing.
Self-checkouts, shoplifting, and labor costs
Aldi's self-checkouts are beloved by some, even though you still have to ask an Aldi employee to apply discounts to your order. On Reddit, one customer said they were initially skeptical about Aldi self-checkout versus its quick cashiers, "but when there's 6 self checkout lanes open compared to 1 or 2 staffed lanes, it makes a huge difference."
This highlights another issue in the mix: labor costs. Stores that rely more on self-checkout often do so to cut hours or reduce staff, thereby spending less money on labor. But as Aldi is apparently learning, increases in theft can follow reductions in staff hours.
Other stores have grappled with self-checkout shoplifting. Costco's self-checkout leaves a lot to be desired because of onerous ID requirements, which are meant to deter shoplifting. And Aldi's corporate sibling Trader Joe's doesn't have self-checkout at all because of its cashiers' signature personal touch. Maybe Aldi can learn a thing or two.