The measure was introduced by Nikki Lucas, a Democratic lawmaker in New York, who argued that retailers are increasingly moving from traditional checkout lanes to automated systems. She said customers are taking on tasks previously handled by employees and should receive compensation for that contribution.
Lucas said retailers were already lowering expenses by shifting checkout responsibilities from workers to consumers through self-checkout kiosks. She argued that a discount would recognize customer participation while allowing shoppers to benefit from the financial savings linked to the technology.
A Proposal Based on Customer Participation in Checkout
Lucas’s proposal focuses on the idea that shoppers perform part of the checkout process themselves when using self-service machines. She said businesses are reducing staffing and operational costs by transferring duties once completed by employees.
“Retail businesses increasingly rely on self-checkout systems to reduce staffing and operational costs by shifting responsibilities traditionally performed by employees onto consumers,” Lucas said.
The lawmaker added that customers completing checkout tasks without compensation should receive a mandatory discount. She described the measure as a way to create what she called fairness between retailers and consumers while sharing the savings generated by self-service technology.
The proposal would apply to grocery customers using systems such as those found in stores like Whole Foods, though the measure did not advance before the end of the legislative session.
Similar Ideas Considered in Other States
New York was not the only place where lawmakers considered incentives linked to self-checkout use. According to The Sun, Rhode Island also included a similar idea in an early draft of changes to its grocery legislation.
The proposals reflect a broader debate over how retailers manage the transition toward automated checkout systems. Supporters of the discount approach argue that customers who take on more responsibilities during shopping should receive a share of the savings.
The New York proposal from Lucas did not make it out of committee before the legislative session ended, meaning the measure will not move forward in its current form.
Critics Raise Concerns About Store Security
Opponents of the proposal argued that encouraging more self-checkout use could create problems if stores reduce the number of employees available on site. They said fewer workers could mean less supervision and increased risks related to retail theft.
New York City Councilmember Amanda Farías criticized the removal of workers from retail spaces, saying it had already resulted in “increased retail theft, less oversight, fewer protections for both workers and customers, and generally decreased safety.”
Farías had previously supported a separate New York City self-checkout proposal that would limit the number of items shoppers could purchase through these systems.
